Name: Almond
ISBN: 9780062961372

Won-Pyung Sohn

"The Emissary meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime in ALMOND, the story of an emotionless teenaged boy and a hotheaded troublemaker discovering how love, friendship, and persistence can change their lives forever"--

Almond

Even though my brain was a mess, what kept my soul whole was the warmth of the hands holding mine on both sides.

Lindy

People said there was no way to understand Gon. I didn't agree with them. It's just that nobody ever tried to see through him.

llikaditoo 

From what I understood, love was an extreme idea. A word that seemed to force something undefinable into the prison of letters. But the word was used so easily, so often. People spoke of love so casually, just to mean the slightest pleasure or thanks.

lily

Books took me to places I could never go otherwise. They shared the confessions of people I'd never met and lives I'd never witnessed. The emotions I could never feel, and the events I hadn't experienced could all be found in those volumes. They were completely different by nature from TV shows or movies.

Luna 🌙

lemon

But books were different. They had lots of blanks. Blanks between words and even between lines. I could squeeze myself in there and sit, or walk, or scribble down my thoughts. 

vany 

Natalie 

fira

ℰ.

Books took me to places I could never go otherwise. They shared the confessions of people I'd never witnessed. The emotions I could never feel, and the events I hadn't experienced could all be found in those volumes.

What does love mean?" Mom asked mischievously.

"I mean, you and me, maybe someday, we might become people we never imagined we'd be."

madina

Gon endured the beatings from the other kids was perhaps a rite of passage in that sense. But to me, all those other things were only proof of their weakness. It was a manifestation of their vulnerability >because< they longed for strength.

The Gon I knew was just an immature fifteen-year-old boy. A weak softie who just pretended to be strong.

lucy lou

But basically, all he plans is to pour concrete over my life and construct a new building of his own design. 

I enjoyed reading Almond because it was both a meaningful and enjoyable read. One of the things I liked most was how the author structured the chapters, making each one feel like its own small world while still connecting smoothly to the overall story. This made the book easy to follow and interesting to continue reading. The writing style was simple yet powerful, which allowed the emotions and themes of the story to stand out without becoming overly complicated.

The book is emotional because it tackles important themes such as loneliness, healing, and human connection. Through Yunjae’s life, the story shows how isolating it can feel to be different from others, but it also shows that healing is possible through understanding and companionship. The friendships and relationships Yunjae forms throughout the novel slowly help him grow, making the story both touching and inspiring.

Another part I appreciated was how gradually the author showed Yunjae gaining emotions through his interactions with other people. His development felt realistic and natural rather than rushed. It clearly showed how our surroundings and the people we meet can shape who we are. The book highlights both the advantages and disadvantages of emotional growth—while emotions can bring pain, confusion, and vulnerability, they also allow people to experience love, empathy, and genuine connection.

I also liked many of the passages because they were well written and carried impactful messages. Even though the language was straightforward, the ideas behind it were deep and memorable. The novel encourages readers to think about what it truly means to be normal, how people judge others too quickly, and how kindness can deeply affect someone’s life.

Overall, Almond is a thoughtful and moving novel that leaves a lasting impression. It is a story that is easy to read but meaningful to reflect on, making it a book I would recommend to others.

I enjoyed reading Almond because it was both a meaningful and enjoyable read. One of the things I liked most was how the author structured the chapters, making each one feel like its own small world while still connecting smoothly to the overall story. This made the book easy to follow and interesting to continue reading. The writing style was simple yet powerful, which allowed the emotions and themes of the story to stand out without becoming overly complicated.

The book is emotional because it tackles important themes such as loneliness, healing, and human connection. Through Yunjae’s life, the story shows how isolating it can feel to be different from others, but it also shows that healing is possible through understanding and companionship. The friendships and relationships Yunjae forms throughout the novel slowly help him grow, making the story both touching and inspiring.

Another part I appreciated was how gradually the author showed Yunjae gaining emotions through his interactions with other people. His development felt realistic and natural rather than rushed. It clearly showed how our surroundings and the people we meet can shape who we are. The book highlights both the advantages and disadvantages of emotional growth—while emotions can bring pain, confusion, and vulnerability, they also allow people to experience love, empathy, and genuine connection.

