Almond

I enjoy reading books from other countries. I really enjoyed reading Almond by Sohn Won-Pyung. This novel is about a young boy named Yunjae who grows up with his mother and grandmother. He needs careful parenting because he was born with a condition called alexithymia. He does not feel emotions such as fear or anger. His mother and grandmother are not fazed by his condition and they help him navigate the world. His mother has a used book shop and she teaches him when to smile, when to say "thank you", and when to back away. On his 16th birthday a random act of violence leaves him alone in the world. As he copes with his loss, a boy named Gon arrives at his school and starts to bully him. Gon is mystified by Yunjae's apparent lack of fear. They have something in common. Gon feels too much emotion. Yunjae feels too little emotion. They strike up an odd friendship. I thought this is a delightful story and I really liked reading about life in Korea.