Since I don't exactly keep abreast of what happens in South Korea, this story of student protests in the 70s was interesting at first. Halfway through, however, I felt a little lost and my interest waned. The two female friends Jisun, rich girl studying life, and Namin, poor girl studying medicine, were refreshingly independent and intelligent. The two rebellious male characters did not engage me in the least. By the end, I was skipping pages and cared only what happened to Namin. Her struggle to become someone was probably very typical. I am not sure what I was supposed to glean from this story. Everyone seemed so remote and distant from each other it was hard to feel anything for them.

Thanks to Random House for a free review copy.

Great story about students in South Korea in the 70's. Great character development which gets you invested and keeps you turning pages. Very descriptive and emotional.

Everything Belongs to Us is an intimate portrait of two young women in Seoul, South Korea, as they come of age in 1978 – and it is also the broader story of a young nation gaining power and looking to prove itself on a global level. Jisun and Namin come from very different circumstances, reflecting the socioeconomic stratification of South Korea in the 1970s, and yet they continually find themselves drawn together. The two contrasting perspectives work together to form a fuller picture of life in Seoul.

Jisun comes from a wealthy family, led by her successful, domineering father. She lives in a mansion overlooking the city, and has never wanted for anything that money can buy. Rebelling against her father’s extreme control, Jisun begins participating in various political protests, including one in which hundreds of factory girls take off their uniform tops in a public square to fight for basic labour rights. However, no matter how passionately Jisun works for the cause, she will always be an outsider to the lower classes that she protests alongside.

Unlike Jisun, Namin lives in a poor, crowded neighbourhood, where her parents run a food cart from dawn until dusk and her sister works as one of the “factory girls” that Jisun has been protesting with. Namin is her family’s only hope to gain financial success – they are sacrificing everything so that she can graduate and eventually attend medical school. Namin is a brilliant student and her studies are her only focus – until her sister gets pregnant and abandons the baby, leaving Namin to stay home and take care of him. Namin’s childhood friend Jisun offers her financial help with the baby, but Namin is too proud to accept.

Before the baby took Namin’s life off course, she was part of a prestigious social club called the Circle. The club is headed by Jisun’s older brother and it provides access to the wealthy class by other social climbers. Through the Circle, Namin meets a male student named Sunam, who admires her drive and eventually convinces her to date him. However, when Namin becomes too busy with school and family obligations, Sunam begins to find Jisun – and her family’s prestige – irresistible. There are clear parallels between public and private life, as the ambitions of the students mirror the nation of South Korea and its willingness to become prosperous at any cost.

This novel was unexpected, but surprisingly engaging. It’s not a historical setting that I know much about, so I had no preconceived notions about the plot. Jisun and Namin are so different, with distinct, self-aware voices, which makes them believable and convincing. The exploration of the authoritarian government and the emergence of socio-political discontent was interesting and never heavy-handed – the political issues are woven into the story in a natural way. At times I would have liked more of an emotional connection to the characters, as their inner thoughts sometimes seemed flat – but overall, I found this to be a great read by a promising new author.

I received this book from Penguin Random House and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book has been a struggle for me to read. It started out really interesting but seemed to drag on and on. As a lot of the other reviews stated, the story is set in South Korea and focuses on for main characters. For me it was difficult to stay involved/interested in these characters. By the middle of the book, I was fighting to continue reading it. The characters seemed less developed and very fragmented. I realize this is the authors debut book and I give credit for that but it wasn't to my liking. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

Author Yooijin Grace Wuertz immigrated to the US from South Korea at the age of 6. In her beautifully crafted debut set in 1970’s Korea, a time of unrest and escalating turmoil, her characters come alive. It is told through intertwining character perspectives, friends who’s upbringing were vastly different. As the story progresses, lives diverge along different paths. I admired the author’s perspective on the highly charged historical events of Korea which I knew very little about. The discontent that sparked its’ social and political turmoil in the late 70’s was eye opening. I also especially appreciated the interpersonal relationships of her memorable characters.

