A review by mcrespo
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum

funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-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

5.0

you know how sometimes when life sucks really bad and you hate like everyone around you because everything on the news is terrible and people are always hurting others, sometimes it’s nice to fall back on a fond memory of times where you appreciated humanity. like how i adored when people all across the country were gasping, cheering, and even crying just watching the solar eclipse with their own eyes. it was so cute to me that people still cared about the cosmos. i love when people from all walks of life find common joy in something like the solar eclipse. that kind of thing is what happens at the hyunam-dong book shop. this book reminds you how cute humanity is. it’s the perfect read for people who love literary fiction, slice of life, and people who don’t know what the hell they wanna do in life or if they’re living their life “right.” if you’re a 25-35 year old into coming of age stories, the human experience, human relationships, and the pursuit of happiness, this book is perfect for you. it does a wonderful job critiquing classism, capitalism, and how society values humanity. honestly, it felt like a book i really needed right in this moment, so i’m happy i found it. “Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop” is encouraging while also a warm hug to remind me i’m not the loser i’ve convinced myself i am. i’ll be tuning into anything that Hwang Bo-reum writes next.