Thanks to Random House and Ballantine Books for the free advance copy of this book.

Kyuri, Miho, Ara and Wonna all live in the same building in Seoul. Though they all come from different backgrounds and live different lives now, all of them cling to each other as they battle daily against a patriarchal society determined to break them.

IF I HAD YOUR FACE is the story of four women encountering and dealing with the beauty and societal standards imposed on women today. The war is waged on them from all fronts, ranging from parents anxious that a disability will harm marriage prospects to feeling forced to undergo extensive facial surgeries to keep a job that's based on looks.

There isn't a whole lot in the way of plot - instead, it's an extended portrait of these women. Though I did enjoy getting to know each character, there was still some attempt at a narrative arc near the end of the book that fell a bit flat for me while also feeling rushed, like the author was trying to have it both ways. Still, it's quite a compelling look at the way misogyny burrows into women's lives, even women who consider themselves to be independent and liberated.