Almond: A Novel

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People said there was no way to understand Gon. I didn’t agree with them. It’s just that nobody ever tried to see through him.” In her debut novel, film director and screenwriter Sohn Won-pyung (with the assistance of translator Sandy Joosun Lee) has created a tender exploration of adolescence — a universal experience complicated here by extraordinary circumstances. This is one of those books that deftly straddles the line between young adult and adult fiction; it has such a gentle heart that readers of all ages will recognize and sympathize with the characters' struggles and celebrate when they ultimately triumph. The first half is perfect perfect while the second half seems a bit rushed. Nevertheless the ending has a good closure.

Almond by Won-pyung Sohn - Where to Kim? Review: Almond by Won-pyung Sohn - Where to Kim?

The whole rebellious kid ( You’re stupid because you know too much) having a heart of gold when he is finally “seen” in by an outsider is for instance something that I have see much too often. He does have good quotes, like: If I can’t protect myself from being hurt I rather hurt other people. but he is really a bad boy as well, as animal abuse needs to drive home to the reader. I’m pretty sure it was due to this that he was able to see who Gon truly was. The way Yunjae described Gon was simple yet beautiful and I guess this is also how I would describe Won-Pyung Sohn’s writing style: Beautiful simplicity with many layers. The author never beats about the bush or hides information. It’s all there and you get exactly what you read which was a very refreshing approach and even though the conversations between the characters are pretty unexcited, they still have some sort of beauty to them. I didn’t think I’d enjoy the writing style so much but I did. =)Impressively portraying Yunjae's shrugged-shoulder calm and efforts to understand his world, Sohn offers a heartening study of human emotion. Overall the trope of someone different being a saint to help the rest see the value of normal life, is something I find a bit standard, and then there is the way how the whole book turns into a story of someone “recovering” from a neurological condition due to romantic love.

Almond on Apple Books ‎Almond on Apple Books

I really enjoyed this one and it definitely made me think a lot about people and their emotions. Yunjae was an interesting MC and I really liked how he tried to understand the people around him. The way certain scenes and characters were described was very intriguing and to see everything through Yunjae’s eyes gave this a unique perspective. People sometimes say how cool it’d be to be fearless, but they don’t know what they’re talking about. Fear is an instinctive defense mechanism necessary for survival. Not knowing fear doesn’t mean that you’re brave; it means you’re stupid enough to stay standing on the road when a car is charging towards you.” Against all odds, tormentor and victim learn they have more in common than they realized. Gon is stumped by Yunjae’s impassive calm, while Yunjae thinks if he gets to know the hotheaded Gon, he might learn how to experience true feelings. Drawn by curiosity, the two strike up a surprising friendship. As Yunjae begins to open his life to new people—including a girl at school—something slowly changes inside him. And when Gon suddenly finds his life in danger, it is Yunjae who will step outside of every comfort zone he has created to perhaps become a most unlikely hero.

Llevo un tiempo debatiéndome entre las 4 y las 5 estrellas, así que lo dejaré [en mi cabeza, porque goodreads...] en 4'5. Me ha encantado casi absolutamente todo. El estilo narrativo es simple y directo, como Yunjae. Y pese a ser un personaje con el que, en un principio, no podría empatizar nunca por mi personalidad, me he sentido muy cerca de él en cada una de las palabras. Vas de la mano con el protagonista mientras te guía por su pequeña (y dura, vista desde fuera) vida, pero no es excesivamente dramático. No busca eso para nada, sino que busca la simpleza de alguien con alexitima, de alguien que es incapaz sentir. Y ha sido precioso. In what might be the first novel to feature a protagonist with alexithymia—an inability to identify and express one's feelings—Korean novelist Sohn's affecting debut arrives stateside...Winner of the prestigious Changbi Prize for Young Adult Fiction in Korea, Sohn presents a 15-year-old neurodiverse protagonist with much resonance. This quote was extracted from the Author’s Note. She clarified that she would not classify whether Almond was a happy or tragic story, as no one would truly know. Will Yunjae be able to fully feel all emotions in the future? Will he be able to find love? Will he and Gon be friends for a long time? Will Yunjae and his mother be okay? There are a hundred answers to one question in this world. So it's hard for me to give you a correct answer"

