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Reviews
(4.20/5)In this young adult novel, we encounter two somewhat estranged sisters, who navigate their month long summer vacation in separate cities. One finds herself in Thailand, accompanying her mother who is there to support her aunt through childbirth and to assist with the newborn. The other sister goes to Berlin, joining her father at an architecture exhibition for work. As the narrative progresses, their diverse adventures are shared through the medium of email exchanges, revealing the nuances of their current relationship and how they've grown apart.
The book is a pretty straightforward read, similar to previous books I've read from the same author, with simple sentence structures and accessible vocabulary. While the pace of the story unfolds gradually and without any major plot twists, it provides a window into the characters' ordinary lives, the experiences that have lead to their falling out, and healing.
Although I found the plot a bit lacking in terms of engagement, this books still offers value from a language learning perspective, as it offers a light exploration of family dynamics, personal growth, and the subtle complexities of sibling relationships (and the reader gets to learn about Berlin and Chiang Mai from a Korean teenager's perspective ;) Hence, I think this could still be worth reading for some!
Two sisters 주나 and 이나 used to be close but recently found themselves drifting apart. This summer, they also find themselves in different places. 이나 is in Chiang Mai with their mother to care for an aunt who’s giving birth. 주나 follows their dad to Berlin on his business trip. With this time apart, the two sisters write to each other and reflect on their relationship.
The book switches between the perspectives of 이나 and 주나, with each chapter following one sister. It does a really good job of telling the story of each girl. You also see the relationships they develop with people around them. The narration is a bit slow so if you want something action-packed, this is not for you. However, I loved it because it resembled the slow pace of summer vacation.
In terms of language, I think this book is one of the best YA novels for learners. The plot is really easy to follow. The sentences are often short and quite simple. I did need to look up vocabulary here and there but nothing too distracting. I really recommend this as one of the first books for intermediate learners who want to read Korean novels!