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emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Toxic friendship
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fast-paced and simultaneously compelling. The ending has left me feeling a bit skeptical with how it all played out, but overall I enjoyed this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An interesting thought-provoking book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Violence
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Violence, Death of parent
challenging
dark
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The tragic tale of Yunjae (Almond), a boy with Alexithymia, the inability to identify and express emotions. When Almond’s mother and grandmother are shockingly attacked, Almond’s life changes forever.
This is an excellent read. Fast paced, full of heart and the universal experience of youth. Although this is a sad story, hope is the shining key theme.
The narrative voice of Almond, detached and slightly dejected, is juxtaposed with the extreme expressions of emotions by other characters, in particular his friend Gon. This is extremely effective in drawing out the subtle character development over the course of the book.
The translation is excellent. The translator has taken liberties to make phrases feel natural to an English speaking audience.
I find the portals of Korean society to be quite realistic, but query whether a western audience would find some aspects of the story relatable. For example, when Almond sees a middle schooler viciously beaten and runs to tell a local shopkeeper, the shopkeeper doesn’t have a strong reaction. Later, when the shopkeeper finds out the identity of the middle schooler, he blames Almond for not conveying the urgency of the situation. While I think the behaviour of the shopkeeper is certainly not common in Korea and is an extreme example, as a “mind your own business” mindset is strong in Korean society, I found this character compelling.
I feel like this is a book I will revisit again and again.
"If you close your eyes first, you lose. I always won these kinds of games. Other people struggled to keep their eyes open, when I just didn't know how to close my eyes in the first place."
This is an excellent read. Fast paced, full of heart and the universal experience of youth. Although this is a sad story, hope is the shining key theme.
The narrative voice of Almond, detached and slightly dejected, is juxtaposed with the extreme expressions of emotions by other characters, in particular his friend Gon. This is extremely effective in drawing out the subtle character development over the course of the book.
The translation is excellent. The translator has taken liberties to make phrases feel natural to an English speaking audience.
I find the portals of Korean society to be quite realistic, but query whether a western audience would find some aspects of the story relatable. For example, when Almond sees a middle schooler viciously beaten and runs to tell a local shopkeeper, the shopkeeper doesn’t have a strong reaction. Later, when the shopkeeper finds out the identity of the middle schooler, he blames Almond for not conveying the urgency of the situation. While I think the behaviour of the shopkeeper is certainly not common in Korea and is an extreme example, as a “mind your own business” mindset is strong in Korean society, I found this character compelling.
I feel like this is a book I will revisit again and again.
"If you close your eyes first, you lose. I always won these kinds of games. Other people struggled to keep their eyes open, when I just didn't know how to close my eyes in the first place."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book follows the friendship of two boys, both affected by traumatic events, who are both lovable in their own very different ways.
An easy and heartwarming, but at times heartbreaking, read that explores the struggles of feeling either nothing at all or feeling too deeply.
An easy and heartwarming, but at times heartbreaking, read that explores the struggles of feeling either nothing at all or feeling too deeply.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Medical content, Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Drug use, Violence, Injury/Injury detail