I also liked many of the passages because they were well written and carried impactful messages. Even though the language was straightforward, the ideas behind it were deep and memorable. The novel encourages readers to think about what it truly means to be normal, how people judge others too quickly, and how kindness can deeply affect someone’s life.

Overall, Almond is a thoughtful and moving novel that leaves a lasting impression. It is a story that is easy to read but meaningful to reflect on, making it a book I would recommend to others.

"There is no such person who can't be saved. There are only people who give up on trying to save others."

i like this particular quote from the book because it speaks a lot on how people deal with others. it shows just how much a person can do for someone important to them. just like how yunjae wanted to learn about his emotions, but ended up exceeding his expectations on what he feels because he cared so much about a friend and he cared so much about his granny and mom—it's beautiful how much someone can change for the better. i think everyone has that ability, but like gon, sometimes it takes a certain person to trigger that change.

the book had set so many points that were left to ponder about. like how people are the product of their education, as quoted from the book. how children's behavior often rely to how other people and grown-ups have treated them. and often, people's behavior are a result of what they've went through. and that is something we all should always keep in mind.

"There is no such person who can't be saved. There are only people who give up on trying to save others."

i like this particular quote from the book because it speaks a lot on how people deal with others. it shows just how much a person can do for someone important to them. just like how yunjae wanted to learn about his emotions, but ended up exceeding his expectations on what he feels because he cared so much about a friend and he cared so much about his granny and mom—it's beautiful how much someone can change for the better. i think everyone has that ability, but like gon, sometimes it takes a certain person to trigger that change.

the book had set so many points that were left to ponder about. like how people are the product of their education, as quoted from the book. how children's behavior often rely to how other people and grown-ups have treated them. and often, people's behavior are a result of what they've went through. and that is something we all should always keep in mind.

I don't even know how to begin to explain the feeling this book gave me. Ironically, Yunjae (the main character) has a condition that makes it hard for him to feel emotions. Yet, when he meets his 2 friends in his teenage years, he starts to explore and understand emotions better. The ending too was exciting yet was written in a very calm tone, much like Yunjae's character.

I absolutely enjoyed everything about this book. Very early on too, I understood the design of the cover, and even the touch of the cover (feels so different from a usual physical book) added so much texture of the calmness or lack of emotions of Yunjae. 

I have to say I'm impressed with the translation too.

Natasha Mok

I don't even know how to begin to explain the feeling this book gave me. Ironically, Yunjae (the main character) has a condition that makes it hard for him to feel emotions. Yet, when he meets his 2 friends in his teenage years, he starts to explore and understand emotions better. The ending too was exciting yet was written in a very calm tone, much like Yunjae's character.

I absolutely enjoyed everything about this book. Very early on too, I understood the design of the cover, and even the touch of the cover (feels so different from a usual physical book) added so much texture of the calmness or lack of emotions of Yunjae. 

I have to say I'm impressed with the translation too.

even with a narrator who struggled to feel emotions, i felt so much reading this book. it was so easy yet also heavy to read, a balance of peace and brutality. 

gon and yunjae’s friendship is one of a kind and it’s the best gift each of them has ever received. i really fell deeply in love with their contrast—yunjae, the “weak” yet apathetic one vs gon, the “tough” yet the more vulnerable one. i would have loved for this to be much longer so it could delve deeper into the complexity of yunjae’s condition and gon’s situation. dora felt much like a plot device for me and i honestly believe the story could have done without her. i also feel a bit torn with how disney-like the ending felt for me, but nonetheless it was a heartwarming experience to go alongside yunjae on his journey. really loved the translation of this one, too! thank you for your gift, won-pyung sohn 💌

even with a narrator who struggled to feel emotions, i felt so much reading this book. it was so easy yet also heavy to read, a balance of peace and brutality. 

gon and yunjae’s friendship is one of a kind and it’s the best gift each of them has ever received. i really fell deeply in love with their contrast—yunjae, the “weak” yet apathetic one vs gon, the “tough” yet the more vulnerable one. i would have loved for this to be much longer so it could delve deeper into the complexity of yunjae’s condition and gon’s situation. dora felt much like a plot device for me and i honestly believe the story could have done without her. i also feel a bit torn with how disney-like the ending felt for me, but nonetheless it was a heartwarming experience to go alongside yunjae on his journey. really loved the translation of this one, too! thank you for your gift, won-pyung sohn 💌

