A beloved pick among BTS fans! Selected by The Wall Street Journal as a “Stories That Can Take You Anywhere” pick, featured in Entertainment Weekly’s “Stay Home and Read” selection, recognized by Salon as one of the “Best and Boldest,” and anticipated by Bustle. In this moving and triumphant narrative, reminiscent of The Emissary and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, discover the transformative power of love, friendship, and perseverance.
This tale is, in essence, about one monster encountering another monster. And one of those monsters is me. Yunjae, burdened with a brain condition called Alexithymia, struggles to experience emotions such as fear or anger. Devoid of friends due to the two almond-shaped neurons deep in his brain, Yunjae finds solace in the care of his devoted mother and grandmother, leading a secure and content life. Their cozy abode above his mother’s bookstore is adorned with colorful Post-it notes, guiding him on when to smile, express gratitude, and laugh.
However, everything changes on Christmas Eve—Yunjae’s sixteenth birthday. A sudden act of violence shatters his world, leaving him alone and adrift. Grappling with profound loss, Yunjae retreats into a silent cocoon of isolation. His solitude is disrupted when troubled teenager Gon enters his school, sparking an unexpected bond between them. As Yunjae begins to welcome new people into his life, including a girl at school, a subtle transformation takes root within him. When Gon’s life is unexpectedly endangered, Yunjae finds himself venturing beyond the comfort zones he meticulously created, perhaps becoming the hero he never envisioned.
For readers who found resonance in Wonder by R.J. Palaccio and Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig, this story, hailed by Booklist with a starred review, offers Yunjae the courage to embrace an entirely different narrative. Translated from Korean by Sandy Joosun Lee.
