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A review by thewordsdevourer
ร้านหนังสือฮยูนัมดงยินดีต้อนรับ by Hwang Bo-Reum
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
this is a comforting novel whose reading experience is akin to someone patting ur shoulders to give u strength while ranting and nodding in understanding abt how messed up the world is.
the setting and premise of ร้านหนังสือฮยูนัมดงยินดีต้อนรับ might be cliched, but hwang executes it well, filling it w/ diverse characters who are all going thru different difficult things yet naturally forming a community that supports one another . it's also insightful to learn more abt a bookstore - esp an independent, neighborhood one - is run. the novel's thematically dense yet quite accessible, delving into various topics like reading, dreams, happiness, work and work-life balance, all of which are increasingly relevant esp in the book's native south korea.
tho i have to say, bc the book's quite understated in its plot and mostly even pacing, some chapters and sections are more forgettable than others, and i wish the themes and issues that are explored were more show-not-tell instead of the current text dumps thru dialogue and convos. overall, however, this is a read that both comforts and rallies the reader, sth which i happen to need at the moment.
the setting and premise of ร้านหนังสือฮยูนัมดงยินดีต้อนรับ might be cliched, but hwang executes it well, filling it w/ diverse characters who are all going thru different difficult things yet naturally forming a community that supports one another . it's also insightful to learn more abt a bookstore - esp an independent, neighborhood one - is run. the novel's thematically dense yet quite accessible, delving into various topics like reading, dreams, happiness, work and work-life balance, all of which are increasingly relevant esp in the book's native south korea.
tho i have to say, bc the book's quite understated in its plot and mostly even pacing, some chapters and sections are more forgettable than others, and i wish the themes and issues that are explored were more show-not-tell instead of the current text dumps thru dialogue and convos. overall, however, this is a read that both comforts and rallies the reader, sth which i happen to need at the moment.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship