If I Had Your Face

A Novel

By: Frances Cha

Narrated by: Frances Cha, Sue Jean Kim, Ruthie Ann Miles, Jeena Yi

Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

A riveting debut novel set in contemporary Seoul, South Korea, about four young women making their way in a world defined by impossible standards of beauty, after-hours room salons catering to wealthy men, ruthless social hierarchies, and K-pop mania

“Powerful and provocative...a novel about female strength, spirit, resilience—and the solace that friendship can sometimes provide.” (The Washington Post)

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Time, NPR, Esquire, Bustle, BBC, New York Post, InStyle

Kyuri is an achingly beautiful woman with a hard-won job at a Seoul “room salon”, an exclusive underground bar where she entertains businessmen while they drink. Though she prides herself on her cold, clear-eyed approach to life, an impulsive mistake threatens her livelihood.

Kyuri’s roommate, Miho, is a talented artist who grew up in an orphanage but won a scholarship to study art in New York. Returning to Korea after college, she finds herself in a precarious relationship with the heir to one of the country’s biggest conglomerates.

Down the hall in their building lives Ara, a hairstylist whose two preoccupations sustain her: an obsession with a boy-band pop star, and a best friend who is saving up for the extreme plastic surgery that she hopes will change her life.

And Wonna, one floor below, is a newlywed trying to have a baby that she and her husband have no idea how they can afford to raise in Korea’s brutal economy.

Together, their stories tell a gripping tale at once unfamiliar and unmistakably universal, in which their tentative friendships may turn out to be the thing that ultimately saves them.

©2020 Frances Cha (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“The chapters alternate among the women, each one breathing new life into the old chestnut, ‘You never know what goes on behind closed doors.’ . . . Take a closer look and you’ll find the sisterhood at the heart of this ambitious book. It’s the scaffolding—and also, occasionally, the wrecking ball.”—The New York Times Book Review

“[Cha] has a biting wit and an eye for absurd glitz. . . . Ultimately, female friendship bolsters precarious fortunes in this gripping novel—compelling readers to consider what remains after beauty fades.”—O: The Oprah Magazine

“An enthralling tale about the weight of old traumas, economic disparity and the restoring power of friendship . . . [A] powerful debut.”—People

Interesting

Interesting look at the lives of women in Seoul. Very plotless, so maybe a problem for readers who prefer strong plot. I struggled with distinguishing the narrators and characters, and also the intonation of many. I would have preferred to read this on paper, but worth reading either way.

beautiful, interesting, enjoyable book!

I really enjoyed learning about these characters and their lives. The chapters alternate between the different women and they became fully fleshed out as the book went on. I learned about the struggles, hopes and dreams of young women in Korea today. I really enjoyed this story and hope you give it a try too.

Wonderful Listen

A glimpse into another culture, and the pressures women live with that define them to themselves. Enthralling and heartbreaking. Well worth a credit and your time.

A heartwarming roller coaster of a read!

Everything about this read strikes a chord, evokes a reaction and ultimately rekindles the hope of happier tidings. A must hear!

Holow Victory

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha both exceeded my expectations and in some ways was also disappointing. The characters are very strong and their backstories held my interest. This debut novel shows a lot of promise and I would love to see it made into a television miniseries or feature film. In the right hands, this work could be very compelling. I would have liked to know more about how the various stories concluded. The book just stopped abruptly and so it left me feeling unsatisfied. The narration performances by Sue Jean Kim, Ruthie Ann Miles, Jeena Yi, and the author herself were acceptable. However, the delivery of the character Wonna was almost indistinguishable from the character Ara which did create some confusion for me. I would recommend this book to readers who are interested in the lives of modern young women and readers who have an interest in modern Korean culture.

Loved and then it just ended...

This story is so beautifully written from five points of view and when it ended, I double and triple checked to make sure I hadn’t missed something. Not enough resolution for me. The story started and unfolded and then, just quit. So sad.

Couldn't Put It Down

I found myself listening to this book like I'm listening into a conversation with a friend. It's candid and unapologetic depiction of women living in South Korean society was eye opening and engaging. All four women's stories played off each other in a way that painted a deeper picture with it's simplicity. Would definitely read again!

Beautiful Interpretation

While this story may not be to everyone’s taste, being a slice-of-life of four (really, five) somewhat gloomy lives, this audiobook is a great way to immerse yourself in modern Seoul and how it treats the women living in it.

The writing alone might not have been enough to distinguish the four POV characters starkly, being a debut novel, but the performances from the voice actors (including author Frances Cha herself) really infused each girl with personality and helped strengthen the bonds of friendship forming or strengthening in each chapter.

The struggles of women

My biggest takeaway from this book is how women's struggles are universal. Not that this is surprising, but it's that the packaging of the experiences might look different, but the root of the issue is still the same. So much of this culture is tied up in appearance, so it's not hard to understand the pressure to get plastic surgery. The way Americans are going into debt for college, the women in this story are doing the same with cosmetic procedures. It's wild.

loved it

I absountly loved the story and performance! I can't to listen to more books by this author.