Certainly not a happy or fun read but well written and consumable with a exceptionally worthwhile premise. The narrative explores South Korean society via the viewpoints of a few women whose lives become intertwined. I would say it is prevalent melancholic and most likely held back a little despite it being a fairly brutal condemnation of how women are treated as they struggle to create an attainable framework for what would make them happy within the bounds they are allowed due to societal constructs.