I Received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Jisun comes from a wealthy family and desperately wants to break away from them. Namin's parents run a tented food cart from dawn to curfew; her sister works in a shoe factory. The book opens in the middle of a violent demonstration and just meanders and meanders and meanders. I'm sure the book has its merits, but I couldn't get into it and abandoned at 50%.

1☆

This book was an interesting read. I do not often read books based in the east and honestly do not know that much about the history there. This book made me curious about the situation in South Korea in that period.
The story is a bit tricky. Jisun the rich privileged one tired of being that person and Namin the really poor one with just one goal to get a better life. Meeting at age 12 and becoming best friends. The way they reacted to the others life was a bit weird especially as they seemed to wanted to switch their position on the social ladder. The balance in this situation was really thin and I could easily understand if someone would find it annoying.
For me that balance came in form of Sunam. His family was balancing in the middle and though he did want to try his best he was not overambitious as Namin and neither wanted to be a martyr. I did find him a bit boring as a character. Not really having an opinion. Sometimes even weak in his motivation and decision but for the balance between the two ladies he was doing a fine job.
At first Namin is easiest to understand and relate too. She is poor and working hard but I had a hard time with her decisions and motivations. Jisun is trying to hard to give up her life and in the beginning it is difficult to understand why and what she wants to achieve. Slowly her story becomes clearer and it is easier to understand.
I am not sure I would say this story is predictable with the two characters being on opposite sides and eventually both crossing to the other side. There are enough moments that made me wonder if they would really take that step to achieve their goal. But the most interesting part of the story for me was not the struggle of the two woman but the whole social and political game that was surrounding them.

3.5 stars. I've bumped it up to 4 because this is the author's debut novel, so kudos! Also, I lived in Korea for 3 and a half years (and married a Korean guy), so I am probably more interested in the history of Korea during the 70's than your average person. I liked the look into the very different lives of Namin and Jisun the most. However, Sunam, the other main character, was insipid and weak-willed and I kept wishing he would start playing a more active role in his own life! What I liked the least were the relationship drama and that the characters seemed a bit one-dimensional.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book.

I had a hard time putting this book down. It kept my attention and I wanted to keep reading it. I know very little about Korea, and this book really pulled me in.

This is book of historical fiction, taking place during the 70s in South Korea. The country is run by a dictatorship. There are four principal characters, all college students:
Sunam--a charming man who becomes involved with two women
Jisun--spoiled daughter of a rich man
Namin--daughter of a poor family
Juno--mentor to Sunam
There are worker demonstrations/strikes, awkward/failed romances and an illegitimate child of an American soldier and a Korean woman. While I enjoyed reading this book, it dragged in spots.
Two quotes: "She felt the years of loneliness and private struggle evaporate off her chest, weightless as a cloud."
"Sometimes the arguments rose and fell around her like the crackle of a large bonfire, jagged and lulling."
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Thanks to NetGalley for sending me this ebook.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Jisun and Namin were best friends in school in 1970s Seoul despite their different backgrounds. As they have grown up, however, they are growing apart. Jisun spurns her wealthy background and wants to fight for workers’ rights. Meanwhile, Namin looks to a college degree to lift herself and her family out of poverty. Sunam attends SNU with them, and his path will cross both girls’ lives.

To me, Jisun was the most interesting character, and I would have liked to know more about her life in the months before the novel began. Some parts of the book were good, but other parts felt like I was just waiting for something to happen. This book didn’t quite live up to the expectations I had for it.

This book simply left me 'cold'. I read it and still found I didn't 'get' it. The story is of the struggles in So. Korea in the late 70s-mid 80s. The main characters are the daughter and the rest of her family who belong to the VERY wealthy, a very poor but bright young woman and a boy/man who is middle-class. It seems to be about how each deals with the cards their dealt by the family into which they are born. And, none did a very good job of it.

