The writer paints a picture of a world with vastly different views by two friends that take a turn when another person crosses their paths. Very different read compared to other Korean writings that also show the reader struggles that in some ways are not that different than those living in other countries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I give this book a 2-3 star rating because I never really felt invested in this story. It was sad and depressing from start to finish. Not that sadness and depression can not make a good story, it's just that this one really wasn't interesting . I've read a good amount of Historical Fiction and Asian Culture and usually I cannot get enough. But this book just didn't draw me in and make me feel anything. It was simply a story.

Recommended for fans of Historical Fiction and Asian culture.

While some of this was interesting and I think the author has talent, I couldn't really relate to the characters so it was hard to get very enthused with the story.

I never finished this book. Truthfully, the Christian missionary character seemed implausible based on what I know about mission work in Communist countries. And I kept putting off returning to the book.

This novel, set in South Korea in the 1970s, had so much potential. The three main characters, two young women and a young man, are college students from very different socio-economic classes. Unfortunately none of the three is likeable and are only remotely relatable and the dense writing took a long time to wade through. I wouldn't say not to read it but can't really recommend it, either.

This book was amazing. Set against a highly political backdrop, stresses the importance of women's voices, was intersectional and reflective, and intriguing. I reviewed this book in my monthly wrap-up video at the link.

I am in no place to judge as to how accurate this book is, but Wuertz's writing made it very easy for me to imagine that I was in 1978 Seoul. While plot started the book rather well, it finished it off neatly with character development.

I tried four different times to read this book. I'm going to blame it on myself here and not the writer but I just couldn't get very far. It was so hard to put myself in a mindset as to not question every little thing that it just wasn't enjoyable for me.

Unfortunately, I think I was the wrong reader for this book. There was something about it which I just couldn't connect to, and that kept me from finishing it. I believe the writer has talent and the subject matter is interesting, but it just didn't pull me in or capture my imagination. That may sound strange coming from someone whose "day job" is grant writing for organizations working to improve the socio-economic status of underprivileged population groups (which I think is the reason why I originally asked for this book). My sincere apologies to the author, because I'm sure my problem with this book was just me, and not her. I'm sure that other readers will enjoy it. (Maybe I'll try to read it again in the future...)

Parts of this book were very intriguing and brilliant. Other parts were kind of vague and convoluted. I really enjoyed the beginning with Sunam training with Juno for entry into the circle and wished there would have been more to that aspect of the story - what was the training supposed to accomplish...after the strange party scenes I got really lost. I enjoyed the characters of Namin and Jisun who reminded me of some of the friendships I have had in my life. It was a decent read but got really disjointed in the middle section.

This novel follows the path of three South Korean college students in the 1970s. Jisun is the girl who has everything but wants none of it – coming from one of the most prominent families, she shrugs off her well to do status to try and fight with the working men (and women.) Namin was born into a family deep in poverty and studies harder than anyone to get herself out of the dusty town she comes home to from college. Sunam, a boy they both meet and become involved with, is comfortable in life but doesn’t really know what to do with himself, and becomes stuck in the worlds of these two girls. I found myself to be drawn into Jisun and Namin’s stories, but found parts of Sunam’s dull and wanted to breeze past them.

Though I love historic fiction, generally, perhaps this was too recent for someone my age... or perhaps it's just the whole college age angst thing is out of my interest range. I requested, based on historic fiction and interest in other cultures, but this was not right for me.

This book was set in Seoul during the 1970's. The story centers around two young women, Jisun and Namin who come from very different backgrounds but each trying to find their way. Jisun grew up in the upper class and is trying to break away from her family. Namin grew up with parents who owned a food cart and is trying to improve her family's life who are struggling to survive. I enjoy books that help me learn about different cultures and different time periods of countries.This story did help me to understand the struggles of Seoul in the late 1970's but I somehow found the story lacking in substance. I did enjoy the last half of the book but I found myself not as engaged in the with the characters as I had wished. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel.

Everything Belongs to Us is set in Seoul, South Korea in the 1970’s. The main characters are Jisun, the daughter of a wealthy businessman, Namin, whose parents run a food cart, and Sunam, also the son of well to do businessman.

At first it was difficult to get into the novel. The setting and culture were so foreign to me. However, once I got a grasp of each character, it became so much more interesting. The conflicts that each character carries with them, the role that they play in society, is fascinating.

Jisun, wants to turn her back on her wealth and privilege and help the workers revolt. Namin, who wants to rise above the standing of her family, both for herself and her family. Sunam, who must make his family proud.

I really enjoyed this book once I got into it’s rhythm.

Good read. I enjoyed the book even when it was a bit slow. I enjoyed reading about the Korea of the past and the insights that the novel gave to the pursuit of success when there is little to go around.

