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4.64 AVERAGE
4.64 AVERAGE
reading this at the place that i'm at right now was not only a huge comfort but also felt like having jonghyun close to me. i'm forever grateful for you, little star
a book that that perfectly sums up the emotions of a person experiencing loneliness. I recommend reading this book whenever you feel lonely or unsure and need reassurance that you are not alone battling these struggles
This is not a book i can be unbiased about. Even more so, i believe my experience with it is stunted, considering i dont speak korean, it was never published in english, and not even the korean edition can be found or purchased anymore for less than $250, as it wasnt published by, you know, a publishing house. I believe the original book has pictures and the like, so my reading of it (from somebody who translated it unoficially) was incomplete, though im sure, better than nothing.
That said, i wish it was published by traditional means, and that it could reach a bigger audience rather than be a coveted collectors piece, because it's genuinely good fiction. Its more of a novella than a novel, i believe, or a short story, and its... hard to describe? Its one of those stories where nothing really happens and you just watch people exist in the world, which is honestly my favorite genre, so im even biased on that front. But i think its beautifully written, in a very lyrical way obviously. Its hard to read as a fan, hits in several places that hurt for several reasons, but it helps in keeping him alive and close.
It feels genuine, maybe excessively so. I feel like had i read this when he was alive, i would have poked a little healthy fun at how he inserted himself into the story. Would have called it an ego thing. In retrospect, i wonder if this is just how he wanted or hoped to be seen, and i hope he knows that yeah, pretty much, thats how we see him still.
I think its also interesting that he wrote a story about missing people and then forgetting them, and now we're here, stuck missing him and doing everything in our power not to forget. I miss him everyday, and the wound is never any less raw. Today, it hurts a little more than other days. Tomorrow, it may be better.
Hurting just a little, missing you very, very much.
That said, i wish it was published by traditional means, and that it could reach a bigger audience rather than be a coveted collectors piece, because it's genuinely good fiction. Its more of a novella than a novel, i believe, or a short story, and its... hard to describe? Its one of those stories where nothing really happens and you just watch people exist in the world, which is honestly my favorite genre, so im even biased on that front. But i think its beautifully written, in a very lyrical way obviously. Its hard to read as a fan, hits in several places that hurt for several reasons, but it helps in keeping him alive and close.
It feels genuine, maybe excessively so. I feel like had i read this when he was alive, i would have poked a little healthy fun at how he inserted himself into the story. Would have called it an ego thing. In retrospect, i wonder if this is just how he wanted or hoped to be seen, and i hope he knows that yeah, pretty much, thats how we see him still.
I think its also interesting that he wrote a story about missing people and then forgetting them, and now we're here, stuck missing him and doing everything in our power not to forget. I miss him everyday, and the wound is never any less raw. Today, it hurts a little more than other days. Tomorrow, it may be better.
Hurting just a little, missing you very, very much.
3.5 stars
I don't speak or read Korean, I had to go through this book by inputting the sentences into, alternatively, Google Translate and Naver Translate (I just picked whichever translation seemed to make more sense or was clearer). That being said I imagine that if I did understand Korean I A) could have read this easily in one afternoon, even taking the time to listen to the songs after each chapter and B) might still have been a bit confused while reading it. There is a little disclaimer at the beginning of the book that basically states that the author is using their own style of syntax and spelling -- which I readily believe, given how much the translation sites kept trying to correct what I typed into them. I think the story is not as good as it could be because it came after the songs were all written instead of before or as they were being written; only some of Jonghyun's songs show up and others don't even though they obviously existed at the time. But I think, especially looking back through the lens of his death, that this book can obviously be read as saying a lot of how Jonghyun himself felt even though he put in the different characters (none of them are ever actually named, except for the dog). If you had read the book before, his song "Lonely" would not have been any surprise when it came out since that is a large part of what the characters are struggling with. It's not a literary masterpiece but it feels very much like a piece of Jonghyun's heart, told through a story, and that makes it beautiful.
I don't speak or read Korean, I had to go through this book by inputting the sentences into, alternatively, Google Translate and Naver Translate (I just picked whichever translation seemed to make more sense or was clearer). That being said I imagine that if I did understand Korean I A) could have read this easily in one afternoon, even taking the time to listen to the songs after each chapter and B) might still have been a bit confused while reading it. There is a little disclaimer at the beginning of the book that basically states that the author is using their own style of syntax and spelling -- which I readily believe, given how much the translation sites kept trying to correct what I typed into them. I think the story is not as good as it could be because it came after the songs were all written instead of before or as they were being written; only some of Jonghyun's songs show up and others don't even though they obviously existed at the time. But I think, especially looking back through the lens of his death, that this book can obviously be read as saying a lot of how Jonghyun himself felt even though he put in the different characters (none of them are ever actually named, except for the dog). If you had read the book before, his song "Lonely" would not have been any surprise when it came out since that is a large part of what the characters are struggling with. It's not a literary masterpiece but it feels very much like a piece of Jonghyun's heart, told through a story, and that makes it beautiful.
