Author: Hwang Bo-Reum
A kind and compassionate insight into loneliness and the healing power of friendship
Often our daily lives can feel overwhelming, from being constantly connected to devices, excessive expectations placed upon ourselves by employers, social media and family, that sometimes all we want to do is breakaway from it all and lead a simpler life. Most of us will not be brave enough to take that step, but at the Hyunam-Dong bookshop the characters dare to change the lives.
Our identity is often bound in many layers made up of where we work, who we marry and ultimately how we live. The book seeks to respond to these different layers and say that it is ok to do something else and not always follow the mainstream expectations. The lonely cast of characters range from Yeongju who by establishing a bookshop establishes who she wants to be, to Minjun, who feels he has let down his family but his failure to secure a job at a company. At their heart, all the characters carry an aspect that can be recognised by us, whether is fear of failing of familial expectations, to making choices at a young age that will impact of lives.
“It was as if she had been in a daze as they pushed and pulled her in different directions until, luckily, she had landed in a place she really loved”.
Yeongju and Minjun become the central figures of the bookshop’s community. They give acceptance to Jungsuh who finds a place to meditate and knit to Seungwoo a calm yet troubled blogger turner author trying to figure out how his life has taken this new path.
Hwang Bo-Reum succeeds in creating a world that the reader wants to join and be part of. The world of the bookshop is non-judgmental, people are encouraged to come and “be”. Through the book, Hwang’s voice is clear but subtly strong as she manoeuvres her characters into gentle risks and steps forward on their path. Here and there you are given hints of what their future maybe, potential love between coffee aficionados to the challenges of doing something you love and keeping the passion.
“If she could continually reflect and improve, perhaps the bookshop would have a longer lifespan. Most importantly she mustn’t forget her roots – that she was a book lover at heart”.
If you enjoy books about friendship, development of caring communities or even seek inspiration on running a bookshop then this is a great read, the characters stories gently weave between each other, creating trust and acceptance. The chapters are short, often only a few pages, so at times it can feel a little episodic which can hinder the narrative, however, Bo-Reum encourages the reader to hang on, it’s not meant to be a fast-paced story, it is gentle and moves quietly.
Synopsis:
New bookshop owner brings together a community of people a little lost in the world
What works:
It’s a slow story, not meant to be read quickly, makes the reader feel hopeful
Why I read it: Not read many books from Korea, love bookshops, what could go wrong?
Rating: 6 out of 10