An Esquire, InStyle, Refinery29 and NPR Best Book of 2020
A TIME Must-read Book of 2020
"[A] deftly crafted debut novel. . . . Cha, who grew up in South Korea, Hong Kong and the U.S., imbues each character with her own unique voice as they all fight through a grim depiction of modern-day Seoul, where repressive misogyny and class tensions still are all too common." —TIME
"Come for the tender portrait of female friendship in all its tears and triumphs, but stay for the sharp dissection of contemporary life for women, mired as it is in demeaning cultural norms, male primacy and dwindling economic opportunities." —Esquire
"Absolutely stunning. Assured, bold and electrifying, If I Had Your Face marks the entrance of a bright new voice in fiction."—Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six
"Make way for Frances Cha, an entrancing new voice who guides us into the complexities and contradictions of modern-day Seoul, a dissonant, neon world that is ripped open to bare the same universal and human challenges that face us all. I devoured the novel in a single sitting, and so will you."—Janice Lee, New York Times bestselling author of The Piano Teacher
"Few American novelists know Seoul the way Frances Cha does and in her intimate, panoramic debut, she brings that dazzling city to life. There are voices here you haven't heard before . . . An enthralling read from the very first page."—Ed Park, author of Personal Days
"Each voice in this quartet cuts through the pages so cleanly and clearly that the overall effect is one of dangerously glittering harmony. The tale told here is as engrossing as a war chant, or a mosaic formed with blades, every piece a memento sharpened on those unyielding barriers between us and our ideal lives."—Helen Oyeyemi, author of Gingerbread
"A provoking, ultimately inspiring tale of women pushing back against oppressive customs both traditional and new. . . . Frances Cha, like her quartet of narrators, has a rebel's heart."—Jonathan Dee, author of The Locals
"It's difficult to believe this is Frances Cha's first novel—she's a masterful storyteller. I couldn't put If I Had Your Face down; I was riveted by the stories of four young women navigating life in the extreme, competitive environment of modern Seoul. I loved reading about a world I knew nothing about, and from the first page, it was clear Cha was the best possible guide. I highly recommend this novel."—Ann Napolitano, author of Dear Edward
"With graceful precision, unflinching honesty, and intimate compassion Frances Cha writes, in exacting detail, of the desperation and dreams of five young women in modern-day Korea. Their dreams are grandly superficial, profoundly sad and, they believe, within reach. Their desperation is sharply realized by the deprivation, cruelty, violence, agony and, worst of all, the inevitability of their lives. A haunting novel of intelligence and sensitivity, If I Had Your Face is sure to leave an indelible mark on your heart and in your mind."—Binnie Kirshenbaum, author of Rabbits for Food
"It's fantastic. . . . It's compelling, understated, casually brutal, and very cynical. I love it."—Hanna Jameson, author of The Last
"Troubling, kaleidoscopic, and hugely enjoyable."—Nell Zink, author of Mislaid
"In Frances Cha's cruel, intimate, and utterly vibrant world, a drastic haircut is a statement of selfhood, and plastic surgery an economic lifeline. If I Had Your Face is about the ruthlessness of the beauty hierarchy and the unforgiving line that separates the poor and the rich. . . . The protagonists Ara, Kyuri, Miho, Sujin, and Wonna all deal differently with the pressures of an image-conscious society, but they are connected through the Seoul apartment building in which they live. The city that surrounds them is hard-edged, yet what I found unforgettable were the tiny but huge ways these characters show up for each other." —The Atlantic
"Magnificent . . . With unblinking focus, [Cha] confronts some of the darkest consequences of contemporary gender inequity."—Booklist, starred review
"This is an insightful, powerful story from a promising new voice. . . . Cha navigates the obstacles of her characters' lives with ease and heartbreaking realism."—Publishers Weekly
"[A] timely debut . . . Multifaceted portraits of working women in Seoul reveal the importance of female friendships amid inequality . . . Cha's empathetic portraits allow readers to see the impact of economic inequity, entrenched classism, and patriarchy on her hard-working characters' lives.”—Kirkus Reviews
"Searing. . . . Essential reading in what Jia Tolentino memorably called the age of Instagram face."—Vogue (UK)
"[It is Cha's] meticulous, well-thought-out use of storylines that altogether assert there is no such thing as a modern-day Cinderella."—The Korea Times
"Cha's descriptions . . . dazzle. . . . Her writing always crackles: it's gripping as well as grisly, and flashes of real friendship and solidarity amid Seoul's neon glare are more touching for being an enormous relief. A compelling, icily cool exposé of the unceasing quest for self-advancement when the economic odds are stacked against you." —The Guardian
"This is a story about the power of women, friendship, and community, and how small things can impact lives in a big way." —Book Riot
"The whole time votes were being counted in November, I was maintaining my sanity by slipping into Cha’s rich world. . . . It's kind of impossible to describe this book without sounding cliché—it actually breaks your heart and it actually makes you laugh and it's actually gorgeously written and its characters are actually lovable, relatable, and unforgettable. I was sorry to turn the last page." —Megan Angelo, author of Followers
