Frances Cha's fascinating debut set in Seoul, South Korea, is an intimate and heartbreaking portrayal of four different flawed women, their lives and friendships, who live in the same apartment building. The novel echoes many similar themes to another Seoul set book I read earlier this year that focused on a close circle of four female friends, the more humorous Sarong Party Girls by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan. Cha writes of the harsh cultural norms and expectations that women are expected to adhere to, pandering to the fantasies of rich men, the misogyny and sexism, the class system and distinctions, the heavy emphasis on consumerism, and the bleak pressures of the economic environment. Women chase the exacting and strict standards of beauty required in the western influenced capitalist Korean society, where your face is your fortune, fueling the rise in extreme and expensive plastic surgery, which has become a feature of everyday life.

Kyuri is a gorgeous woman who has undergone numerous cosmetic procedures to compete amidst the fierce rivalries of the highly competitive market to successfully procure a position in entertaining rich businessmen in exclusive bars, or 'salon rooms'. Miho grew up in an orphanage and is a gifted artist who managed to secure a scholarship to study in New York, a dark and troubling experience. She is now back in Seoul, and has a complicated relationship with her wealthy boyfriend from a corporate background. The mute Ara is a hairstylist, caught up in her obsession with a K pop band, and more particularly the lead singer, Taein, whom she is hoping to meet. The married and traumatised Wonna worries about her family's economic future, how they will survive, and desperate to ensure that her daughter should not have to endure the circumstances and past that has been her lot.

Francis Cha's novel is character driven, so if you are looking for a plot driven read, you are going to be doomed to be disappointed. If you are looking for the traditional structure of a beginning, a middle and an end where all the threads are tied up, again you will be disappointed. This is more a glimpse into the lives and friendships of a group of friends with an ending that doesn't give or promise fairy tale happy conclusions. Instead, you get a significantly more realistic ending where the women will continue to face demanding and challenging lives. This is a compelling and insightful read of the complexities and difficulties of Korean women's life experiences, their friendships which can on occasion be competitive, yet ultimately supportive to the needs of their friends. It provides a eye opening and informative look at Korean culture and society, whilst underlining the universality of what it is to be a woman in our contemporary world. Many thanks to Penguin UK for an ARC.

More of 3.5 stars actually.
It’s interesting to read about Seoul and it’s habitants and lifestyle. There’s nothing really happening in this story as plot twists and turns, unfortunately.
It’s a story based more of four characters, childhood friends that are young and see the life very superficial as the only important thing is to look the best part through a million plastic surgery and live an empty life in my opinion.
The chapters are told in each character POV and at times I got annoyed because I felt a lot of loose ends with each one.
As said, it’s not a suspenseful story or a fast-paced one, it’s more like a day by day life story of four young women with no big dreams but to look beautiful and superficial.

Following the intertwined lives of four girls living in a small apartment block in Seoul, this brilliant book looks at gender stereotyping, class, youth, image and motherhood in contemporary South Korea. By turns fascinating, frustrating and moving, I loved this microcosm of Korean society and would hugely recommend it!

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha. I was kindly given a digital copy of this through @netgalley and @penguinukbooks in exchange for an honest review.

If I Had Your Face is told from the points of view of four different women, in the ‘hyper-competitive city’ of Seoul. This is the first book I’ve read set in South Korea, and the cultural signifiers within the book were satisfying.
Kyuri is one of four characters - a young, beautiful, (slightly empty) woman who works in one of the top tier secret ‘Room Salons’ entertaining business men in the city. Kyuri has a brutal upbringing, and has built up massive amounts of debt from multiple plastic surgeries. Double eyelid surgery, nose jobs, cheekbone shaving “, double jaw surgery... the list goes on. The list goes on, as you see how the women in the story fight to be perceived in the way they want to be. The bubble that they live in seems highly superficial, which I think is more related to their age group, rather than Seoul itself. This book is extremely character driven, in terms of plot not a lot happens, so if you need fast paced drama then this isn’t for you. If you like character studies, and novels that look at the dark underbelly of society through the lens of ordinary people, then this is for you.

Although I enjoyed the changing perspectives throughout the novel (each chapter told by one of the four women), at points I wished I could continue further with certain characters instead of swapping back so quickly. Each of the four women is written well, but for me, there was in imbalance in who was actually interesting. Kyuri and Ara (a mute hairdresser) were the most interesting to me, although I remained slightly confused as to what had happened to Ara.
All that said, I found myself picking up this novel constantly, hungry to read more. Even though I read a paperback in the middle of reading this on my kindle, I found it easy to get back into.