5/5
I went to this book quite empty-minded since the summary was in Korean. I couldn't judge it by its cover or synopsis. With that being said I read the fan translated from AO3
The book contains 12 chapters, each named after various songs Kim Jonghyun has written and sung in his group SHINee and as a solo artist. And I would assume that the book is named after the song Diphylleia grayi in his album JONGHYUN The Collection "Story OP.1" which I highly recommend listening to while reading.
Jonghyun ties these songs together into a story about past lovers and how their love story came to a bittersweet end. It feels raw and real, and I found myself in between his words. As Jonghyun says in the author's note, he wishes to give those 12 specific songs a new perspective and hopes the readers listen to those songs with this new story in mind.
The story bundles into many ways these past lovers try to make themselves forget each other while still longing for one another. The woman drowns herself to work whilst the man drinks himself to sleep. The resentment they both share for each other turns into longing, which turns into them trying to forget one another, and after many trials and errors, they finally let each other go.
Jonghyun comes in the story as the radio host/singer whom both the woman and man find comfort in. He is often shown to speak about (healthy) loneliness and sadness on his radio show that both the woman and the man frequently listen to. Those are also that he hasn't shied away from in his music.
This book had my heart ache as I could feel through the characters' different stages of a breakup. I felt numerous different emotions all the way from bitterness to sadness and from that, I began to understand that all of this was for their own good.
The book was so beautifully translated, and though I have yet to read the Korean version of this, the translator did a fantastic job interpreting and fitting Jonghyun's poetic nature into words in English. It's such a shame that it's not translated to English officially I'm looking at you **.
Skeleton Flower isn't just a book of references to his songs. It has connections to his personal life, and if I may reach a bit, I feel like all the characters in the story are bits and pieces of Jonghyun's own identity, of course, altered a bit. It's such a good read, and I hope that my review or the other reviews here will inspire more and more people to read this book.
"The moment the rose-colored lenses of love come off is when all hell breaks loose."
I went to this book quite empty-minded since the summary was in Korean. I couldn't judge it by its cover or synopsis. With that being said I read the fan translated from AO3
The book contains 12 chapters, each named after various songs Kim Jonghyun has written and sung in his group SHINee and as a solo artist. And I would assume that the book is named after the song Diphylleia grayi in his album JONGHYUN The Collection "Story OP.1" which I highly recommend listening to while reading.
Jonghyun ties these songs together into a story about past lovers and how their love story came to a bittersweet end. It feels raw and real, and I found myself in between his words. As Jonghyun says in the author's note, he wishes to give those 12 specific songs a new perspective and hopes the readers listen to those songs with this new story in mind.
The story bundles into many ways these past lovers try to make themselves forget each other while still longing for one another. The woman drowns herself to work whilst the man drinks himself to sleep. The resentment they both share for each other turns into longing, which turns into them trying to forget one another, and after many trials and errors, they finally let each other go.
"That beautiful era had passed, and nothing that belonged to it existed anymore.
The man and the woman thought of how they wanted to be happy and realized that for that to happen, it was time to let each other go."
Jonghyun comes in the story as the radio host/singer whom both the woman and man find comfort in. He is often shown to speak about (healthy) loneliness and sadness on his radio show that both the woman and the man frequently listen to. Those are also that he hasn't shied away from in his music.
"Being alone, I don't see it as something that simply disappears once you take care of it —— I am going through a healthy loneliness."
"It's alright to be sad for a while. Please come to me whenever. Because I'll be here."
This book had my heart ache as I could feel through the characters' different stages of a breakup. I felt numerous different emotions all the way from bitterness to sadness and from that, I began to understand that all of this was for their own good.
The book was so beautifully translated, and though I have yet to read the Korean version of this, the translator did a fantastic job interpreting and fitting Jonghyun's poetic nature into words in English. It's such a shame that it's not translated to English officially I'm looking at you **.
Skeleton Flower isn't just a book of references to his songs. It has connections to his personal life, and if I may reach a bit, I feel like all the characters in the story are bits and pieces of Jonghyun's own identity, of course, altered a bit. It's such a good read, and I hope that my review or the other reviews here will inspire more and more people to read this book.
Jonghyun truly deserves the title of Poet | Artist, his writing is so beautifully moving and deeply comforting. The translation I read of this book was lovely and I imagine it's even more touching in its original form, and you can truly feel the deep emotions and love he poured into its creation.
The passage in By Tomorrow when Jonghyun's words reassured both the woman and the reader that allowing yourself to feel sad and simply being understood is enough captured the exact reason Jonghyun has brought me so much comfort and healing even amongst the grief for his passing. His artistry creates a space so vulnerable and tender where he reaches beyond the barriers of space, time, and even life to say, "I hear you, and I understand you, your loneliness, your sadness, your exhaustion, and it's alright. Stay here with me for a while. We'll be alright."
The passage in By Tomorrow when Jonghyun's words reassured both the woman and the reader that allowing yourself to feel sad and simply being understood is enough captured the exact reason Jonghyun has brought me so much comfort and healing even amongst the grief for his passing. His artistry creates a space so vulnerable and tender where he reaches beyond the barriers of space, time, and even life to say, "I hear you, and I understand you, your loneliness, your sadness, your exhaustion, and it's alright. Stay here with me for a while. We'll be alright."