Everything Belongs to Us is a debut novel by Yoojin Grace Wuertz. It is 1978 in Seoul, South Korea. Jisun, Namin, Juno and Sunam are all going to college, but each one of them is different. Jisun and Namin are friends, though, they are from very different backgrounds. Jisun is from a wealthy family and she protests every single thing her father believes in. She has joined the underground activist movement despite her father’s efforts to curtail her activities. Namin’s parents work hard running their food cart while Namin studies to become a doctor. She needs to graduate and then help her family especially her disabled brother. Juno Yoon is a member of the Circle and Sunam would like to join. Juno has become Sunam’s mentor in teaching him the right way to behave (basically, Sunam does Juno’s bidding). Their college years are just the beginning. Read Everything Belongs to Us to see how these four students evolve and where they eventually end up.

I had a hard time reading Everything Belongs to Us. It took me three tries to get through the whole novel. The story shows people at each end of the spectrum. We can see how money can corrupt a person and change their personality. These young people are discovering who they are and what they want. I did appreciate the epilogue (even if I did not like how the book ended). I wish, though, that it had not been written from just one character’s perspective (would have preferred third person). It was interesting to see how the 70s played out in a different country (one of the reasons I choose to read this book). I found the writing to be overformal and flat. It reminded me of some textbooks I read in college. I could not get involved in the story. Part of the reason is the wandering storylines. The book jumps from character to character. Then we are in the present and then the past. I was not a fan of the characters (another reason I could not get into this novel). There are the expected college exploits and the various romantic relationships. I ended up skimming through sections after a while. I read the first 1/3 of the book, the middle section, and the last third (it was the best I could do with this novel). I give Everything Belongs to Us 1 out of 5 stars (I really did not like this book). The author was very thorough in her details. Some scenes are a little off-putting. This novel sounded fascinating, but I was not the right reader for Everything Belongs to Us.

Excerpt from Review: "...There’s a lot going on in Everything Belongs to Us. There are two separate love stories, though none really seem all that adequate for those pursuing that love. There is a story of rebellion – rebellion against the constraints of class, rebellion against parents, rebellion against poverty and against riches. There is a tale of determination – Namin’s determination is the one that stands out, because she is willing to do what it takes for her family’s betterment. This is also a tale of betrayal, both actual and perceived..."

How many different things we can discover, know, we can learn not only about the characters but the places, the situations through the pages of a book. It is always fascinating. Everything belongs to us is an engaging story, a big part of it because of Jisun and Namin, very unique characters and also a magnificent writing style. Family, relationships, friendship, politics, differences coming from a "social status", money, a country's life and all these situations which somehow makes us reflect in our own lives. Everything belongs to us a fascinating story, one that I totally recommend.

I’ve reviewed books that have uncommon narrative styles before, but this is the first time I found myself lost in cultural differences, not just between my culture and theirs but within their culture and the different social strata. No, this is not a criticism. It was fascinating to catch myself having expectations because of the seemingly traditional narrative approach only to have them turned upside down.

Basically, Everything Belongs to Us is a small story, or rather a collection of small stories, that became a deep dive into the culture of South Korea starting around 1978, long enough for a new generation to grow up after the Korean War. This is critical because of the consequences and impact the war left behind in both the physical world and the social structures while the main characters have neither experienced the time before nor the war itself.

The economic disparity, the focus on education and children as the guardians of the future, and the political rhetoric is presented in a matter-of-fact manner that begs you to reflect on what you’re seeing. This is not a simple story despite being shown through often uncritical eyes because it reveals the tradeoffs and consequences both within families and the larger picture. It shows the path to radicalization, but also the conflict and social strata within the radical movements and society as a whole.

It’s not a happy story, though it has its moments, and the cultural differences are never clearer than when a ghost appears but does not transform the book into a paranormal fantasy. It’s another fact of life in their culture. No one questions this as out of the ordinary.

The novel offers a fascinating look at the various reactions to wealth, poverty, honor, and survival through the eyes of young people struggling for control over their own existence beyond the demands of tradition and parents. At the same time, the main characters are trying to meet those expectations, creating the paradoxical conflict in which, to some degree, they are both the rescuer and the jailer of their futures. This is true for everyone except Jisun who is a perpetual rebel and experimenter. Even this is a commentary on social status and wealth as her very willingness sets her apart from those she most wants to connect with. She is unable to see how her giving up advantages does not make her the same as those who never had them in the first place.

