You Yeong-gwang
Ace
2025
214
Paperback
Fantasy
Birthday Gift
If you could swap your life for a better one, which would you choose?
On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. They say that if you send a letter detailing your misfortunes there, you could receive a ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you'll be granted entrance into the mysterious Rainfall Market—where you can choose to completely change your life.
No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket. Lonely and with no real prospects for a future, Serin ventures to the market, determined to create a better life for herself.
There, she meets a magical cat companion named Issha and they search through bookstores, perfumeries, and fantastical realms while Serin tries to determine what her perfect life will look like.
The catch? Serin only has one week to find her happiness or be doomed to vanish into the market forever.
And all the while, a shadow follows quietly behind them…
I am always up for both Korean literature and fantasy reads, so The Rainfall Market seemed a good fit for me. However, I think this book suffers from misrepresentation in the English market. It is out there as an adult read, but I think it would have been better presented as a YA coming-of-age fantasy. As it stands, you go in as a reader expected something more sophisticated than what you get. That doesn't mean it's bad; it's a sweet, cosy fantasy tale with an optimistic ending and a hopeful message along the lines of happiness being in front of you if you know where to look. But it does feel overly simplistic at times, with 2D characters and obvious twists. Serin is the only one slightly more fleshed out, but even she follows a very obvious trajectory. If you want something heartwarming and light to curl up next to the fire and read then this would be a fine pick for that vibe. The key is not to go in with the wrong expectation; otherwise, you might be disappointed. I am giving it 3.5 stars. This is one I might check out in the original language the next time I am in Seoul, though, as I think it could be good Korean reading practice for my current level, since it is a simple story.
No comments:
Post a Comment