i didnt realize the fact i finished this book less than 5 days ,i will cherish this book alot .the friendship between gon and yunjae is so wholesome i need more,and i feel like we need more exploration of dora

maher

genuinely loved this so much that i read it in less than a day. so heartwarming idc what people say 

nina 

Somehow kinda relate to Gon, feel so bad for him. :( 

/bawling my eyes/ 

Somehow kinda relate to Gon, feel so bad for him. :( 

Started slow but really got to me in the end 

Robi

the first thing that comes to mind is a fragment from Mary Oliver’s essay 

Adults can change their circumstances; children cannot. Children are powerless, and in difficult situations, they are the victims of every sorrow, mischance, and rage around them. Children feel all of these things, but without any of the ability that adults have to change them. Whatever can take a child beyond such circumstances, therefore, is an alleviation and a blessing.”

Yunjae’s narration was heartbreaking to read. it reminded me of one of my favorite animes, Mob Psycho 100, and Shigeo’s journey of trying to accept and understand his emotions. i resonated most with Gon’s character, not because i related to his trauma, but because i, too, have wished to numb myself and escape the anger, sadness, grief, and loneliness living inside me.

i’m glad they met each other. despite the violence and the horrors of growing up with an unexplainable longing, they helped each other try to understand their own humanity.

it’s not quite a five-star read for me, maybe because i wished the story had been a bit longer and more complex toward the end. nonetheless, i’d recommend this story to anyone. i also want to mention the author’s note at the end of the book, which deeply moved me:

“Would I be able to give this child unconditional love no matter what it looked like? Even if the child grew to be someone completely different from my expectations? Those questions led to the creation of two characters who prompted me to ask this question: If they were my children, could I love them? That’s how Yunjae and Gon were born.”

i wish more people would ask themselves those questions before having kids. i don’t believe this book tries to suggest that love “fixes” everything, but it does acknowledge how unconditional love and care can transform a life, especially a child’s life.

overall, it’s a story that touched my heart and one i’d like to reread in the future.

the first thing that comes to mind is a fragment from Mary Oliver’s essay Staying Alive:

“Adults can change their circumstances; children cannot. Children are powerless, and in difficult situations, they are the victims of every sorrow, mischance, and rage around them. Children feel all of these things, but without any of the ability that adults have to change them. Whatever can take a child beyond such circumstances, therefore, is an alleviation and a blessing.”

Yunjae’s narration was heartbreaking to read. it reminded me of one of my favorite animes, Mob Psycho 100, and Shigeo’s journey of trying to accept and understand his emotions. i resonated most with Gon’s character, not because i related to his trauma, but because i, too, have wished to numb myself and escape the anger, sadness, grief, and loneliness living inside me.

i’m glad they met each other. despite the violence and the horrors of growing up with an unexplainable longing, they helped each other try to understand their own humanity.

it’s not quite a five-star read for me, maybe because i wished the story had been a bit longer and more complex toward the end. nonetheless, i’d recommend this story to anyone. i also want to mention the author’s note at the end of the book, which deeply moved me:

“Would I be able to give this child unconditional love no matter what it looked like? Even if the child grew to be someone completely different from my expectations? Those questions led to the creation of two characters who prompted me to ask this question: If they were my children, could I love them? That’s how Yunjae and Gon were born.”

i wish more people would ask themselves those questions before having kids. i don’t believe this book tries to suggest that love “fixes” everything, but it does acknowledge how unconditional love and care can transform a life, especially a child’s life.

overall, it’s a story that touched my heart and one i’d like to reread in the future.

I don’t know how to talk to anyone who hasn’t read this book without revealing the ways it has affected me. Monsters are beautiful, important, messy and wonderful. Thank you to the monsters who help me understand my messy, beautiful humanity, and the writers who create them. 

daphne

idk if ive just been reading books with mid korean to english translations thus far but while reading this i kept forgetting it was a translation. for a book whose narrator is unable to feel i felt a lot of things very vividly

𓆏

read it all in one setting….. on grief and love and emotions…. think i will need to give this a reread

vianna

almost thought this would be a heartbreaking one, but so lovely to explore friendship between such polar opposites. don’t find that i usually like translations much but this one was well-done. exploring someone who can’t feel’s perspective a lot more enjoyable than i thought.

