Most Shocking Book of the Year? 8 Lives of a Century Old Trickster

Most Shocking Book of the Year? 8 Lives of a Century Old Trickster - Spoiler Free Review

Рет қаралды 376

Күн бұрын

Spoiler free review of 8 Lives of a Century Old Trickster by Mirinae Lee - a 2024 @WomensPrizeforFiction longlisted novel.
It’s true what they say - the best stories are the ones you like, and @everand_us is the best place to find them. You can try it free for 30 days with my link: www.scribd.com/gi/9zlbeh
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Пікірлер: 50

@bjminton2698 3 ай бұрын

I have read the book and found the stories to be believable. I am a few decades older than you, so I really didn't learn anything about the 2 Korean worlds and the atrocities of war that I did not already know. I think it's a must-read for people who don't understand the realities of the world, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. Those who find it insightful should be thankful that their learning comes from reading as opposed to first-hand experience. I fully believe that similar atrocities are happening in different locales all around the world at this minute. I loved the prologue of the book and think it could have also gone in a different, less violent, direction. Thank you for your review!

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I think you’re spot on when you say these things are still happening in the world today. I can see that a less violent/more nuanced story would have been more appealing to a lot of people. Always love hearing your take matey ☺️

@rdculb945 3 ай бұрын

Finally, someone who liked this book too! I loved it and didn’t see many others feeling the same. I loved being confused and then figuring out the lives later. ❤

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I can’t believe this is getting mixed reviews, it’s so good!!

@judybrown1624 3 ай бұрын

I agree it deserves a spot on the SL.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

💯

@jillybeanh67 3 ай бұрын

Definitely adding it to my ever increasing list of books to get to soon!

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

For sure 😜

@lorrainescanlon5277 3 ай бұрын

I completely agree! So far this is the best book by far from the longlist of the ones I have read. I loved when it all came together. I gave it 4.5 stars as well.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

Which others have you read?! This is definitely one of the ones I never would have read if it hadn’t been listed, so delighted with the WP judges choice 🤩

@kimswhims8435 3 ай бұрын

From the 5 I've read on the longlist, I think it's my favourite. It was an inventive way to cover a lot of ground about what happened to many Korean women over the last century. I liked the main character and was able to suspend disbelief. Read it in one sitting deep into the night and was able to follow it easily from storyline to storyline. Happy Reading.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

Yay - glad to hear that you enjoyed it too ☺️ which are the other ones you’ve read?

@kimswhims8435 3 ай бұрын

@@GemofBooks Brotherless Night which I think is the best of the ones I've read. River East River West, Western Lane and Restless Dolly... not sure which one I'll pick up next, I have some other books to read first.

@BandysBooks 3 ай бұрын

I’ve just finished this one and really liked it as well. It was very brutal in the first half and I had a hard time getting through a few sections, but I did think it touched on some very important parts of history. I did wish it gave a bit more space to breathe in between sections so the magnitude of the things happening could settle in, but I definitely wouldn’t be mad if this makes the shortlist.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I think that space between sections was definitely missing. A couple of people have said that, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until it was pointed out, but it for sure would have been worth it.

@lauracorsi3309 3 ай бұрын

I am so excited to read this one! Cannot wait to get to it.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I hope you love it as much as I did 🧡

@ameliabarlowbooks 3 ай бұрын

oh, I’m excited for this one! queues for days at the library but we’ll get there! not had much luck with the Women’s Prize so far, but there’s still time to turn it around ♥️

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!! 🤩

@christinacampbellbooks 2 ай бұрын

Enjoyed hearing your thoughts on this one. I really liked this book. Like you said, I learnt so much about the time period. It was definitely a difficult read. And it was unlike anything I've ever read before ☺

@GemofBooks 2 ай бұрын

Same - a very different style, which I really loved. Glad you loved it too matey 🧡

@AliceandtheGiantBookshelf 3 ай бұрын

I’ve also filmed my review of this, and I think we felt similarly on this one. I also thought it was inventive and I felt like a learnt a lot. It is a really trauma heavy book at first but I liked the way it came together. Initially it read to me like a short story collection. Hope we see it shortlisted. 😊📚

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I hope it gets shortlisted too! I believe that the author published some of the chapters as short stories before she put this book together, it definitely reads a bit like interconnected short stories, but I really like the way it all came together.

@AliceandtheGiantBookshelf 3 ай бұрын

@@GemofBooks yes I read about that in the authors notes. I think she did a good job of making the last few lives that hadn’t been individual stories before tie it all together.