I just wished the story could’ve gone on for longer, the ending left me wanting a sequel.

This novel is set in Korea, and told from a number of perspectives - it took me about 50% of the book to establish which character was which and how they knew each other. I kind of felt like splitting the characters stories meant the novel ended up with no real “plot”, as they were all on different trajectories, and I definitely felt, for the first half of the novel at least, that I had missed something (which maybe I had). I found Ara by far the most interesting character and would have loved the novel to have just been focused around her.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to our readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me! Will definitely use for our senior creative writing class, it will really make them think about crafting their writing

The description of the book immediately caught my attention as I enjoy reading stories set in East-Asia countries. The novel takes place in Seoul however it could be placed in any other modern capital city. This is a story about four different women living in the world obsessed with beauty.

I read it quickly and enjoyed it, although I have to say it was easy to get a bit lost in some parts due to quick changes between characters. The story itself seems realistic and easy to read. The characters could be the people you know if you live in a large city. Unfortunately, I didn't find any strong continuous storyline. The events in the book follow each other but don't settle in any way suggesting the end. The story could simply continue after the last page which I found a bit disappointing.

I would recommend this piece to anybody interested in what kind of struggles women have to handle in current society.

I would like to thank NetGalley for advanced copy.

Very enjoyable read with interesting characters and a compelling, sophisticated narrative style. I particularly enjoyed finding out more about the variety of modern Korean life, an environment which I have not explored previously but this sensitive introduction has inspired me to seek out more stories set in these areas. I really enjoyed the format of this book - having the stories unwind in alternate and sometimes overlapping segments was particularly engaging and left me wanting to live out that heroine's story for longer each time. A very impressive debut.

Ara, Sujin, Kyuri, Miho and Wonna all live in the same office-tel in Seoul. The novel gives us an insight into the life of each woman - several are from the same orphanage, but each has a difficult past to explore - of how they came to Seoul and what they hope to achieve in their lives.

Kyuri is a room salon girl who has had surgery on her eyes and jaw at the Cinderella Clinic to give her just the right look to attract male clients. Sujin longs for a similar life. Ara and Sujin were best friends as children and due to an incident in their past, Ara is no longer able to speak. She works as a colourist in a hairdressers and is obsessed with KPop and one singer in particular.

Miho is an artist, who came from the same orphanage as Sujin. She managed to get a scholarship to New York and has a rich boyfriend. Wonna is the only married woman in their block.

The stories of these women’s lives are incredibly compelling, each one adding a new layer of a picture of Korea that is terrifyingly misogynistic. The obsession with money, status and image places women at the very bottom. But these women look out for each other and create a new kind of family, a sisterhood that provides a welcome relief from the struggles of their daily lives. 

A hugely powerful novel, If I had your face should be an instant hit. Brimming with issues that are relevant beyond Korea, the novel is both gripping and unnerving. I loved it. Out early next year, I recommend putting it on your wish list.

*I was sent a kindle edition of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Trigger warnings: child abuse, violence, misogynistic language / attitudes.

If I Had Your Face is an intriguing and twisted novel which delves into the darker side of life in modern day Seoul. In a society where beauty, social class and wealth is lauded above all else, we follow four young women who struggle to find their place and are bound together through circumstance. We read as they each navigate their everyday lives, trying to make ends meet while managing their own dreams and desires for a better future. This novel is own voices for korean representation.

One of the greatest strengths of this novel are the complex and well developed characters we get. I liked that we got four distinct and unique voices; Kyuri, Miho, Ara and Wonna. Kyuri is a beautiful girl who has had copious amounts of surgery to get the ideal look and works at one of the top clubs in Seoul where she entertains male patrons, night after night. Miho is a successful artist, who has explored New York and is drawn into the circle of the wealthy Korean elite abroad, and navigating a complicated relationship with one of them. Ara is mute after an accident in her youth, and now works as a hairstylist, she harbours an obsession for Taein, a KPop idol who she longs to meet. Wonna is the last and most unlikely member of the quartet, newlywed but struggling with the trauma of her childhood, she puts all her hopes in her unborn daughter.

My favourite perspectives were that of Kyuri and Miho as they each had such a compelling voice and story. It was interesting to read through Kyuris eyes and get a glimpse into the world of the ‘room salons’ and how they operate and how normalised it all is. It’s a whole world I’m so unfamiliar with so it was an eye opener for sure. I also liked reading through Mihos perspective, and imagining how her sculptural pieces and paintings would look in reality was cool. I think both of these characters appealed to me because of how different they are and their duality, but also how they banded together and managed to form a friendship despite their initial misunderstanding of each other.