Did not read the original, as I do not know Korean, but was lucky enough to read the translation a shawol started a year ago and just recently completed on Jonghyun's birthday (here is the link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14618484/chapters/33784149). It's such a beautiful piece of work. I wept while reading almost every chapter. Getting to know him so closely, his way of thinking, his attention to details...just like he said in the author's note, this little novel is merely a way of presenting his songs and tying them together in a very humane and realistic story about love and loss. Thank you so much to the person who translated this, while I know that translations aren't the same as the original, he/she sure did a splendid job, and probably one that was emotionally draining as well. I, clearly, kind of feel emotionally drained right now. Maybe, one day, I will be able to read the original, but until then, I am more than pleased with what I read over the course of the last few months. Thank you for bringing Jonghyun closer to us. And Jonghyun, thank you so much for writing this and sharing a piece of that beautiful soul of yours. To me, you will never, ever be forgotten.
I'm not a fan of Kpop, so when I first got this book, I had no idea who Jonghyun was. I had heard of Shinee, but I didn't know any of their music. I bought this book because it had good reviews on every website I could find. After reading it, my unbiased opinion is that the reviews are not at all exaggerated.
This book is a great idea and perfectly executed. It's fictional stories based on the songs he wrote. Apparently the four characters are supposed to be different aspects of his personality/image. The pictures were taken by Jonghyun himself, which allows us to literally see the world from his perspective.
Part of me wishes Skeleton Flower would be translated into English for everyone who doesn't speak Korean, but I think a part of its charm would be lost. For example, there's a page that just has the lyrics of "Maybe Tomorrow" written out. On the next page, there are three pictures of the sky with the words "괜찮아" written three times. 괜찮아 can be translated as "I'm okay," "You're okay," "It's okay," "They're okay," etc, depending on the context. That allows the reader to add their own meaning to the story in a small way. In English, a pronoun has to be attached. Even if you say, "Okay," that has its own separate meaning. So, the translator would have to decide for themselves what context to give that phrase. That's just one example, and an admittedly poor one at that, but there are plenty more throughout the book. This seems like a crazy suggestion, but I would encourage you to learn Korean, even if only to read this book.
From the little amount I know about him now, it seems like Jonghyun desperately wanted to be understood. It's obvious, even for a casual fan, that he poured his heart and soul into everything he did. This book is no different. After reading it, I looked him up, excited to have a new writer/singer to follow, only to find out what happened to him. Absolutely devastating loss of a genius well before his time.
This book is a great idea and perfectly executed. It's fictional stories based on the songs he wrote. Apparently the four characters are supposed to be different aspects of his personality/image. The pictures were taken by Jonghyun himself, which allows us to literally see the world from his perspective.
Part of me wishes Skeleton Flower would be translated into English for everyone who doesn't speak Korean, but I think a part of its charm would be lost. For example, there's a page that just has the lyrics of "Maybe Tomorrow" written out. On the next page, there are three pictures of the sky with the words "괜찮아" written three times. 괜찮아 can be translated as "I'm okay," "You're okay," "It's okay," "They're okay," etc, depending on the context. That allows the reader to add their own meaning to the story in a small way. In English, a pronoun has to be attached. Even if you say, "Okay," that has its own separate meaning. So, the translator would have to decide for themselves what context to give that phrase. That's just one example, and an admittedly poor one at that, but there are plenty more throughout the book. This seems like a crazy suggestion, but I would encourage you to learn Korean, even if only to read this book.
From the little amount I know about him now, it seems like Jonghyun desperately wanted to be understood. It's obvious, even for a casual fan, that he poured his heart and soul into everything he did. This book is no different. After reading it, I looked him up, excited to have a new writer/singer to follow, only to find out what happened to him. Absolutely devastating loss of a genius well before his time.
This is not the typical novel, Jonghyun himself says it on the end notes, and it also won't be the best novel you'll ever read, because simply, it is not. Jonghyun's not a novel writer, he's a songwriter, and this book, this story, even if it took the form of a novel it felt like an extension to his songs and his poems, and that's what is beautiful about it. Every single chapter its titled after one of his songs, and if you know them and their meaning you can easily notice how the chapter hardly relates to the lyrics of the song. It's also made obvious, at least for a Jonghyun fan, that this was entirely Jonghyun's work. The story and the writing have the same delicacy he always offers, and I felt like I got to know him a little bit better, in some way, which I will always be grateful for.
I also recommend listening to the song which the chapter is titled after, after you finish the chapter. With subtitles on if you're one of those people, who like me, can't speak Korean.
5/5, it is a sad but beautiful story, but most importantly, we can see a beautiful writing and feel more connected to Jonghyun, it was a beautiful read.
Thank you for this, my angel.
I also recommend listening to the song which the chapter is titled after, after you finish the chapter. With subtitles on if you're one of those people, who like me, can't speak Korean.
5/5, it is a sad but beautiful story, but most importantly, we can see a beautiful writing and feel more connected to Jonghyun, it was a beautiful read.
Thank you for this, my angel.