While not a single character made it through the book without doing something or making a choice that repelled me, none of the main figures lost my interest, not even Sunam who tried hard to do so from the very start. There’s a large cast with many main characters and time jumps into the past that are subtle and easy to miss, but though I was disoriented at times and had trouble figuring out the who and when for a little bit, I was never lost.

The novel offers a glimpse into their world followed up with a summary and where these people are in modern times, having survived complicated childhoods. It shows the culture with both strengths and shadows, the impact of interaction with foreigners near and far, and the unwieldy balance between respect for a benefactor and spite because the aid has been necessary. It also shows the changes in the meaning of patriotism and honor between generations. While focusing on these young characters, it manages to paint a picture that spans much farther than I had imagined, from bridges mined with explosives in case North Korea invades to families putting all their hopes and dreams into the one child able to compete academically, which has far reaching consequences because they never look to see what their focus has created.

It’s not an easy read, though in some ways it’s all too easy, but I think the book does a good job of bringing another reality into my view, many layered, and both familiar and alien all at once. It was worth the time spent within its pages.

P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Coming of Age in South Korea in the 70’s

Getting ahead in the South Korea of 1978 depends above all on family connections and education. We see this clearly in the opening section. Sunam wants to please his family and get a comfortable life. Education is the answer and the most prestigious group to help him succeed is The Circle. He may not like what he has to do, but he listens to his mentor, Juno, because he wants the life style.

The main characters in this novel, Jisum and Namin, personify this conflict but in radically different ways. Jasum is the daughter of a wealthy business man. She has all the opportunities for success in a prestigious university, but money means little, and she becomes an activist. Namin is the opposite. Her family is poor. She and Jisum became friends when she won a place in Jisum’s private school. Now Namin and Jasum are both at university, but Namin is only interested in studying, hoping to better the life of her family. Both young women become involved with Sunam and The Circle for an intriguing plot.

The setting is unusual. I enjoyed learning about South Korea and the tensions that drove the young people in the 70’s. The characters are well done. The women, Jisum and Namin, are better developed than the male characters. However, the story is mostly about them, so the lack of definition in Sunam’s character is understandable.

The plot and the tension between the characters is well done and keeps you reading. Although the writing is good, it isn’t literary fiction quality. However, since this is the author’s first novel, it may improve. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who wants a different type of historical fiction.

I received this book from Random House for this review.

Everything Belongs to Us by Yoojin Grace Wuertz (debut)
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Length: 368 pages

Single Sentence Summary: Three South Korean university students from very different backgrounds find their lives intersecting in ways that will forever transform them.

Primary Characters: Jisun – The daughter of a very wealthy businessman. Jisun has had a privileged upbringing, but very much wants to be a social activist. Namin – The daughter of poor food cart operators. Namin’s role in her family is to be a great success and rescue them all. Sunam – Son of a controlling middle-class father. Sunam badly wants success, but doesn’t want to work too hard to achieve it.

Synopsis: In 1978, Seoul National University is the most prestigious college in the country. Attending is in itself an advantage, putting students among South Korea’s professional elite. That is exactly what Namin and Sunam want. Namin to pay her family back for all they’ve sacrificed for her education. Sunam simply craves even more wealth and prestige than his father achieved. Jisun, who always lived a life of privilege, is there because it’s required of her, but she’s more concerned with social activism. Jisun and Namin, unlikely friends since middle school, cling to a strained friendship that only grows more complicated when they both become involved with Sunam.

Review: Everything Belongs to Us by Yoojin Grace Wuertz is an impressive debut. It’s historical in nature, and culturally specific, yet feels like a story that could take place almost anywhere and at any time in the last 50 years. The heart of the story is a triangle, not exactly a love triangle, more of a friendship triangle. That’s a theme often resonating in coming-of-age stories and I think Wuertz did it beautifully here. Her placement of her characters in 1978 Seoul provided just the right backdrop for their story. It was a time in that country’s history when change was happening at a rapid rate. Social activism against Park’s harsh regime and the unifying of factory workers were both pieces of history that Jisun’s character brought to light. In all three characters, we saw the social stratification of South Korea at that time, and in Namin we learned just how difficult it was to overcome poverty.

