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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I did enjoy certain fragments of this story, this overall genre of whimsical Asian literature has become so exceedingly overdone that the messaging between them all feels to blend into one and the same.
The moments with the cat were by far my favorite, especially in the act where Jungmin takes him into her home in the midst of a potential monsoon, growing to be quite fond of his antics. I also really enjoyed the ways in which Jungmin explores pottery as a slower medium in comparison to her fast paced TV writing career, the juxtaposition of the two felt unique to this story and definitely contributes strongly to why I still continued to read the story despite my misgivings. Her character arc is a stark reflection of the toils of working class, and the frequent burnout faced by so many of us, and the writing of her character in this way felt remarkably true to real life.
Despite this, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Jungmin and the relationship she holds with the people who come into her life. Her pottery friends feel fairly forgetful and the male character with whom she develops a growing bond for was flat and dimensionless. Their relationship chemistry felt so stale, and it became harder and harder to believe in the merits of their relationships as the story progressed.
The chapter featuring her mother was the sole exception; I feel like Jungmin‘a relationship with her mother felt multifaceted and actually developed as a separate entity from both Jungmin and her mother as characters, which lent itself to an interesting dialogue and simmering conflict between the two.
All in all, while I do think this story does stand one step above the rest in terms of the Asian cozy lit genre, the overall story lacks impact and memorable characters. I would recommend this story but only for those who had never read an Asian cozy lit story before or as a palette cleanser between heavier stories.
The moments with the cat were by far my favorite, especially in the act where Jungmin takes him into her home in the midst of a potential monsoon, growing to be quite fond of his antics. I also really enjoyed the ways in which Jungmin explores pottery as a slower medium in comparison to her fast paced TV writing career, the juxtaposition of the two felt unique to this story and definitely contributes strongly to why I still continued to read the story despite my misgivings. Her character arc is a stark reflection of the toils of working class, and the frequent burnout faced by so many of us, and the writing of her character in this way felt remarkably true to real life.
Despite this, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Jungmin and the relationship she holds with the people who come into her life. Her pottery friends feel fairly forgetful and the male character with whom she develops a growing bond for was flat and dimensionless. Their relationship chemistry felt so stale, and it became harder and harder to believe in the merits of their relationships as the story progressed.
The chapter featuring her mother was the sole exception; I feel like Jungmin‘a relationship with her mother felt multifaceted and actually developed as a separate entity from both Jungmin and her mother as characters, which lent itself to an interesting dialogue and simmering conflict between the two.
All in all, while I do think this story does stand one step above the rest in terms of the Asian cozy lit genre, the overall story lacks impact and memorable characters. I would recommend this story but only for those who had never read an Asian cozy lit story before or as a palette cleanser between heavier stories.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Car accident
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Miscarriage, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
A slow-paced, easy read with layered storytelling and well-written prose.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-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