17/05/2024
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop
Rating: 5/5 👨🚀
Read: 10th May - 16th May 2024
There are plenty of self-help books/stories that tell you to "live life like you want to" or "do what you love"
However, what happens when you don't know "how you want to live your life" or dont have something that "you love to do"? What happens when you don't have an overriding passion that you want to dedicate your life to? Or even better: what happens when you do have a passion, but you are so burned out that you are afraid of turning something you love into a chore?
Well, The Hyunam-Dong Bookshop explores these topics without giving you the "correct answer" on how to approach them. Each character has their own personal "struggle " and they chose to work through them at their own pace. Some throw themselves into something completely new. Others take a step back from work and focus on hobbies.
What makes this book special is the comfort and soothing feeling, emanating from the bookstore and its characters. In each "story", I've frequently caught glimpses of my own personal experiences/struggles and yet, it didn't trigger anxiety but instead soothed my soul. Yeah, I'm sounding pretentious now, but i dont know how else to describe it 🤣
The bookshop provides a calming location both for the characters and by extension, the reader to take some time out of their life and slow down. Whether it's by reading a book 📚, chatting to regulars👥, learning how to make a good cuppa ☕️, knitting 🧶 or simply watching someone knit, we are given a chance to take a breath and enjoy well written characters! The most important point the book makes is that by listening to yourself, you will find what works for you (which is something the book lets you do via its pacing and story).
This is the first time in my life that upon finishing this book, i wanted to start reading it again!
Hwang Bo-Reum has created a masterpiece and I am looking forward to seeing the next project she embarks on! 👨🚀
