Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, by Hwang Bo-reum

Oh my, what a gem! I found the ultimate feel good book, and it's not even a romance. It's better than that: it's a book that makes you believe in others, in yourself and in life. It's light and touching and impossible to put down. It still makes my heart skip a beat!

Summary

Yeongju, after a lifetime of working like crazy to prove something to herself (or, come to think of it, to prove something to her parents), flips out and drops everything. She has only one thing on her mind: to open a bookshop, a childhood dream that would allow her to live in books, as she did as a child. She hires Minjun, a young man who has also struggled all his life, only to give up hope of finding a "good" job after two years of unsuccessful attempts. He's going to be a barista. For two years, she warns him. The bookshop probably won't last beyond that.

But these are, dare I say it?, two magical years. A community grows up around this little haven of peace. People meet, dare to be themselves, and quietly heal their wounds. No one knows what the future holds, but in the Hyunam-dong bookshop, the present is good enough.

Impressions

I deliberately sought out such a book when I realized how much of my time and energy was taken up by my work. It's not a bad thing, but it's an adjustment to make. My life is changing, and philosophical questions were emerging at the same time as my anxiety. I wanted a book that would make me feel less alone in this situation. Yes, I'm good at feeling alone even in the most universal of situations. And I suspect I'm not the only one (ta dum tschh).

I fell in love with this book very quickly. It exudes a sense of well-being and acceptance that is a little addictive. Each of the characters is likeable at first glance, and becomes even more so when you learn about their difficulties. You come to love them deeply. What's more, I think any avid reader can relate to the dream of opening his or her own bookshop, and this book makes that dream come true vicariously.

I'm finishing this review weeks after reading this novel, and you know what? I miss it. I wish I could read it again for the first time. It's a book that guarantees its reader a good time. When you're plagued by existential questions, there's nothing better.