Almond: A Novel

by Won-pyung Sohn

Other authorsSandy Joosun Lee (Translator)
Paperback, 2021

Description

Fiction. Literature. HTML: A BTS fan favorite! A WALL STREET JOURNAL STORIES THAT CAN TAKE YOU ANYWHERE PICK * ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S STAY HOME AND READ PICK * SALON'S BEST AND BOLDEST * BUSTLE'S MOST ANTICIPATED The Emissary meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime in this poignant and triumphant story about how love, friendship, and persistence can change a life forever. This story is, in short, about a monster meeting another monster. One of the monsters is me. Yunjae was born with a brain condition called Alexithymia that makes it hard for him to feel emotions like fear or anger. He does not have friendsâ??the two almond-shaped neurons located deep in his brain have seen to thatâ??but his devoted mother and grandmother provide him with a safe and content life. Their little home above his mother's used bookstore is decorated with colorful Post-it notes that remind him when to smile, when to say "thank you," and when to laugh. Then on Christmas Eveâ??Yunjae's sixteenth birthdayâ??everything changes. A shocking act of random violence shatters his world, leaving him alone and on his own. Struggling to cope with his loss, Yunjae retreats into silent isolation, until troubled teenager Gon arrives at his school, and they develop a surprising bond. As Yunjae begins to open his life to new peopleâ??including a girl at schoolâ??something slowly changes inside him. And when Gon suddenly finds his life at risk, Yunjae will have the chance to step outside of every comfort zone he has created to perhaps become the hero he never thought he would be. Readers of Wonder by R.J. Palaccio and Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig will appreciate this "resonant" story that "gives Yunjae the courage to claim an entirely different story." (Booklist, starred review) Translated from the Korean by Sand… (more)

Publication

HarperVia (2021), 272 pages

User reviews

LibraryThing member brangwinn
The thing that makes this book so hard to read is the same thing that makes the reader unable to put it down. The Korean teenager narrating this book has alexithymia. It’s a neurological condition in which the amygdalae, about the size of an almond) in the brain do not grow. If you have this
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condition you don’t experience emotions. Its difficult to read a book narrated by someone who can experience pain but not fear so can be bullied physically. How do you tell a story in which you see your grandmother killed and your mother so deeply wounded by a knife that she remains in a coma for much of middle school and high school year without becoming sad at their death? That’s what life is like Yunjae. His story is exceptional. Because of this there are no emotional highs or lows for the reader. But don’t give up hope. Its not a long book, and the ending is worth the effort put into reading. I don’t know if this book is classified as a young adult book, but it should be read by anyone 14 years old and older.
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LibraryThing member oddandbookish
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (HarperVia).

This book is why I love international books. They’re always so different from what is traditionally published here in America and I find that so refreshing.

In the prologue it states that, “I won’t tell you whether it has
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a happy ending or a tragic ending…neither you nor I nor anyone can ever really know whether a story is happy or tragic.” I think that perfectly sums up the book. It is sad at times, but there is still hope and happiness. The book toes the the line between both very well and highlights the complexities of life.

This is a very fast book to read since the chapters are so short. I personally loved the short chapters because it kept the book moving at a good pace.

I loved the juxtaposition between the two main characters. Their dynamic was so fascinating. A boy that feels nothing meets a boy who feels too much.

Lastly, there are some lovely descriptions about books in this novel. At one point the main character states, “I felt connected to the smell of old books. The first time I smelled them, it was as if I’d encountered something I already knew” (pg 43). At another point he states, “But books are quiet. They remain dead silent until somebody flips open a page. Only then do they spill out their stories, calmly and thoroughly, just enough at a time for me to handle” (pg 127).

Overall, I found this novel to be beautiful and thought provoking! If you’re looking to try something new and a bit different, pick up this book!
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LibraryThing member saimaus
This was such a breeze to read, I couldn't put it down. The characters were so real it felt like I had grown up with them.

Language

Original language

Korean

Original publication date

2016

Physical description

8 inches

ISBN

0062961381 / 9780062961389
Page: 0.4595 seconds