I didn’t expect this novel to have such a tremendous impact on me. As a “teen mom,” I’ve had to deal with others judging me—and often underestimating my potential—because I’m a woman and I’m not expected to make a name for myself. Even in the US, it isn’t uncommon for women to stay at home indefinitely after childbirth because it’s more palatable than the man giving up his career to look after the children. I found Jiyoung’s story poignant and nauseatingly true, and I hope that one day our expectations of women are set just as high as our expectations of men. Until we reach gender equality, stories like this will continue to haunt those who have endured similar injustices.