A review by kmonae_
Almond by Won-pyung Sohn

emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 At first, the book took a while for me to get through, as it is a very slow read (at least for me), but one thing I like about Almond is the melodramatic nature of what it’s like to feel. For Yunjae, many might find him to be devoid of all humanity and emotion. Despite his inability to feel emotions, there is something about Yunjae that is ultimately human to me. It’s the way in which he attempts to understand and process emotions, often having difficulty perceiving emotions as related to sociocultural norms and the expectations that are placed upon us in society. Almond brings forth a deeper conversation of how emotions can be predetermined based on our environment but also purely genetic. In other words, it looks at emotions through a nature vs. nurture lens. I really enjoyed the prose of the book and Yunjae’s awakening towards the end, which was beautiful to read in real-time. Overall, Almond was a fantastic read, and I truly enjoyed the lessons and themes it presented. 
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