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tracey1981's review against another edition
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was an interesting, challenging read, written from the perspective of a mother contending with her own homophobia after her daughter and her daughter’s partner, a woman, move in with her. The mother is also a caregiver at a nursing home. It’s about gender, work, bodies and relationships. It’s a short-read so the characters are not as developed as I might have liked and there are some plot points especially to do with the elderly woman the mother was caring for that I wanted more context for. Overall a thought-provoking read that generated great discussion at the Radical Books Collective, particularly about intergenerational relations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Violence
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
concerning my daughter is a reflective read that ruminates on the status quo and life & death, all seen thru a very rare pov of an elderly woman who works as carer and whose daughter is lesbian in south korea's very conservative ans homophobic society.
it makes for some provocative questions esp abt challenging the 'way of the world,' as the narrator puts it: wouldnt it be easier to live w/ one's head down and do whats necessary to ensure a dignified future esp in old age? it's a question that the titular mother and daughter wrestle w/ all thruout the book, compounded by the former's struggle to comprehend the latter's homosexuality.
though the book can be painfully slow at certain points and i find the characters frustrating a lot of the time, it cant be denied that theyre written well are are fleshed out, w/ major props to kim's ability to articulate the narrator's homophobic reasoning and logic, and her gradual change thats realistic. this book made me think a lot and it provided some very uncomfortable questions and thoughts that few def would want to think abt, but nevertheless necessary.
it makes for some provocative questions esp abt challenging the 'way of the world,' as the narrator puts it: wouldnt it be easier to live w/ one's head down and do whats necessary to ensure a dignified future esp in old age? it's a question that the titular mother and daughter wrestle w/ all thruout the book, compounded by the former's struggle to comprehend the latter's homosexuality.
though the book can be painfully slow at certain points and i find the characters frustrating a lot of the time, it cant be denied that theyre written well are are fleshed out, w/ major props to kim's ability to articulate the narrator's homophobic reasoning and logic, and her gradual change thats realistic. this book made me think a lot and it provided some very uncomfortable questions and thoughts that few def would want to think abt, but nevertheless necessary.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Minor: Death, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, and Injury/Injury detail
sonalipawar26's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
'That child who sprang from my own flesh and blood is perhaps the creature I'm most distant from,' says the sixty-something narrator.
Isn't it true for the most of us though? Tumultuous mother-daughter relationships are a tale as old as time.
If you are a woman, you'll relate to this relationship being as complex as a maze that has no exit. You are stuck with each other, butting heads at the smallest issue. But then you look for each other at the minutest inconvenience as well. You can't live together, you can't live apart.
Concerning My Daughter navigates the 'treacherous shoals of the mother-daughter relationship' [as Morticia Addams from Wednesday quoted]. The narrator is a sixty-something woman working as a carer at the hospital for senior citizens waiting to take their last breath. She has a thirty-something daughter, who won't do things the 'traditional' way. She can't understand why her daughter chose the hard life.
Her daughter then moves in with her along with another woman. But they are not just friends, and the mother isn't ready to come to terms with their true relationship.
This book brings out the nuances and several layers to mother-daughter relationships brilliantly. Moreover, it is also a commentary on palliative care and are not cared for properly.
This novella is subtle yet impactful. You find yourself empathising with the daughter, but then you start understanding the mother and her internal conflicts, too. Apart from being about mothers and daughters, it is provides a perspective on the LGBTQ+ community through the lens of the older generation. Of course, you might not agree with the.
A lot was left to read between the lines, and my only woe with the book is that it was too short to peel the layers of a mother-daughter relationship.
Isn't it true for the most of us though? Tumultuous mother-daughter relationships are a tale as old as time.
If you are a woman, you'll relate to this relationship being as complex as a maze that has no exit. You are stuck with each other, butting heads at the smallest issue. But then you look for each other at the minutest inconvenience as well. You can't live together, you can't live apart.
Concerning My Daughter navigates the 'treacherous shoals of the mother-daughter relationship' [as Morticia Addams from Wednesday quoted]. The narrator is a sixty-something woman working as a carer at the hospital for senior citizens waiting to take their last breath. She has a thirty-something daughter, who won't do things the 'traditional' way. She can't understand why her daughter chose the hard life.
Her daughter then moves in with her along with another woman. But they are not just friends, and the mother isn't ready to come to terms with their true relationship.
This book brings out the nuances and several layers to mother-daughter relationships brilliantly. Moreover, it is also a commentary on palliative care and are not cared for properly.
This novella is subtle yet impactful. You find yourself empathising with the daughter, but then you start understanding the mother and her internal conflicts, too. Apart from being about mothers and daughters, it is provides a perspective on the LGBTQ+ community through the lens of the older generation. Of course, you might not agree with the.
A lot was left to read between the lines, and my only woe with the book is that it was too short to peel the layers of a mother-daughter relationship.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Violence
agateg's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
“The expectations and ambitions, possibilities and hopes concerning my daughter - they still remain and torment me no matter how hard I work to get rid of them.”
The story follows an ageing woman whose 30-something-year-old daughter moves back home with her girlfriend. Now the woman has to face the realities of growing old, having a homosexual daughter and navigating the cultural and societal norms that she has been brought up with.
The story was very intricately portrayed. I loved how detailed and descriptive the writing style, made the story feel more raw and powerful. I this quite accurately would portray my grandparent’s outlook on life. I will definitely be checking out other stories by Kim Hyejin.
The story follows an ageing woman whose 30-something-year-old daughter moves back home with her girlfriend. Now the woman has to face the realities of growing old, having a homosexual daughter and navigating the cultural and societal norms that she has been brought up with.
The story was very intricately portrayed. I loved how detailed and descriptive the writing style, made the story feel more raw and powerful. I this quite accurately would portray my grandparent’s outlook on life. I will definitely be checking out other stories by Kim Hyejin.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, and Dementia
Moderate: Excrement, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
samothraces's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Violence, and Dementia
internationalreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Dementia, Grief, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent
mscoleman's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A good representation of Korean attitudes towards the queer community.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Violence
sketchydelusion's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Medical content, Dementia, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Terminal illness and Medical content
Minor: Death, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, and Vomit
mahry's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really tried to like this book, because I feel like it's a topic that many homosexualls have to deal with, no matter what country they live in. But the mother is such an annoying character that filled me up with anger and rage on probably ever other page. It was a really hard read. Would not read it again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Violence