Sohn Won-pyung et al / 손원평 / 2020 / KDC구분 > literature > Korean Literature > Korean Fiction > 21st century

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 aren't fazed by his condition. 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. Yunjae grows up content, even happy, with his small family in this quiet, peaceful space. 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 begins to bully Yunjae. Against all odds, tormentor and victim learn they have more in common than they realized. Gon is stumped by Yunjae's impassive calm, while Yunjae thinks if he gets to know the hotheaded Gon, he might learn how to experience true feelings. Drawn by curiosity, the two strike up a surprising friendship. 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 in danger, it is Yunjae who will step outside of every comfort zone he has created to perhaps become a most unlikely hero. The Emissary meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime in this poignant and triumphant story about how love, friendship, and persistence can change a life forever. Source : https://lti.overdrive.com/media/C00F1B1E-7EDD-4461-87C4-585CD1676B41

Sohn Won-pyung et al / 손원평 / 2020 / KDC구분 > literature > Korean Literature > Korean Fiction > 21st century

En Seon és un jove de setze anys que pateix alexitímia, és a dir, que és incapaç d'experimentar cap emoció. Quan la mare i l'àvia moren, haurà d'enfrontar-se al món tot sol. Fins que coneix en Gon, un noi molt conflictiu que ha estat en centres de menors i que no pot controlar l'agressivitat. Entre tots dos sorgeix una estranya amistat que, contra tot pronòstic, els transformarà. Source : https://lti.overdrive.com/media/03714EA3-6ACC-4535-BAA5-70096E143B96

Sohn Won-pyung et al / 손원평 / 2020 / KDC구분 > literature > Korean Literature > Korean Fiction > 21st century

«La última sensación de la literatura surcoreana.» Xavi Ayén, La Vanguardia La novela coreana del momento, Almendra, es una historia sobre crecer, descubrirse a uno mismo y aceptar que la ayuda no siempre viene por donde la esperamos. Yunjae tiene dieciséis años, está en la edad de las emociones desbordadas, el amor y la rabia. Pero las amígdalas de su cerebro son pequeñas, más pequeñas que una almendra y, como consecuencia, Yunjae es incapaz de sentir nada. Educado por su madre y su abuela, aprende a identificar las emociones de los demás y a fingir estados de ánimo para no destacar en un mundo que pronto lo tachará de extraño. «Si tu interlocutor llora, tú entrecierra los ojos, baja la cabeza y dale una suave palmada en la espalda», le dice su madre. Así construye una aparente normalidad que se hace trizas el día en que un psicópata ataca a ambas mujeres en la calle. Desde entonces, Yunjae debe aprender a vivir solo, sin deseo de derramar una lágrima, sin tristeza ni miedo ni felicidad. A Yunjae le tienden la mano personas improbables: un antiguo amigo de su madre, una chica capaz de romper certezas e incluso un abusón con más afinidad de la esperada. Los tres quebrarán la soledad del protagonista de Almendra. Una novela breve y lacerante en la que solo la empatía puede llevar a la esperanza. Source : https://lti.overdrive.com/media/920FF75B-2163-4835-9890-90A482AAAF17

Sohn Won-pyung et al / 손원평 / 2020 / KDC구분 > literature > Korean Literature > Korean Fiction > 21st century

The Emissary meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime in this poignant and triumphant story about how love, friendship, and persistence can change a life forever. 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. Source : https://lti.overdrive.com/media/16DFBC65-0B4F-44A9-93FC-B56B88FDD9C3