Book Review: Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum

About the book

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.

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Why we love it

“As if trying her best to mend a broken friendship from her childhood, she immersed herself into the books, day and night, never leaving their side. It didn’t take long for their treasured relationship to rekindle. The books welcomed her back with open arms without judging the person she’d become, and accepted her for who she was.”

I am, I confess, a complete sucker for books about books or books about bookshops. Yes, it's a little meta I know but I find them comforting.

And sometimes you just want a warm, fuzzy blanket of a book. A book that soothes and settles your soul and gives you hope that everything will be just fine. This is that book.

Yeongju did everything that society expected of her - she has a good job, a husband - but it's just not enough and so she walks away from everything, opens a bookshop and starts her life anew.

The story follows Yeongju's journey through this new chapter of her life, as she learns to be a bookseller and comes to terms with this new and unexpected path she's taken.

Her little bookshop gradually becomes a haven within the community for like-minded souls, each dealing with their own challenges and disappointments.

I think what I love most about this beautifully written novel is the idea that it's ok to step away from the expectations of others and embrace the uncertainty of a dream, and it's ok to take a different, less well-trod path through life. 

It's a book that really celebrates the idea of second chances, the power of friendship and the healing magic of books - a must-read for any book-lover, as well as a the perfect comfort read for anyone seeking a little reassurance right now.

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