As well as her characters, Frances Cha’s writing is impactful and succinct. I enjoyed the clarity of her words and the way she dealt with a multitude of topics sensitively and realistically. The prose was immersive and I couldn’t put it down, I read this novel in a day as I was so engrossed. I will say that this is a novel which is more character driven than plot driven so if you enjoy books where there’s a lot going on then this may not be the right pick for you, however if you do enjoy more character driven novels then definitely take a read, Cha does not disappoint.

I enjoyed the fact that there wasn’t a cliched fairytale ending, rather there was an ending which felt hopeful and true for who the characters are and their situations. If anything, a happy ending in the typical sense would have felt dishonest to me, given the struggles they each faced throughout the novel so I liked that the novel leaves it open ended. I like to think that they each got some semblance of peace and contentment despite the harsher realities of their lives.

Overall, If I Had Your Face is a truly original and stunning novel which I can’t recommend highly enough. It delves deep and explores some important issues whilst also presenting some complex and interesting female characters, who I grew to really empathise for. I can’t wait for this to be published next year so it can reach even more readers and see the novel and Frances Cha get all the buzz which they both undoubtedly deserve.

Review to be posted on blog closer to publishing.

'Sometimes I just can't stop thinking about how ugly she is. I mean, why doesn't she just get surgery? Why? I really don't understand ugly people. Especially if they have money. Are they stupid?... Are they perverted?'

A dark and twisted insight into modern life in Seoul, where life is hard but women are sold the myth that beauty and status will fix any problem. 'If I had your face' focuses on four young women struggling to survive in a city where facial surgery is a worthy goal and everyone seems to be the competition in a desperate game to achieve what is seen as success.

Our cast of narrators share an apartment block in Seoul, and each has their own distinct and complex tale. They are: artist Miho, who is hiding from a dark past in New York and struggling with a relationship with one of Seoul’s most eligible bachelors; Ara, a mute hairstylist with an obsession with a K-pop star and a roommate recovering from a life-altering cosmetic surgery; Kyuri, who has achieved what so many strive for and now spends her evenings entertaining businessmen at a bar where only the prettiest 10% of girls can find work; and Wonna, a newlywed desperate for a daughter who can erase the pain of her past.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, as I've never read anything based in Seoul, so it's a completely alien world to me. Obviously I've seen the stereotypes that everyone knows through the media, but I was so excited to read something that immersed me in a world I knew nothing about. Despite this, it did take me a little while to get into the swing of it - partly because I've just come from reading a lot of historical fiction, so the tone took a while to get into. It reminded me a bit of Crazy Rich Asians, in the sense that there is a slightly formality and distance in the writing style - it is something I enjoy, but it is different, so it can take a while to adjust.

In terms of our characters, I have to admin Ara and Kyuri were the real standouts to me. I felt for Miho, but just didn't become as emotionally involved in her story, and I struggled to connect with Wonna at all. I don't know why, as her story was just as shocking and heartbreaking as the others, but I just struggled to connect with her as much. That is not to say that any of these stories are weak though, as each of these women's narratives are completely unique, and all portray a different element of life for women in Seoul.

Now I have seen some people say that the ending is unsatisfying. For me, this isn't the case, as I felt the ending showed the reality of the girls' situation - there isn't some big happy ending waiting round the corner. They will continue to struggle, to try and find happiness or something approaching it in a world that is not designed to help them, but they will do it with each others support. To me, it was the happiest ending you could get in this sort of book.

Obviously I can't speak to the reality of this book, never having been to Seoul and not knowing anyone from their. It may be that this is the truth of life in Seoul, or it may be that it is slightly exaggerated for entertainment. Personally, either way I find it to be a truly stunning and unique read that I would recommend to anyone. It offers a stunning insight into a unique world, and has a cast of characters that are incredibly vivid and real from the very first page. A worthwhile read, and an incredible debut.

A hypnotic, sensual and original story of four women. In a city where appearance is everything, Kyuri the club hostess, mute hairdresser Ara, married office worker Wonna and artist Miho do what they can to survive. At times the girls experience a strange and brutal world but I put down the book feeling optimistic for them.

I ended up reading the entire novel in one sitting on a plane ride back from Seoul. It illuminated parts and people of the city which, as an outsider with very limited Korean skills, could really begin to comprehend.

