Welcome to Litsy!

My coworker is moving and gave me first dibs on the books she is weeding out and I chose this one. A short but effective read about a Korean woman as she experiences sexism in every stage of her life from the favoritism her brother receives as the only son to the inequalities faced when having a child both at home and in the workplace. This was the perfect length- the writing was direct and rules my emotions up to the last maddening sentence.

This was a bit of a step back in time for me. Things are slowly changing but the sexism and double standards portrayed in this book were very real to me 30 years ago. The frustrations of being mistreated, patronised and overlooked as a woman screams loud and clear from this book. Cleverly written. This book was a birthday gift from my son. I‘m very proud to have raised a son who is not like some of the men in this book.

Looking forward to this one #iykyk

My review:
The book is brilliant, ending - in the very last sentence - with a powerful outcry that highlights the potential deadlock faced under the guise of pseudo-feminism. It‘s a genuine call for genuine progress.

My goodness, what a read.
I'm aware of Korean culture but not that extreme sexism and anti female casually accepted culture
I'm passing it to my partner, then my switched on daughter who will be equally furious...
Read it!!

It leapt off the charity shop shelf at me and I knew it was one off my list.
It's a good one. It's highlighting sexism throughout her life but not through opinion, just observation.

I‘m always interested in the reading material provided in an Air BnB. This is what was on the shelf at the place we stayed in Athens, Greece. An interesting selection 📚I ended up not doing a lot of reading on the trip. Being a chaperone to college students was more tiring than anticipated, but I was glad to squeeze in some bookish experiences while there.

This book made me so angry! It's a good book but I really have complicated feelings about it. I found especially infuriating the doctor's comments in the end. It is painfully realistic and doesn't offer much hope for the reader.

Look what arrived with the post this morning- thank you @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 😊 and I love the stickers! #litsylove

Thanks for the tag @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks !
1. I never actually put any up 🙈 partly because I was away for Christmas anyway but mostly because my cat is an absolute menace and would have had them down in minutes!
2. Snow! I‘ve lived in the tropics for seven years and had plenty of rain but I have really missed watching the snow come down
@TheSpineView #two4tuesday

This book made me SO. ANGRY. Everyone should read it.

This is a short novel, but it packs a powerful punch. I found it sad, frustrating and unfortunately very relatable. The difficulty for women and especially mothers in the workforce is not very different in South Korea as it is in North America. Someone mentioned that all men should have to read this book, and while I agree, I somehow doubt most would get it. This is a great choice for book clubs, especially those of mixed genders. 4.25/5 stars.

This book made me realise d brutal truth that women are treated differently all over d world ! The snapshots from the life of Kim Jiyoung is so much relatable, that‘s why it‘s frustrating & heartbreaking read . Even though it is a piece of fiction it won‘t exaggerate anything, instead it slaps our conscious with facts & statistics. This d book which I want everyone to read, at the same time I resent myself reading it 😞4.5⭐️#bookspinbingo

Every man should read this book. Makes me sad and resentful to be a woman

Beautiful and Powerful.
Everyone should read this book!
It‘s crazy how no matter where you live, all over the world, women have the same experiences.
Every women can see a bit of themselves in the situations in this book.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4453501331

#Feminist #Feminism

This is a heartbreakingly relatable book. It's both wonderful and tragic and makes me want to burn the world.

It was OK. Strange blend of fiction with statistics thrown in

Next up . . . Another 99p bargain

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I can't say I *enjoyed* this quick read exactly; it made my blood boil (not that endemic misogyny is breaking news...). It's good, though. With its concise, bare facts only, writing style complete with footnotes, was I reading a novel? An academic report? A piece of journalism? It became clear later on! And as for the concluding paragraph! 🤬

Finished reading on 16 January 2022.

My June pick for #12BooksOf2021 is the beautifully crafted novel from Korean writer Cho Nam-Joo.

@Andrew65

Largely inspired by the author's personal experience, the book gives voice to so many unheard women, not only from Korea.

No wonder the novel has raised a debate in the Korean society and became a cult book, given how forthright it presents women's condition over the last 40 years. A wonderful book to read in just a couple of hours.

