Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop

eBook, 320 pages

English language

Published Oct. 26, 2023 by Bloomsbury Publishing.

ISBN:
978-1-5266-6230-9
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There was only one thing on her mind.

'I must start a bookshop.'

Yeongju did everything she was supposed to, go to university, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart. Burned out, Yeongju abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream. She opens a bookshop.

In a quaint neighbourhood in Seoul, surrounded by books, Yeongju and her customers take refuge. From the lonely barista to the unhappily married coffee roaster, and the writer who sees something special in Yeongju - they all have disappointments in their past. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop becomes the place where they all learn how to truly live.

A heart-warming story about finding comfort and acceptance in your life – and the healing power of books.

2 editions

This mildly interesting book happened, and I liked that.

This genre, I have been told, is apparently fairly common in Korea, where the purpose of reading it is to relax and read, and not to join some characters on their adventures where stuff happens.

Very little happens over the course of 320 pages; not much plot, not much exposition, not much character development, not much of anything except the passing of time while you tag along. So this genre might not be for everyone. In fact, if it wasn't couched in the day-to-day running of a bookshop, I don't think I would've finished it.

...

...

Honestly, there's not much more to say. I still enjoyed it, to be clear. Even though this review might suggest ambivalence or even otherwise. It was a relaxing read.

A book like a lake

Just finished reading this and still am collecting my thoughts.

This is not my usual kind of read. I did pick it up because it was supposed to be a cosy read and I needed one.

What I’m left with is a sadness though.

Not much happens in the book. It’s like watching a lake on a wind-stilled day. After a while, the view does become boring even if it’s still as beautiful.

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Subjects

  • Contemporary fiction