Hwang Bo-reum

This is a thought-provoking read, as Yeongju defies the social and cultural norms of her Korean family. She quits her temporary job after many years of being promised a permanent position and take her savings to open a bookstore in a quiet neighborhood off the beaten path. Much of the book is taken up with her thoughts about books, reading, and running a bookstore as a way of life instead of following the path expected for her by parents and husband. She creates a welcoming place for many people to come for entertainment, companionship and enlightenment. At the same time, she learns a great deal from her customers, employees and neighbors.
I enjoyed gaining insight into Korean culture and norms. One reviewer said this is called "healing fiction" in Korea, and I felt that.… (more)

So wholesome!

This is a novel full of love for bookshops, books, reading, and people. Yeongju is burned out and leaves her old life behind to open a bookshop. Her bookshop becomes a place for healing – not only for her, but also for the people it brings together. Minjun the barista; Jimi the coffee bean supplier; Jungsuh with her knitting; Seungwoo the blogger; Mincheol the confused teenager… etc. I loved them all. They all have backstories. They are all there for each other, helping each other heal and grow.

I loved the many details sprinkled throughout the book - the handwritten notes Yeongju slips into every book in the bookshop, the book club meetings, the coffee geekiness. They make this book come alive.

At first, I thought the writing felt clunky and simplistic, but it drew me in. Then I began to feel the Korean hiding behind the English and things fell into place. I really liked that some Korean words were not translated (only transliterated), so I had to look them up. It was fun. Glimpses of South Korean society, attitudes, customs were interesting. I thought that there were a lot of things between the lines during some conversations that somebody from South Korea would probably pick up on but I did not. It was a bit like seeing a butterfly fly by out of the corner of your eye. You almost see it, and then you don’t. It was a nice feeling.

The chapters are strung together as a slow sequence of events. You might think that this novel is plotless, but every chapter is a piece of a puzzle. Once you take a couple of steps back, you see the whole. I thought it was nicely done.

This book made me very happy.

“Often, she read in search of something. However, she didn’t always know exactly what she was looking for when she turned the first page.”

“A good novel, to Yeongju, was one which would bring her to places beyond her expectations.”

“A life surrounded by good people is a successful life.”… (more)