Almond by Won-pyung Sohn — Aniko Press Review: Almond by Won-pyung Sohn — Aniko Press

Siempre empatizo con estas historias donde se nos presenta a una persona que no encaja en la sociedad, que de alguna manera es diferente y eso hace que sea rechazado por esta, casi repudiado. Esos personajes inadaptados, que buscan entender la sociedad que les rodea, pero que nunca son aceptados por ella, siempre consiguen agarrarme y no soltarme hasta el final. Yunjae es un personaje increíble, con un carisma brutal, aún no siendo capaz de sentir. I loved the way this was put, because it sums up their different personalities and essence so well. With Dora Yunjae discovered the soft feelings of first love and attraction and with Gon he learned about true friendship and hardships. Some might say Gon was a catalyst and I’m inclined to agree with that, but I also think that Dora’s appearance was at least as vital to Yunjae’s development as Gon’s. Both played a very important part in the MCs life and contributed to his experiences. There is no such person who can’t be saved. There are only people who give up on trying to save others. It’s”Sinopsis: Almendra es una historia sobre crecer, descubrirse a uno mismo y aceptar que la ayuda no siempre viene por donde la esperamos. So, I’m going to be stronger. In my own way. In the way that feels most natural to me. I like to win. If I can’t protect myself from being hurt, I’d rather hurt other people.” I first heard of Almond when BTS members RM, Suga, and J-Hope were seen reading it during their reality series In The Soop. RM and Suga agreed that this book was “well-written” and “an interesting read.” This piqued my curiosity, which led me to search its synopsis and a translated version of the book. The novel will appeal fully to adults, but mature young readers who must cope in their everyday lives with the struggles of late adolescence will find themselves identifying with Yunjae and moved by his plight. A sensitive exploration of what it's like to live at life's emotional poles.

Almond: A Novel by Won-pyung Sohn | WHSmith

Delicate and heartbreaking. Like peeling a fruit, Sohn bares human emotion and questions the human condition with a gentle hunger. Lastly, and I know it sounds like an excuse but neither you nor I nor anyone can ever really know whether a story is happy or tragic" Yunjae is a teen diagnosed with Alexithymia because his amygdalae (woohoo!) are smaller than normal. As a result, he is unable to feel many common emotions like love and fear and anger. Disclaimer: The following will contain spoilers from the book. I will also incorporate references to songs or books I was reminded of!)

Beyond the Book

As for the ending of the book: I liked it but it almost felt too smooth? I don’t know if I’d have done anything differently but I’ve to admit that I still don’t know how I feel about it. I thought a lot about my final reaction to Yunjae’s story but all I can come up with is that the ending felt too convenient. Still, I really enjoyed “Almond” and I can recommend reading it if you want to go for something different and thought-provoking. I still think about the book and in my book this is always a good thing. ;-) Pero esto pronto va a cambiar: un día su madre y su abuela serán atacadas por un psicópata y su vida dará un vuelco. Por primera vez se verá obligado a vivir solo, sin ayuda de nadie para entender a los demás. A partir de este momento no le quedará más remedio que acercarse a otros, tratando de comprender estos sentimientos que le son tan ajenos, y para ello empezará a relacionarse con diferentes personas: un compañero de clase abusón que esconde a una persona acomplejada; una chica especial que practica atletismo o un amigo de su madre que se gana la vida con una panadería. The plot: Yunjae was born with a brain condition called Alexithymia that makes it hard for him to feel emotions like fear or anger. He doesn't really feel happiness, at least not in a strong way, but he is content living with his mother and grandmother… until an incident that leaves his grandmother dead and his mother in a coma. Dealing with the aftermath of this, he tries to cope without anyone to help him make through life faking what he's "supposed" to feel. Book Genre: Asian Literature, Audiobook, Contemporary, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mental Health, Young Adult