In If I Had Your Face we follow four young woman in Seoul, who are working demanding jobs, living with debt and surviving on their own with little family support, all while dealing with varying degrees of trauma from their childhood. 

The book is told through the perspective of each character, in alternating chapters. I don't mind an alternating perspective (in fact, I quite like it), but I would have liked longer chapters for each character. While Ara and Kyuri were easily distinguishable, it took me longer to remember who was who between Miho and Wonna. Wonna also had fewer chapters than the other women and I would have loved to see more of the book devoted to her story.

Based on reviews I've read, I thought plastic surgery would be more of a focus of the book. While it is mentioned frequently, it wasn't the expose on plastic surgery in Korea that I was expecting. Instead we see how unattainable beauty standards seep into the thoughts and actions of the characters. We see how their self perceptions alter the way they act in different situations. And how it influences what they think they can achieve in their life. 

I really enjoyed the friendships in the book and the different relationships that connected all of the women. I also liked the insights into South Korean culture (work, beauty, relationships, gender roles) and the way class impacts on nearly every aspect of the characters' lives.

This was a gripping book, that always had me wanting to know more. But I think the end was wrapped up too neatly and the characters not given enough depth for this to be a truly hard hitting book.

If you want a book on gender, class and friendship in your early 20s in South Korea this is a good place to start. I'd also recommend it if you were a fan of the show Girls, as it has similar vibes with friendships and finding your feet in a busy city.