Well, guys, alas, we have a winner! I present to you my very first 5-star read of this year!
My rating:
Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.
연남동 빙굴빙굴 빨래방
Synopsis:
*THE HEARTWARMING KOREAN BESTSELLER*
*A new book from Shanna Tan, translator of Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop*
Situated at the heart of a rapidly gentrifying district of Seoul, the Yeonnam-dong Smiley Laundromat is a place where the extraordinary stories of ordinary residents unfold.
Read More:
It is already a haven of tranquility and reflection for locals, but when someone leaves a notebook behind, the laundromat becomes a place that brings people together. One by one, customers start jotting down candid diary entries, opening their hearts and inviting acts of kindness from neighbours who were once just faces in the crowd.
But there is more to the diary than first appears, and before long the laundromat’s regulars are teaming up to solve a mystery and help the notebook’s former owner find peace.
A heartwarming, healing debut that instantly captured the hearts of Korean readers, this is a novel about the preciousness of human relationships and the power of solidarity in a world that is increasingly cold, fast-paced and virtual.
- Pages: 320
- Genre: Slice of life, Cosy Mystery, Fiction, Asian Contemporary Literature
- Publication date: August 29, 2024 by MacLehose Press
- Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audible, Hardcover
- Source: Library
PURCHASE LINKS:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
AUDIBLE
THE REVIEW:
Ok, now that you know how happy I am and how this book hit the sweet spot, let’s dive in!
Soooo, this book was like watching a K-drama, and it very much gave me the vibes of Vincenzo (just for the record I love this kdrama and I have watched 3 times since it came out so yeah I love my dramas!) in regard to the community, there wasn’t humour present like in the drama, but the sense of community, belonging and being intertwined to do something together was very much alike.
There are 5 short stories, which are really not because the whole plot is connected you just have to read to figure out what is going on and how it all plays out + the Epilogue. We follow different people and get to know them intimately and what is going on in their lives while pondering deeper and more meaningful questions when it comes to life itself and what struggles every one of them is going through. They are all connected to the Smiley Laundromat and to the diary that someone has left, I mean, the diary is a character on its own.
The characters are diverse, from different ages and backgrounds. I loved how the author touched on a taboo topic for Koreans: the ability to confide and speak up when something is troubling us. Korean culture, if you know, you know it sees this side of humans as a weakness, they always strive for the best, for the better for the most expensive thing, for the most prestigious university or job, but in the meantime, forget altogether where they have come from and what are they losing on their way to glory.
Kim Jiyun has managed to paint a vivid picture for us of a slice of life in modern Korean society, she does that with such a heart and sympathy that you will not be able to stop yourself from turning on the next page.
She is showing us how important it is community per se, to listen to one another and give a helping hand, especially nowadays when life is so hectic and people, well, people slowly forget their humanity and what it is like to be there for someone, and that life’s wheel always spins.
I loved everything about this book, and I highly highly recommend it!
5/5
Lin's Perspective 
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