Almond

Description

The internationally bestselling phenomenon and multi-million-copy sensation! From critically acclaimed author Sohn Won-pyung and translated by Sandy Joosun Lee, Almond is a triumphant, poignant, and deeply moving contemporary novel about empathy, human connection, and the extraordinary power of love. Perfect for fans of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this unforgettable Korean literary masterpiece explores what it truly means to feel.

This story is, in short, about a monster meeting another monster. One of those monsters is me.

Yunjae was born with a rare neurological brain condition called Alexithymia, which makes it virtually impossible for him to feel, identify, or express basic human emotions like fear, anger, or deep sorrow. He has no friends—the two small, almond-shaped neurons located deep within his brain, known as the amygdalae, have seen to that. However, his fiercely devoted mother and grandmother aren’t fazed by his condition. Their cozy little home, tucked neatly above his mother’s used bookstore, is decorated with colorful, handwritten post-it notes that constantly remind him when he needs to smile, when to say “thank you,” and when it’s appropriate to laugh. Under their patient guidance, Yunjae grows up relatively content, even happy, within his safe, quiet, and peaceful family space.

Then, on Christmas Eve—which also happens to be Yunjae’s sixteenth birthday—everything shatters. A shocking, tragic act of random street violence tears his small family apart, leaving him entirely alone in a world he does not understand. Struggling to navigate life on his own, Yunjae retreats into a shell of silent isolation, until a troubled, angry teenager named Gon arrives at his school and begins to aggressively bully him.

Against all incredible odds, the tormentor and his victim gradually learn they have far more in common than they ever could have realized. Gon is completely stumped and frustrated by Yunjae’s absolute, impassive calm, while Yunjae curiously thinks that if he gets to know the volatile, hotheaded Gon, he might finally learn how to experience true human feelings. Drawn together by mutual curiosity, the two outcasts strike up an unexpected, powerful friendship. As Yunjae slowly begins to open his life to new people—including a spirited girl at school—something deep inside his quiet world begins to shift. And when Gon suddenly finds his life in mortal danger, it is the emotionless Yunjae who will step completely outside of every comfort zone he has ever built to become a most unlikely hero.

Masterfully capturing the essence of healing fiction, psychological drama, and coming-of-age literature, Almond delivers a lyrical, unforgettable narrative about friendship, persistence, and how emotional connections can rewrite our destiny.