Where Everything Belongs to Us fell down a little for me was in its uneven character development. I think Wuertz did a masterful job with the two women. Jisun was my favorite character because I understood and sympathized with her backstory. This was a girl who lost her mother at a young age and had been raised largely by a housekeeper. Even when not around, her father’s presence was always felt and his control over her life complete. Yet, Jisun wanted a different sort of life and found ways to get it. I admired her. I also admired Namin, but I didn’t really like her. Namin was definitely the character with the most to overcome. Her vision of where she was, where she needed to end up, and how to get there was laser focused. Namin had so many obstacles in her way and yet she always fought on. The filial aspects of her life were harder for me to connect with, but significant to the time and culture.

“Namin at the top of the pyramid with her books and exam scores and degrees, buffered from the worst of her family’s poverty by the expectation that one day her great success would rescue them all. Everyone knew their roles, and Namin for her part did not resent the burden of carrying her family’s future.”

Sunam, unlike the two women, was a mystery to me. There wasn’t enough of a backstory for me to understand him. Why did he crave success? Why was he so lazy about working for it? Why was he one to take the easy route? I never was sure if this was another cultural element or if this was just who the character was. I also think Sunam muddied the story of the relationship between Jisun and Namin. He played a pivotal role, but I think I might have enjoyed Jisun and Namin more without him. The book was written in seven sections and I found I enjoyed most those focused on the two heroines of Everything Belongs to Us. Grade: B-

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks Random House Publishing Group - Random House and netgalley for this ARC.

Not every book will be for everybody. I just couldn't get interested in this one

2.5 Stars. This book wasn't what I expected at all! I really enjoyed the first third, but I was disinterested in the college drama and romantic escapades after that point. It became a story that I wouldn't be interested in, regardless of the setting. If you're looking for a story about college students navigating relationships during a tumultuous time in history or if you like Sunam's chapters, you’ll probably enjoy this one more than I did. Even though the story was just okay for me, I did appreciate the thought-provoking commentary on the corruptive power of money and the barriers between economic classes.
________________

Seoul, South Korea, 1978: three coming-of-age tales that mirror the growing pains of a nation. Three college students from different economic classes are each trying to forge their own path. While Jisun wants to distance herself from her family's wealth, both Namin and Sunam want to move up on the economic ladder. When middle-class Sunam has to make a choice between the life he has chosen and the life that is expected of him, he runs the risk of betraying everyone.

The "for readers of Anthony Marra and Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie" blurb piqued my interest, but my love of those two authors didn't transfer to this novel. I think it depends on what you think of when you hear those names. It fits if they make you think of stories about regular people living ordinary lives while their country is in turmoil. However, Marra has a distinct style. Invoking his name makes me expect absurdity and dark humor. Everything Belongs to Us has a serious tone. I've only read Half of a Yellow Sun from Adichie, but those characters were more immersed in the historical drama. However, HoaYS did face some criticisms of being soapy.

WHAT I LIKED

• Jisun, the rebellious daughter of a wealthy businessman with political influence. She feels burdened by her family's wealth. She has an antagonistic relationship with her father and is always challenging him, but he still has a hold on her. Jisun is determined to distance herself from him by joining the resistance against President Park Chung-Hee's authoritarian rule. Her upper-class status makes it difficult to prove herself with the activist groups.

• Namin - Each member of the Kang family has a job and Namin's job is to lift her family out of poverty. She spends all of her time studying, in hopes of becoming a doctor. Her sister Kyungmin works long hours at a shoe factory to help pay for Namin's college tuition, but she's getting tired of living for someone else. Namin is also grappling with a family secret that her parents are determined to keep buried (loved the relationship that developed from this storyline). Resentments are threatening to pull the family even farther apart than they already are.

