SuitabookGorgeous Gruesome Faces
Linda Cheng
- Reading
- Prepare the reader for a slow escalation: the story begins with music-industry rivalry and past relationships, then moves towards psychological, supernatural and graphic body horror. Pause afterwards to discuss portrayal rather than treating frightening events as realistic guidance.
- Themes
- Public image and celebrity pressure: Sunny returns to a K-pop workshop after her former pop career ended in scandal, while participants compete for another chance at stardom. The story places public persona and private history under pressure, but the broader judgement of celebrity culture is not established.
- Grief, secrecy and responsibility: Sunny remains troubled by Mina’s death and suspects that Candie knows more about what happened. The book does not clearly resolve its stance on this.
- Folklore and supernatural power: The horror draws on the folktale of The Celestial Maiden and the Woodcutter, including captivity and abilities linked with worship. The book leaves its stance open to more than one reading.
- Worth knowing
- Consider whether the reader enjoys horror involving death, suicide, leaked nude photographs, ghostly imagery, self-harm and mutilation. The story also includes intense rivalry, grief and potentially unsettling relationship history.