A full review to follow, but this book at its core details what it means to live as a woman, especially as a mother, in Korea. The ending of this book made my heart just drop. Solid 4 ⭐. #BookSpinBingo

In a little while, the #20in4 Readathon starts for me! I hope to get an hour of reading each day (broken up in three 20 minute periods!). I just finished a class in Children/YA Lit. so I‘ve been obsessed with that genre lately, but there‘s other books I own I want to get to during this readathon. I‘m too much of a mood reader to have a TBR, but I‘m excited to join! Currently reading Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 ☺️

@Andrew65

1. Sometimes….. 😱

2. Yes, that there‘s a lot of sexism and misogyny in Korea. And that the West isn‘t as different from Korea as it would like to think…

#Two4Tuesday
@TheSpineView

This book was frustrating, but in a good way. It follows Kim Jiyoung throughout her life, drawing attention to all of the moments that she gets short-changed for being female. It is bookended by the idea that she is now in therapy for having some sort of a mental break, but even that was decided by her husband. More of a thought experiment than a novel, really, but it makes an important point

A deceptively simple book that has relevance not just in Korea but everywhere. Kim Jiyoung is a Korean everywoman, whose life story author Cho Nam-Joo uses to illustrate the very patriarchal nature of Korean society, but the microaggressions Jiyoung experiences will not be unfamiliarity anyone living in a patriarchy, including the UK and the USA. A book that will definitely make you stop and think.

Cho Nam-Joo tells the story of Kim Jinyoung from childhood to adulthood and in doing so, critically examines the prevalence of sexism in Korean society. it‘s assertions are supported throughout with sometimes jarring specific statistical and anecdotal evidence. Its detached, affectless style at times felt like it wasn‘t going to work, but by the end I realised this was exactly the style the book needed.

I thought I had sorted the whole education/career/motherhood thing, but this book shook me up. This isn‘t just a fictional story of Kim Jiyoung struggling with everyday sexism in Korea, this could be any of us. A short read with clipped writing littered with facts, this packs a punch. Particularly the ending. Highly recommend (and loving the cover).

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #ReadingAsia2021 @BarbaraBB @Librarybelle

I had a day at home to read and I finished my #BookSpin for this month.

This one isn't a long read, but it was quite emotional for me to read. Jiyoung deals with so much while just trying to make a better life for herself. Parts of this made me so angry, but I still think it's a great read that others should read.

99p for UK Kindle users.

Cho Nam-Joo has written a book that is both universal and local, infuriating and motivating. Whilst giving insight into South Korea and peppered with statistics to add further weight, we can all identify with Kim Jiyoung, the layers of inherent political and social oppression of women and our often subconscious actions which serve to reinforce it. Women‘s rights are for the benefit of everyone, and everyone should read this book. 8/10

Oh, hey. In the mood to get REAL riled up? Want a book that is utterly brilliant but will also make you want to *burn things*? You found it! This book is heartbreaking and infuriating, and though it tells a uniquely Korean story, isn't it also the story of women everywhere? I absolutely loved the footnotes throughout- this book is fiction. But it's factual. They're just characters. But they're us. This one will stay with me a long time.

I love waking up to a book delivery! ❤️📚🎉 #NewIn #BookMail #WeekendReading

An unusual but very sad read.

In a matter-of-fact voice, we learn the minutiae of Kim Jiyoung‘s life, the constant, cumulative microagressions & inequalities she faces as a girl/woman in South Korea, and pressure/conflict she faces between doing what she needs to do to get by, & setting a precedent/good example for younger women.You never really feel that close to Jiyoung- I felt I knew her sister & team leader better than Jiyoung herself👇🏻

A brilliant (and familiar) read despite being translated from its original Korean. All women will be able to relate to quite a bit of this, no matter their culture. A quick read and worth every moment. Highly recommend.

Counting this as my #DoubleSpin - continuing my penchant to reading the Double first. 😂🤷🏻‍♀️ #BookSpinBingo #BookSpin

I enjoyed this very short book, but not as much as I thought I would based on others‘ reviews. The book was written in a very unusual style, the reason for which became clear at the end. I still can‘t decide if I wanted that a-ha moment or if I‘d have preferred that understanding throughout.

First book for 2021 and first prompt ticked off for #readingasia2021 #southkorea

Thanks for the #nonbuddyread @Cinfhen @rockpools - it was fun! 😁