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A review by katrinaslibrary
How Kyoto Breaks Your Heart by Florentyna Leow
5.0
Thank you Emma Press for sending me an uncorrected proof copy in exchange for my honest review.
How Kyoto Breaks Your Heart is a collection of essays of Florentyna's account of her experience living in Kyoto. The essays are less of a chronological memoir with helpful advice for anyone who dreamed of moving abroad. They are lyrical and poignant, not only describing the slice of life in rural Kyoto but also describing the emotional pain that lingers with a broken heart, belonging to a place, the loss of friendships and nostalgia for a time you can never go back to.
For a short book, I had personally found it difficult to read. I have read multiple memoirs and blogs in the run-up to my own stint of living in Japan a few years back. But to read Florentyna's essays felt like someone saw the soul of my past self and created art with it. It was also a grave mistake on my part, to read the last 30 pages on the internet and to let a few people witness my emotional breakdowns, which occurred every 3 paragraphs or so.
I'm very thankful that this small book has landed into my hands as it is now one of those books where a part of me feels very very seen.
How Kyoto Breaks Your Heart is a collection of essays of Florentyna's account of her experience living in Kyoto. The essays are less of a chronological memoir with helpful advice for anyone who dreamed of moving abroad. They are lyrical and poignant, not only describing the slice of life in rural Kyoto but also describing the emotional pain that lingers with a broken heart, belonging to a place, the loss of friendships and nostalgia for a time you can never go back to.
For a short book, I had personally found it difficult to read. I have read multiple memoirs and blogs in the run-up to my own stint of living in Japan a few years back. But to read Florentyna's essays felt like someone saw the soul of my past self and created art with it. It was also a grave mistake on my part, to read the last 30 pages on the internet and to let a few people witness my emotional breakdowns, which occurred every 3 paragraphs or so.
I'm very thankful that this small book has landed into my hands as it is now one of those books where a part of me feels very very seen.