#firstlinefridays @ShyBookOwl
“An old woman sits on the beach, a cushion strapped to her bottom, sorting algae that‘s washed ashore.”
My 1st book from this year's #NobelPrize winner. I was impressed by the first half, but disappointed that the narrator's quiet & moving story was pushed aside for almost straight non-fiction, admittedly also moving, and about events in #Korea's history that needed telling. So the fiction ended up being an artificial framing device for near-journalistic work. I was happy to read it all & learned a lot, but with a slight sense of frustration 😊
pickHoo boy. If you survived watching Red Sparrow, I think you can handle reading this book. That being said...
Lee gets full marks in writing quality for managing to
make an eminently readable book despite truly
harrowing subject matter. Recounting events surrounding Korean experience beginning in World War II and the Korean War, the tragic history of a split country is told here primarily by focusing on violence against women 1/?
pickThis one taught me a lot of Korean history, which is not covered by what we learn in school. It has some very strong scenes after which I had to stop the audio book to get my feelings in order. But since the book is mostly focused on the history part, I sometimes struggled to put the audio book back on. Only at the end the characters got a little more depth. Still a pick of course, since I really did learn a lot.
Today's 'scratched my brain just right' sentence. ☀️
pickLife is nothing but a game of luck and chance. A moving generational saga weaving Korean and Japanese cultures, touching upon themes of love, loss, colonialism, colonial hangovers, change, identity, war, and so much else. Beautifully written with memorable characters. Leaves much to think about at the end. Great narration on Audible.
