#Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop

[kendeljennerind]

REVIEW-Welcome to The Hyunam-Dong Bookshop

Link dari Goodread sebagai perspektif dari pembaca lainnya. Seperti biasa, memperoleh cara pandang orang lain cukup bagus untuk memperkaya sudut pandang kita.

"First, to cruise alongside what life has to offer. Then, to live it chasing dreams. And for the last shot in life, to live the life that i was better suited for, and to enjoy it as much as i can" - Minjun

Banyak banget point yang sangat bagus ketika tiap tokoh bercengkrama satu sama lainnya. Cara penulisan dari Ibu Hwang Bo Reum membuat pembaca ingin berhenti sebentar lalu merenungi tiap percakapan tiap tokohnya. Walaupun diawali dengan perkenalan leading tokoh Yeongju yang membuka toko buku di daerah Hyungnam-Dong. Sesimpel ketika Yeongju memberikan nama toko buku sekedar nama daerah dimana lokasi toko tersebut.

Tokoh dari cerita perlahan ditambah ketika Yeongju membutuhkan barista hingga penyedia kopi serta orang-orang yang rutin mengunjungi toko buku . Dalam ceritanya juga menggambarkan perjuangan leading tokohnya dalam mengembangkan toko buku tersebut hingga populer. Dimulai dari buku serta penulis apa saja yang ingin dijual serta ide dan karakter apa yang ingin ditonjolkan dari toko bukunya.

Misalnya, Tokohnya menengaskan bahwa "Buku best seller menjadi best seller karena bias "best seller tersebut", padahal banyak buku yang akhirnya tidak terjamah oleh pembaca dengan ada title "best seller". Dan menurutku itu ide yang brilian.

Bagaimana banyaknya dari penyuka buku, mencari buku yang lagi trend atau yang punya title best seller. Si tokoh utama berusaha untuk tidak hanya membaca banyak buku tapi menyarankan membaca buku secara mendalam. Pertanyaan apakah penulis yang menuliskan buku dan persepsi pembaca akan penulis, apakah sama di real lifenya? hingga akhirnya dalam cerita, Yeongju mengundang penulis dari buku yang ternyata di real life sangat berbeda.

Tiap percakapan dan kisah yang dialami oleh tokoh-tokoh dalam cerita sangat releate dengan kehidupan banyak orang. Kisahnya manusia biasa, rakyat jelata, baik seorang ibu, wanita single, fresh graduate serta suami-istri yang biasa seperti di real life.

Luarbiasa tenang dan hubungan yang dijalin satu sama lain sangat biasa. Bukan pria kaya yang datang menyelamatkan dan jatuh cinta pada wanita miskin is NO!

Buku ini kayak comforting ketika kita lagi stuk dengan kehidupan. Penulis juga menambahkan dalam pesannya bahwa tiap tokoh seadng mengambil small steps forward dalam kehidupan. Apakah lagi belajar sesuatu yang baru atau lagi mencoba merubah hidupnya. Bagaimana mereka berjuang tidak tertekan dengan persepsi defenisi masyarakat akan kesuksesan.

Pada akhirnya, saya tidak mendambakan satu tokoh tertentu, tapi tokoh disemua pantas untuk diperhatikan dan semua tokoh adalah penting.

Rate yang kuberikan 8.5/10.

[tinynavajoreads]

Okay, full honesty. I have not been able to stay invested in The City of Brass, which won my what to read next book poll a month or so back. I tried, I did try, but it just didn't keep me hooked. So, I set it aside for now and that seemed to have help still because I have read 5 other books since then. And they were good! And I enjoyed them!

Recently Finished: Book of Night by Holly Black, Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy, and The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett

Book of Night by Holly Black - 3.5 stars, interesting premise about shadows and magic and how it's all hidden behind old money. But the shadows were the most interesting thing. Not my absolute favourite, but glad to have read it.

Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy - 3.75 stars, the first book was better, the ending didn't feel fully supported by what came before it. Granted, I may need to reread to see if I can spot clues about the ending. The lyrical writing still saved it though, I love how New Orleans is described and just how Sister Holiday talks. Curious if there will be a third book.

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett - 3.75 stars, this gave me The Library Book by Susan Orlean vibes. And it did kind of give me a small collecting bug for certain books. Or at least find ways to find certain copies of books I love. Very interesting look into the world of antique/secondhand books and those who steal from that world.

Recently Finished: Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum and Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum - 5 stars, I fully fully loved this book! A slice of life in a neighborhood bookstore and how the bookstore affects not only our main character, Yeongju, and her customers and employees. It put more fuel on the small fire I have at the back of my mind about someday owning a bookshop. We shall see how that turns out though.

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett - 3.5 stars, only my second Terry Pratchett, but I can definitely see why so many people love his books. It did have Macbeth vibes and I love the witches so much! I do need to read more of their books and learn more about their stories.

Have you read any of these? What did you think of them if you have?

[saphirabluish]

Finished this one today. :)

I really liked it. The writing. The themes. The characters (Found family vibes like woha). The fact that I learned a lot about coffee making, bookshops and some other things. Some things that are mentioned in this are things that give me some thinky thoughts and maybe even should try to apply to my life a bit.

[dk-thrive]

"I had thought of work as stairs. Stairs to climb to reach the top. Now, I see work as food. Food that you need every day. Food that makes a difference to my body, my heart, my mental health, and my soul. There is food you just shove down your throat, and food that you eat with care and sincerity. I want to be one who takes great care in eating simple food. Not for anyone, but for myself."

— Hwang Bo-reum, from Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop in a book review by Apoorva Tadepalli in "What Comes After Workism?" (The Atlantic, March 18, 2024)

[moonchildcaffeine]

currently reading!