Nat Wong

almost thought this would be a heartbreaking one, but so lovely to explore friendship between such polar opposites. don’t find that i usually like translations much but this one was well-done. exploring someone who can’t feel’s perspective a lot more enjoyable than i thought.

3 hour read. the lawn in bali.

ezra 

Small book supposedly written in a fast paced but I found it so suitable for the story, it wraps the story in a good way showing it's characters growth and development. Was fast sometimes in the relationship parts but I think that was not our main focus. The writer managed to hook us at some parts, managed to show us their journey and techniques and mechanisms towards growth. As moving in the story I mostly felt coziness. I always felt a cozy atmosphere sometime warm sometimes windy but either it still felt cozy.

Menna Tarek 

Really interesting take on the human condition imo. The ending was a bit cliche, though the dynamic between Yun-jae and Gon-i was really fun to read. I appreciated the attention to two different ways in which a child can feel or be abandoned, rather bleak overall. 

Emelee Marie De Leon

heart-wrenching, exquisite, and easily one of the best books I've ever read.

Shufei

Beautifully written book capturing the thoughts and “emotions” of someone who can’t feel any. A heartwarming experience of how a tragic event changed him but how he also changed others lives alongside him.

Book did seem a bit slow in some parts but I think it just adds to the process he was going through himself. Despite the ending being almost rushed, I think it definitely wrapped up nicely overall. 

Beautifully written book capturing the thoughts and “emotions” of someone who can’t feel any. A heartwarming experience of how a tragic event changed him but how he also changed others lives alongside him.

Book did seem a bit slow in some parts but I think it just adds to the process he was going through himself. Despite the ending being almost rushed, I think it definitely wrapped up nicely overall. 

namjoon’s recommendation! truly loved each chapter and the journey it brought me through. i read this a year ago but i remember it as a poignant piece & how i wanted to be like the main character (lol) devoid of emotions. but then i wouldn’t be me. i also wished i could read korean so i can read the original version

this reset my brain chemistry - also i don’t think i could ever raise a child right

felicity hu

Honestly, at first I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this book. I didn’t think it would end up being so dramatic, I thought it would just be an emotionless boy struggling to find his place in the world, to feel human. And although that is one subject that did take up a lot of the plot, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of the new characters and watching Yunjae’s relationships slowly develop. 

I did find the plot to progress a bit too slowly for me personally all the way towards part four of the book, and thus didn’t expect I would end up liking the complete piece as much as I did, but the dramatic and emotional ending really got me — I can’t say I didn’t cry and I genuinely loved the ending of this story so much.

Love is what makes a person human, as well as what makes a monster.

Almond is a deeply touching and poignant book about what it means to love, and what love means to one. Despite not understanding what love is, Yunjae shows his ability to love through the way he thinks of his grandma, the way he visits his mom, the way he eats with Dr. Shin, and the way he chooses to understand Gon. Despite having never been shown love, Gon shows how capable he is of love, how willing he is to give them if he is given the chance.

Luck plays a huge part in all the unfairness of the world. 

But it is also luck that brings you to meet the person that will help you understand what love is.

小燕

Love is what makes a person human, as well as what makes a monster.

Almond is a deeply touching and poignant book about what it means to love, and what love means to one. Despite not understanding what love is, Yunjae shows his ability to love through the way he thinks of his grandma, the way he visits his mom, the way he eats with Dr. Shin, and the way he chooses to understand Gon. Despite having never been shown love, Gon shows how capable he is of love, how willing he is to give them if he is given the chance.

Luck plays a huge part in all the unfairness of the world. But it is also luck that brings you to meet the person that will help you understand what love is.

This book made me believe that with love, miracle can happen. It’s such a touching story made us see that each person is dealing with their own set of problems where all it needs is a company to be by their side. Never knew something twisted can be heartwarming too. A good read if looking for a short one. 

teia

Ghofran Mustafa 

“Even though my brain was a mess, what kept my soul whole was the warmth of the hands holding mine on both sides”

I was deeply touched by this.
My emotions overwhelmed me while reading it. 

The book follows the story of a young boy called Yunjae, who suffers from Alexithymia, a mental condition. Because of it, he can't express or identify feelings such as fear, sadness, joy etc. Living with his single mom, she tries to teach him how to react in different situations. However this was interrupted by a tragic incident that occured in his life.

This book's theme revolves around love, friendship and family. 
A beautiful coming-of-age story, that is nice to read in between heavy books.