This story is,in short,about a monster meeting another monster. One of the monsters is me.
Yunjae was born with a brain condition called Alexithymia that makes it hard for him to feel emotions like fear or anger. He does not have friends-the two almond-shaped neurons located deep in his brain have seen to that-but his devoted mother and grandmother provide him with a safe and content life. Their little home above his mother's used bookstore is decorated with colorful Post-it notes that remind him when to smile,when to say "thank you," and when to laugh.
Then on Christmas Eve-Yunjae's sixteenth birthday-everything changes. A shocking act of random violence shatters his world,leaving him alone and on his own. Struggling to cope with his loss,Yunjae retreats into silent isolation,until troubled teenager Gon arrives at his school,and they develop a surprising bond.
As Yunjae begins to open his life to new people-including a girl at school-something slowly changes inside him. And when Gon suddenly finds his life at risk,Yunjae will have the chance to step outside of every comfort zone he has created to perhaps become the hero he never thought he would be.
Translated from the Korean by Sandy Joosun Lee.
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers IncISBN: 9780062961389Number of pages: 272Weight: 206 gDimensions: 203 x 135 x 16 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'A boldly original piece of fiction,plumbing the depths of the human condition with plenty of humor along the way.'- Entertainment Weekly
'In her debut novel,film director and screenwriter Sohn Won-pyung (with the assistance of translator Sandy Joosun Lee) has created a tender exploration of adolescence - a universal experience complicated here by extraordinary circumstances. This is one of those books that deftly straddles the line between young adult and adult fiction; it has such a gentle heart that readers of all ages will recognize and sympathize with the characters'struggles and celebrate when they ultimately triumph.'- Salon
'Won-pyung Sohn understands that those who think,feel,and communicate differently aren't society's villains,they are its saviors. Her writing possesses seemingly unlimited empathy and tenderness.'- Madeleine Ryan,author of A Room Called Earth
'In what might be the first novel to feature a protagonist with alexithymia-an inability to identify and express one's feelings-Korean novelist Sohn's affecting debut arrives stateside. Raised by his grandmother and mother who worked diligently to guide him through everyday social interactions,Yunjae at 15 is effectively orphaned.... as Yunjae risks communication and connection,the eponymous almond-the undeveloped amygdalae of his brain-takes seed,and gives Yunjae the courage to claim'an entirely different story. New and unknown.'Winner of the prestigious Changbi Prize for Young Adult Fiction in Korea,Sohn presents a 15-year-old neurodiverse protagonist with much resonance.'- Booklist
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