This book gave me a lot to think about and moved quickly and interestingly. It follows four families who move into government housing in South Korea, meant to be "communal living" and with the caveat that within 10 years of moving in you need to have three kids. The families all have different approaches to what "communal" means, and there are small and larger clashes as the families settle in.

This book addresses the ridiculous expectations put on mothers to do everything and be anything, the sexist frameworks imposed on and enabled by families, the insecurity and shame inherent in being a parent in our modern world, and how difficult it is to live closely with other people- all without being preachy or hitting you over the head. Byeong-Mo carefully teases out how seemingly mundane interactions and moments signify so much about our social dynamics and dictate whether we feel we belong in any given community, and how subtext is everything but acknowledging the subtle hints out loud is taboo. We get a window into most of the characters, which helps us understand all the thought processes that go into the weird moments between them, and the plot moves along quite fast. This review might make it seem like the book is staid and didactic, but it's not at all; it's brisk and interesting, but a lot happens under the surface. I really liked this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for a honest review!