October 15, 2024

A girl working a job that bores her to tears, the only bright point in her day is the lunchbox she buys from the store nearby, a boy ignoring texts from his mum, next door a girl who wanders around all day instead of going to school, meanwhile a hostess who sleeps all day and works all night, a taxi driver who picks up fares in the early hours.

A story that starts off exploring the mundane daily routines, little joys and unhappinesses of its characters, that slowly starts to wind around itself with a lunchbox shop at its centre.

For a healing genre novel about struggling to let go of regrets, I thought the structure was really enjoyable. (it helps that I went in with very low expectations and no knowledge of the contents) Since it’s a healing genre novel there is a lot more quiet contemplation of life than meaty plot. I thought it was well written with a fun sense of humour sprinkled throughout and imo not super hokey like healing novels can be. The characters and their worlds were all well drawn and interesting to me, even if they were all kind of oddballs.

I was reminded of Murakami’s After Dark a little while reading this. This book doesn't have that omnipresent POV and is not at all trippy or hipstery like After Dark, but the opening of that book came to mind anyhow.

Gradings:17
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bizoo graded
on April 16, 2025
bizoo graded
on March 19, 2025
similar in difficulty to용의자들L31
bizoo graded
on January 28, 2025
bizoo graded
on January 15, 2025
similar in difficulty to이상한 그림L29
bizoo graded
on December 4, 2024
bizoo graded
on November 11, 2024
bizoo graded
on October 23, 2024
similar in difficulty to하쿠바산장 살인사건L30
bizoo graded
on October 15, 2024
bizoo graded
on October 15, 2024
similar in difficulty to보이드 씨의 기묘한 저택L29
bizoo graded
on October 15, 2024
similar in difficulty to용의자 X의 헌신L31
bizoo graded
on October 15, 2024
similar in difficulty to우아한 밤과 고양이들L30
bizoo graded
on October 15, 2024
harder than구미호 식당L28
bizoo graded
on October 15, 2024
similar in difficulty to그리고 아무도 없었다L31
bizoo graded
on October 15, 2024
bizoo graded
on October 15, 2024
easier than달 라떼L33
bizoo graded
on October 15, 2024
easier than물고기 여인 1권L32
bizoo graded
on October 15, 2024
easier than무생물 이야기L33