The three young people in this book come of age in 1970's Korea. Each comes from families that represent a different level of the economic ladder. They are also quite different in personalities and connect to each other through mutual need and sometimes questionable loyalties. Although I know little about Korean life and politics, I'm pretty sure that the author does. She writes convincingly about the challenges of growing up in post-war Korea and creates real characters with flaws and weaknesses that balance their strengths.
Life's challenges seem to be a focal point in this book. Each of the main characters is successful in the end, but they pay a price. While the setting is Korea, the struggles and difficulties could occur to young people anywhere. The hopes and dreams of youth can make it seem that everything belongs to them.
Growing up has a way of changing that and turning those dreams inside out. Those who adapt are better suited to future happiness, but everyone has to deal with it in their own way. These characters don't always behave or respond in the way that I as a reader would expect, but I could related to their inadequacies and disappointments.
I enjoyed "Everything Belongs to Us" and recommend it to readers who enjoy a book that portrays real life and challenges them to see things from different angles. I learned a bit about Korea and it's history, yet also enjoyed a story that could have taken place in any setting. The ending isn't neat and tidy, but then again, neither is life. Ultimately everything doesn't really belong to us, but we survive in spite of it.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title.

In this debut novel that is set in South Korea, Wuertz covers a lot of material. The lives of Namin, Jisun, and Sunam are covered in great detail. Namin comes from a poor background but is a college student struggling to finish her education so she can provide better circumstances for her family. Jisun comes from a wealthy family and does not fully grasp the privilege in which she lives. Sunam is from a middle class family and also attends the university with Namin. While the book details their lives the prominent theme that arches throughout is money and how money affects their lives.

This is a well written book but it is a dense read. There are no light and fluffy parts. This is the kind of book that you have to immerse yourself into truly enjoy and get the message of the novel. I look forward to reading her future endeavors.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy..

I haven't read anything about the protests in Seoul during the 70's, so I was interested in learning more. The story unfolds with three main characters and how their lives are entwined. The characters stuck with me in this book, and I couldn't wait to get back to them each night. The epilogue summed up the characters well and didn't leave me hanging.

At the start of the year, I mentioned that one of my blogging goals was to read more diverse books. Set in South Korea in 1978, Everything Belongs to Us is the first diverse book I've read this year.

I went into this book knowing very little about South Korea's history and culture, so I had no preconceived ideas about the location or how the characters might be portrayed in the story. I think this made the book more interesting to me, because I wasn't just reading a story; I was learning about a place I knew practically nothing about.

The story centers mainly around Jisun, Namin, and Sunam, three Seoul National University students who come from vastly different backgrounds:

Jisun is the rebellious daughter of a wealthy and powerful man. Rejecting the wealth she was born into, Jisun is a political activist who regularly takes part in protests. She's often frustrated in her efforts, however, because of who she is.

Namin—Jisun's childhood friend— is the smart, ambitious daughter of poor parents who make their meager earnings by operating a food cart. She dreams of becoming a doctor to help her disabled younger brother, and lift her family out of poverty... but her older sister Kyungmin makes that goal difficult in more ways than one

Sunam is the son of middle class parents. He desperately wants to become part of an elite group known as the Circle, via his connection to Juno—Jisun's older brother. When he's invited to attend a Circle gathering for prospective members, he meets Namin (who is also yearning for acceptance into the group) and Jisun... setting into motion a chain of events that will affect all of their lives.

Of the three, the story of Namin and her family was the most captivating for me. I've always been fond of characters who must overcome seemingly insurmountable odds in order to achieve their dreams, and Namin certainly had a tough row to hoe in that regard. Kyungmin resents that she must work long hours, and deal with unenviable household tasks while Namin is expected only to study. Kyungmin's resentment of her life of toil reaches the boiling point, and she makes choices that have a devastating affect on Namin's dreams.

There were times my attention would wander a bit as I was reading. Sunam's story, in particular, evoked that reaction from me. He was easily the least interesting character of them all, in my opinion. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I'm glad I read it. Solid three star rating for this one.

Random House and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Everything Belongs to Us. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Childhood friends Jisun and Namin have had very different upbringings, leading them both in opposite directions. Jisun grew up with privilege, while Namin is the daughter of food cart workers. Both end up at South Korea's top university in 1978, as their country embarks on a journey of social and political change. The two friends meet Sunam, a student whose aspirations and motivations may lead the young women astray. Along with Sunam's friend, Juno, a manipulative man with his own agenda, will the choices they all make affect their futures? Will the chip that each have on their shoulders hold them back from realizing their true goals?

Namin's story is the most complete and very compelling, but the others are less so. I found myself wishing that the novel had been written in Namin's perspective alone. Her unrelenting pursuit of a better life and her loyalty to her family despite their shortcomings make Namin very interesting. When the plot shifted to Sunam and Juno, I found my focus waning. With a lackluster ending, Everything Belongs to Us ended not unlike it began - with a whimper instead of a bang. This was clearly not the book for me, but those who enjoy novels in this genre may find Everything Belongs to Us more to their liking.