Almond: A Novel

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People shut their eyes to a distant tragedy saying there’s nothing they could do, yet they didn’t stand up for one happening nearby either because they’re too terrified. Most people could feel but didn’t act. They said they sympathized, but easily forgot. The way I see it, that was not real. I didn’t want to live like that.”

Almond by Sohn Won-Pyung | Goodreads

Sinopsis: Almendra es una historia sobre crecer, descubrirse a uno mismo y aceptar que la ayuda no siempre viene por donde la esperamos. 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. So anyway, I decided to read Almond because it was likened to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and because I got a nerdy brain orgasm seeing the word amygdala. This was a very compelling read. I finished the book within a day — I was unable to put it down. My copy has since been riddled with highlights and notes scribbled in the margins.Yunjae is a teen diagnosed with Alexithymia because his amygdalae (woohoo!) are smaller than normal. As a result, he is unable to feel many common emotions like love and fear and anger. Also if you’re interested about my participation in the Koreadathon you can watch the video on my channel: The Smallest Koreadathon Participation Ever - But My Enthusiasm Makes Up For It ;-)!

Almond on Apple Books ‎Almond on Apple Books

I don't know, I'm not a mother so what do I know? All I can tell you is that if someone's gonna take care of my cat, they are gonna hear all about her needs and wants and quirks beforehand. 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.Los mensajes sobre el amor y la ausencia del mismo me parecieron muy profundas. Sin olvidarnos de la reflexión mas importante: Un niño que ignora las tragedias ajenas por su falta emociones causará mucho más impacto aún cuando toda la población también está acostumbrada a ignorarlas. Readers of Wonder by R.J. Palaccio and Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig will appreciate this "resonant" story that "gives Yunjae the courage to claim an entirely different story." (Booklist, starred review) Nos parece ver a "Yunjae" indefenso en esta vida al igual que vimos a "Charlie" en "Flores para Algernon". Esa sinceridad e inocencia parece no permitirle encajar en este mundo. También está narrado en primera persona, con lo que "Won-pyung shon" (escritora) consigue hacernos sentir en un grado más íntimo a "Yunjae".