A while ago, I made a series of posts where I’d style an outfit to accompany a book I’d read. On Sunday, while deeply immersed in If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha, I looked at the cover of the book and then my sweater. I knew I had to go take some pictures with this book. Only the truly remarkable reads make it on Kremb de la Kremb, and If I Had Your Face is just such one of those books!
Some background needs to be known before I write about If I Had Your Fac by Frances Cha. First, it must be known that South Korea has a movement amongst its young women to create the perfect face–by means of plastic surgery. Women have their noses and chins chiseled to perfection. Their eyelids are transformed. Implants are inputted in various spots on both their face and body. This trend of becoming the perfect woman is a true trend amongst many of the South Korean youth. Opinions aside, it is the country’s reality.
If I Had Your Fac explores the lives of four Korean women. A few are friends, and they all live in the same apartment building. One is frivolous, one is in pain from her recent facial transition, one is mute, and one is drastically afraid of being pregnant and losing her baby. As the chapters alternate from character to character, the reader is deeply invested. I literally could not put this book down. It was a day read for me, and I do love it when I cruise through such a well-written book.
It’s quite amazing when one can be transported to another culture. Obvioulsy, living overseas for as long as I have (I’m in my 23rd year), I love to experience cultures around the world. I did have an opportunity to travel to Seoul, Korea many, many moons ago–before this youth inducing trend had hit. At the time, the country was bustling and orderly as I know it still is. What I didn’t see when I traveled there was the disparity of social classes. If I Had Your Face takes the reader there–to the rich and the struggling but yet, even more, the life of striving for perfection no matter one’s class. If you’d like to take a glimpse into the Korean (some may call it) epidemic of staying young, I highly recommend this book. If anything, this epidemic of staying young is definitely not limited to South Korea–it is worldwide. Just open up your Instagram feed to see.
Tell me. Have you read this If I Had Your Fac? If not, does my book review have you enticed? I do hope so…
In the meantime, I’ll be watching out for more amazing titles from Frances Cha.
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