• The unequal friendship between Namin and Jisun - Namin and Jisun have been best friends since middle school, but they're growing apart. Namin lives in a home without indoor plumbing, while Jisun lives in gated mansion. Namin's family's livelihood depends on her success, while Jisun has had everything handed to her. Jisun is completely blind to her privilege. She admonishes Namin for working so hard to get ahead, worried that Namin will become another "stupid bourgeois sheep." She thinks Namin should be grateful to her for becoming an activist and fighting on her behalf. Namin is frustrated with Jisun's self-righteousness and c0ndescension, but she feels forever indebted to her for a past kindness.

• History - It showed the everyday side of oppression and class struggle that I haven't read a lot about because many stories focus on violence and war. It addresses the labor protests, the United States military presence, the activist groups, and the activism of US Christian missionaries. I was especially interested in Jisun's search for an activist group she identified with. Each group had its own personality: the activists who become the people they detest, the ones that demanded ideological purity, the overly-practical, etc.

WHAT DIDN'T APPEAL TO ME:

• The structure - I prefer straightforward narratives. When a story meanders, it makes it hard for me to zero in on the message. I was really interested in Namin's family story in Part II, so I was disappointed when it didn't return to Namin's point-of-view until the end (Part VII).

• Sunam - Sunam enters the two women's lives after Namin applies to join the Circle, a club that will allow her to join the ranks of the elite. The story becomes very Sunam-focused in the middle. He's described as "charming" and "ambitious," but I thought he was bland, weak-willed, and entitled. Jisun and Namin even seemed flattened in his presence and their interactions with each other were clumsy and awkward. Love triangles annoy me most of the time, but it's even worse when I don't understand the appeal of the shared party. I was most interested in Sunam's growing resentment of Namin's ambition and success. On the bright side, Namin's reaction after meeting Sunam's family melted my heart!

• The supporting characters - Juno, Peter, & Kyungmin have interesting parts to play, but they barely registered with me. Manipulative Juno is Sunam's mentor. He's one of the "four intertwining lives" mentioned in the description, but it didn't feel like he was on the same level as the other three. Peter is a Christian missionary who Jisun met through her activism. Namin's sister Kyungmin was the most fascinating and I'd love to read an entire book just about her!

What I got from the story is somewhat influenced by the current uncertainty & rhetoric in the United States. The scariest thing about this story was how anything can be rationalized. When I read about the shuttering of media outlets and prohibition of anti-government activity, I think "Dictator! Bad!" But Jinsun's father is giddy over President Park Chung-Hee's reign. He describes President Park as a man who “gave this country back to the people.” He goes on to say that “no one loves this country more than our president does. He understands the sacrifices we need and works harder than anyone, sacrifices more than anyone. ... We must pursue development first and foremost. Development first. Then democracy.” Sunam also comments on how South Korea recovered from the war more quickly because of Park Chung-Hee's policies.

Are speedy economic rewards ever worth sacrificing your freedoms? What is the true cost of accepting that money? Do you have to compromise your ideals to be successful? Despite disapproving of Park Chung-Hee's methods, many South Koreans—even a segment of the younger generation—have a positive view of him as an individual, in large part because of the economic prosperity under his reign. (See: The Mixed Legacy of a South Korean Dictator & Why Late South Korean Dictator Park Chung-hee Is The Most Popular President Ever) His daughter was even elected president of South Korea in 2013, although she is currently undergoing impeachment proceedings. It seems so incomprehensible from my viewpoint, but I think the author does a good job of showing why the trade-offs might not seem so bad depending on your situation.

The story was a little too heavy on the romantic drama of college kids for my tastes, though I did find value in reading it. It takes place during a specific time in South Korea's history, but the issues it addresses are relevant to everyone. For a more positive perspective of this book, check out the starred review at Kirkus. Warning: It mentions plot points that I haven't mentioned here, many that don't occur until after the 80% mark. I anticipated the book all over again after reading their review, so I think part of my problem was that the conflicts I was most interested in didn't occur until very late in the story.

If you are interested in South Korea's political situation in the late 1970's, you might be interested in Human Acts by Han Kang. It's a darker read about people who were caught up in the middle of a government crackdown. Those who enjoy Everything Belong to Us might be especially interested in "The Factory Girl" chapter.