Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop

By: Hwang Bo-reum, Shanna Tan - translator

Narrated by: Rosa Escoda

Bloomsbury presents Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum, read by Rosa Escoda.

INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER * NATIONAL INDIE BESTSELLER
INDIE NEXT PICK * Debutiful Most Anticipated Book of 2024 * Powell's Pick of the Month * A Bookshop Best Book of the Year So Far

The Korean smash hit available for the first time in English, a slice-of-life novel for readers of Matt Haig's The Midnight Library and Gabrielle Zevin's The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.

Yeongju is burned out. She did everything she was supposed to: go to school, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart. In a leap of faith, Yeongju abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream. She opens a bookshop. In a quaint neighborhood 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 heartwarming story about finding acceptance in your life and the healing power of books, Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop is a gentle reminder that it’s never too late to scrap the plot and start again.©2023 Hwang Bo-reum and Shanna Tan (P)2024 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Calming.

I would give this 3.5 stars if I could, as it was very calming, pleasant, and mildly interesting. I felt I could easily lose myself in this book. The writing was OK, not great. And I would say the same about the story. But somehow I found it very pleasant to listen to. The narration was good, but I had a bit of a hard time at times understanding the accent, and sometimes there is a bit of a lisp or mild whistle which was a bit bothersome. However that was only in spots here and there. Overall, I recommend this as a sweet and calming story.

British Reader of a Korean Authored Book?

I could not tell the male and female characters or any characters apart in this book. Had I checked the book out from the library I would not have finished the book. Min Jun is male. Jin Mi is female. Setting is with a cafe or bookstore.

Beautiful story about everyday people

It’s nice to listen to a story about everyday people living their lives, making incremental changes that make their lives better and more fulfilling.

Beautiful writing. Poor audio.

This book is beautifully written and worth listening/reading but the audio quality could be improved. The narrator has a lovely soothing voice, but at times her lisp creates wet plosives that become distracting. This could have been addressed in the recording and mixing of the audio (spectral frequency plosive repair) and is not a reflection of the narrator (who gives a pleasant performance).

Met me where I needed it to

I absolutely love this book with too many shadows of where I am today as well. To align my life and what I do with my values. To allow some space to actually experience the life …life beyond the chaos and nuance of what others would call a ‘successful’ life

Listened a few times

This book has a sensibility and feel that is uncommon to Western novels. I really enjoyed listening to the story and the narrator.

Relatable and thought-provoking

Liked that the storyline was relatable and although hard, it showed that each step counted towards growth.

too slow

it took me forever to finish this. I was just bored. not my kind of story.

unexpected

Honestly, in the first chapters of this book I got the impression that it was mostly about how to run an independent bookstore. But as the pages turned, I grew attached to the characters and their struggles and growth through life, each finding a version of happiness and success that was different from society norms, each other, and even what they had envisioned for themselves. It left an impression, one I will ponder for some time.

Really resonated

Absolutely loved this book. I could really relate to the protagonist’s experience that led her to open the bookshop. It is part charming, light read - part philosophical rumination on capitalist society. It doesn’t take a “burn it all down” approach, but certainly has me thinking about how to find more balance in my own life. I think the translation was done well and the narrator has a lovely voice. Highly recommend.