August 2018

Take all the colors of the flowers on the cover and weave them together into a brilliant tapestry of words… Drape it on yourself and let it insulate you from the inside and outside world…till the chill wears off…

As one goes deeper into the story of this novel set in war torn Korea, we come face to face with an unforgettable character in the form of Haemi Lee. One falls in love with her indomitable spirit and is left heart broken at the choices life forces her to make.

The depth of youthful love and the gaping hole it leaves, has been explored with immense skill by Ms. Kim. The intricacies of maintaining relationships and the toll they eventually take has to be read to be believed.

This book does not read like a debut novel. It is tight, emotional and unforgiving in its hold over you. It is not a suspense thriller but it is a page turner, nevertheless. It is immensely engrossing as a riveting family drama.

I loved the cover of the book. It is stunning.

The unfinished, deckle-edged pages give the book a raw yet elegant appeal. The font is well-chosen and is easy on the eyes. There is enough space all around the text to not crowd the page.

The 414 pages don’t seem enough to hold a story this large… If a sequel came out, I would be the first to buy!

What is melancholy

If not the sound

Of a heart breaking

In despair

And loneliness?

This slow-paced book takes its own time building the lump in your throat. If you really let it, it can get under your skin and send a chill of an unknown emotion coursing through …

Something you never ever want to feel in your life.

What I felt upon reading “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara is similar to what this book evokes….

You feel yourself hanging at the edge of the precipice…. You stabilise your foothold, but you also know that all it will take is a small gust of wind… To topple you over….