Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982: A Novel [Paperback]

One of the most notable novels of the year, hailed by both critics and K-pop stars alike, THE BOOK THAT LAUNCHED THE 4B MOVEMENT Arya James, Chos clinical prose is bolstered with figures and footnotes to illustrate how ordinary Jiyoungs experience is.... When [ Cho Nam-joos third novel has been hailed as giving voice to the unheard everywoman. . . . [ Cho Nam-Joo points to a universal dialogue around discrimination, hopelessness, and fear. In this fineand beautifully translatedbiography of a fictional Korean woman we encounter the real experiences of many women around the world. Cho deploys a formal, almost clinical prose style that subtly but effectively reinforces the challenges Korean women like Jiyoung endure throughout their lives in multiple contextsfamilial, educational, and work-related. . . . Kim Jiyoung effectively communicates the realities Korean women face, especially discrimination in the workplace, rampant sexual harassment, and the nearly impossible challenge of balancing motherhood with career aspirations. Following the life of the titular character from her mothers generation through her own childhood, young adulthood, career, marriage and eventual 'breakdown,' the book moves around in time to subtly uncover how patriarchy eats away at the psyches and bodies of women, starting before theyre even born. Chilling. Already an international best-seller, television scriptwriter Chos debut novel has been credited with helping to launch Koreas new feminist movement. The fact that gender inequity is insidiously pervasive throughout the world will guarantee that this tale has immediate resonance, and its smoothly accessible, albeit British English vernacularinclined, translation by award-winning translator Chang will ensure appreciative Anglophone audiences. Chos narrative is part bildungsroman and part Wikipedia entry (complete with statistics-heavy footnotes).... Chos matter-of-fact delivery underscores the pervasive gender imbalance,l³˜