This is the first young adult novel by Kim Eun-young, who has met readers through her children’s books, and adds a warm and touching story to the lives of blind people in history. Fifteen-year-old Jang-man, who lost his sight at an early age due to an illness; his younger brother, Duk-soo, who takes care of him while also taking care of the household; and their father, who fills the void left by their mother’s death. The three of them leave their hardscrabble hometown and settle in Hanyang, a ci...
This coming-of-age story for young readers follows 장만, a blind boy living during the Joseon era. The first one-third of the book roughly focuses on the difficulties of living with a disability during that time period and the discrimination he faces, while the remaining two-thirds focus on the trials and tribulations he goes through to become a sutra chanter. Along the way, he faces countless setbacks but matures and finds his own form of happiness.
The book did get sad at times, as the characters often behaved very cruelly, but I found the overall character arc of 장만 and his growth to be very satisfying, and my heart was warmed at the ending. The author successfully navigated difficult topics and emotions in a way that was appropriate for the length and target audience without being superficial. Even as an adult, there is still something to take away from 장만’s story!
The sentences and grammar used are relatively simple, making it an accessible read for an upper-intermediate or above reader. I would note, however, that there is some specialized vocabulary due to the historical setting, which makes things slightly challenging, particularly in the first third of the book. With a bit of perseverance, though, the rest reads much more easily. This was a four out of five star read for me that I would definitely recommend to other learners.