Complex, dark and full of tragic characters, If I had Your Face is a raw candid snapshot of modern day Seoul and the young women living under its lights.

Far from the glossy streets of Gangnam, the four lives of Wonna, heavily pregnant and struggling to meet the demands of raising a newborn,; Kyuri, whose pursuit of beauty and status leads to her work in a 'room-salon', her flatmate Miho, an adoptee and art student entangled in the lives of the Korean-American elite and finally Ara, a mute hairstylist with an unhealthy obsession with her favourite idol.

While life in any city can be claustrophobic, each chapter which focuses on a different woman really hones in on the sense of gasping from air and struggling to stay afloat at different points of womanhood, all under the same roof.The financial insecurity of becoming a new mother in hand in a country with some of the longest working hours in the world*, Wonna's story focused heavily on the often unsaid troubles of womanhood alongside massaging male fragility.

prevalent plastic surgery and streets lined with clinics in Gangnam were probably one of the most difficult things to contend with while away, which made be gravitate towards Kyuri the most of the four girls. Her motivations, her seemingly self-assured nature, coupled with her insecurities which she confides in with Ara, unable to speak aloud following her own personal trauma, was framed wonderfully throughout and spoke volumes about the pressure of keeping up appearances while dealing with the doubt and uncertainty of early adulthood.

Overall, I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy next year!

If I Had Your Face is a timely representation of the rising issue of body image in Korea, where women are pressured into conforming their facial features (particularly eyelids) into Eurocentric idealised views of beauty. This book is a necessary book: needed to understand societal views of beauty, and how Western views of beauty dominate the world. Thank you Frances Cha.

I enjoyed reading this novel and was drawn into the story of the young women of Seoul. I liked the insights into Korean culture and the way the women interacted with one another. I was really disappointed by the abrupt ending. I read an ebook version, so I was totally unprepared for the novel ending with lots of loose ends and felt that it didn't stop at a natural point of closure..

Survival in beauty-obsessed contemporary Seoul.

This riveting debut follows four young women as they forge a life in a frenetic society where plastic surgery is the answer to getting on.

Beautiful Kyuri works in a 10% (an exclusive room salon which employs only the prettiest girls in the industry) entertaining businessmen.

Orphan Miho is awarded a scholarship to study art in New York where she becomes entangled with the exclusive world of the chaebol (corporation) families.

Mute Ara, a hairdresser, is infatuated by Taein, the lead singer of a K-pop band.

Married Wonna is fearful of bringing a child into this world.

A fascinating insight into modern Korean life, full of strict social hierarchies, avid consumerism, low birth rate and an ever-widening generation gap. The light sprinkling of Korean terms add authentic flavour.

Cha writes assuredly, with intriguing characters and tremendous pace.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Penguin Books (UK) for the ARC.

This book felt extremely realistic
I felt the main characters were multi-dimensional and really cared about their fate. Very well written and insightful.

It took me a while to get into this book but once I got into it I enjoyed it. In terms of voice, I could draw similarities between Cha and Celeste Ng, Sara Taylor and a touch of Jessie Burton, all writers whose work I've enjoyed. I wasn't fully gripped by the story but that's a personal preference thing rather than a criticism of it per se. I may revisit this at some point to see if I just wasn't in the right head space for it, but I definitely learned a lot about Seoul which is not a place on my cultural radar.

The story of a group of women trying to survive life in Seoul. They have each found their own path but none of them seem happy. as you follow their lives, their history is revealed.

Written well and easy to follow the story drags you in until you cant put it down.

I enjoyed following the narrative but in the end I felt like I was left with a lot of questions unanswered. I am also unsure if this a true reflection on how society is in Seoul now or the authors vision of the way it is heading, This is definitely something I will look into and will end up teaching me more about the world so it gets a star for that (I love anything that educates me)

If I Had Your Face is an impressive debut; a compelling novel of friendship and female experience in a male-dominated world. In fact, I would never have guessed this was a debut novel without the blurb: Cha is an assured writer and an erudite guide to the Seoul her characters inhabit.

But while Cha paints a vivid tableau of Korean culture, this is very much a universal novel of female experience. The central characters are expertly drawn, and each narrator has their own distinctive tone and perspective pull. There may be hints of k-drama imagery and convention, but there are no clunky clichés or fairytale endings here. The characters simply muddle through life as best they can.

The premise may seem a little bleak, but I found If I Had Your Face a surprisingly hopeful novel, and an utterly engaging read.