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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is barely a novel, it's more a sort of concentrated manifesto in the form of a story, told from the perspective of an "everywoman" character who experiences all the various struggles of women in Korea. It's really interesting to see things set out in such a clear way and find the parallels and the differences between Korean society and our own. The story element is well done: it's relatable, not preachy, and doesn't get in the way of what the author is trying to get across.
I picked this up after hearing Korean misogynists were upset over the contents of the books, and I'm glad I did.
At first, it comes off very dry and factual in the way the story is delievered, but once everything clicks, the undeniable dread and sadness sets in. The life of Kim Jiyoung is at first told in 3rd person and almost comes off as a report, but everything makes sense in the final chapter leaving you with the sad reality that the sexism and patriarchy in society continues in South Korea no matter how much progress is made in the laws.
Overall, dry read but everything makes sense making it great.
At first, it comes off very dry and factual in the way the story is delievered, but once everything clicks, the undeniable dread and sadness sets in. The life of Kim Jiyoung is at first told in 3rd person and almost comes off as a report, but everything makes sense in the final chapter leaving you with the sad reality that the sexism and patriarchy in society continues in South Korea no matter how much progress is made in the laws.
Overall, dry read but everything makes sense making it great.
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A bit like a textbook narrative, the author uses a generic name to tell the common story of life for a 21st century Korean woman. It was interesting! Quietly frustrating and a decent look at the social structures in South Korea, although I wasn’t a huge fan of the format.
I thought Jiyoung’s condition would be explored more but no…
I thought Jiyoung’s condition would be explored more but no…
Really wish this was a more creative, haunting exploration into womanhood. I thought we were headed for a metaphorical look at the shared experiences (and traumas) of women with the main character "taking on" the personalities of other women at the beginning of the book only to be met with lackluster writing, statistics jammed into narrative, and zilch for me to chew on.
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book made a huge impact in South Korea and was apparently considered a shocking slap in the face to the patriarchal society and sexist attitudes. I listened to the English audiobook and I do wonder if something was lost in translation as this just seemed like a list of complaints about how hard it is to be a woman (I'm pretty sure period pains are not worse in South Korea than anywhere else in the world?). The book was sandwiched with a flimsy narrative but it felt like this had been tacked on to both ends of the list of 'horrible things that happened to me'. I wondered why the audiobook had a male narrator and found out at the end with the silly plot device of the psychiatrist having his eyes opened. Kudos to the author for challenging sexist and misogynistic attitudes in South Korea but personally I didn't think the book was very well written/translated.
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No