@Showmeyourshelfie 3 ай бұрын

Yes, I hope it makes the SL! Mrs. mook was such a bad ass. There was so much trauma but that was always met with resilience. It was sad but never hopeless and yeah, I just loved this one too. Which one are you reading next? I have only two left - the Maiden and Brotherless Night.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

She was 100% a bad ass - I loved her!! I just finished The Maiden over the weekend and I’m now on In Defence of the Act. You’ve done so well to get through 14 already 😱

@scallydandlingaboutthebook2711 3 ай бұрын

You got me much more interested in this one now.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

Yes Ros!! Give it a whirl!! 😄

@anitahayne8621 3 ай бұрын

Thank you for this review. I have seen some reviews that have been negative; however, your review has convinced me to give it a go.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

Woohoo!! You’ll have to let me know how you get on!

@spreadbookjoy 3 ай бұрын

This is one of the books I’ve been most interested in though The Mountains Sing was soooo sad that if this is even more traumatic I will have to be in the mood! Misery May perhaps 😂

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

It would defo fit for misery may 😂😂

@SarahAsYouWish 3 ай бұрын

This was a 4⭐️ book for me. I’ve read a few non-fiction books about Korea but not many novels. I found this fairly fast-paced or plot heavy compared to the other nominated books I’ve read. That doesn’t always work for me, but it did in this case.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I completely agree that this was one of the ‘plotier’ books on the longlist, I think I needed that 😂😂

@meganmadkour9328 3 ай бұрын

I loved this one too. Of the four Women’s Prize books I have read so far this is my favorite. I learned so much about North Korean history. I think I gave it 4.5 stars also.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

Which are the other 4 you’ve read?? It really is a brilliant book.

@meganmadkour9328 3 ай бұрын

@@GemofBooks I DNF’d Hangman and the squash book(?). I read Enter Ghost (3*) and am completely stalled in the middle of The Maiden. It started really well, but I am now struggling to continue.

@readingoffmyshelf2088 3 ай бұрын

I have this book on my TBR for April. Hopefully, I will get around to it .

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

It’s so good - I hope you get to it ☺️

@nealsteplaws 3 ай бұрын

I struggled with this one, especially after finding out that the book was made up of short stories the author had previously published at different times and in different publications. I liked the beginning but wish she returned to that framing narrative between the stories.

@TheLeniverse 3 ай бұрын

That was pretty much my take too. The frame story seemed tacked on just to make it a novel rather than interconnected short stories, and it could have been integrated better.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I’m not usually a short story person, so I’m quite surprised I liked it as much as I did. I do agree on the framing though, it could have been better integrated.

@jacquelinemcmenamin8204 3 ай бұрын

I thought I’d bought myself a copy of 8 Lives at Easter. I bought myself books instead of chocolate. But when I checked , the two books I got were And Then She Fell The Maiden Obviously age & insomnia is making me hallucinate. I’m currently listening to Brotherless Night It’s very good. So far I’ve listened to Solider Sailor The Wren The Wren Ordinary Human Failings Enter Ghost I loved them all for different reasons and I find it hard to pick ultimate favourite. I still think Enter Ghost will win. I’m almost finished the audio of Restless Dolly Maunder. It’s good but not to the standard of the rest I’ve read. It’s perfectly good historical fiction but I can think of better Australian/NZ books that could have been picked for the long list. Hope this finds you well Gemma 💐 ☘️👋🍀📖📕📚☕️🇮🇪

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I’m always forgetting which books I’ve bought and which I’ve just thought about buying 😂 I am hoping to audio Brotherless Night next week, it seems to be getting pretty universal praise 🤩 I haven’t gotten to Enter Ghost yet, but I think it’s got a lot of potential. I’d be surprised if it doesn’t at least make the short list.

@CharlieBrookReads 3 ай бұрын

Loved 8 lives it wasn’t perfect as the penultimate chapter dragged a bit for me but overall I was pleased to have read it.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I think that’s fair. I was such a Gemma book though 🧡

@glendaw5221 3 ай бұрын

I’ve been interested in Korean history and though I usually don’t like reading about atrocities (I really didn’t care for Unbroken) I think I might like this one. I’m going to put it on my list. I’ve already gotten a sample on Kindle.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I haven’t read Unbroken, though I would really like to read it at some point. You’ll have to let me know what hat you think if/when you give it a go ☺️

@TheLeniverse 3 ай бұрын

I didn't like this as much as you did. I thought the structure was too messy. I will definitely keep an eye on the author for future books, but I don't think I'll have this one in my top 6.

@GemofBooks 3 ай бұрын

I can see that this one wouldn’t be for everyone, but it was 100% a me book 🤩