Análisis de diario de la biblioteca
| Sadness and hardship are commodities at a peculiar market, open only during the rainy season. Surely there's no downside to bargaining away an old life for a better one. When Serin's lonely life grants her a special ticket, she discovers she's the only customer allowed to preview any life she wishes. With a magical cat in tow, she explores each life on offer, unknowingly stalked by a shadow creature. While she seeks only happiness, she is unaware of the power struggles among the quirky magical beings--dokkaebi--who live there. Serin is voiced by Rosa Escoda, who infuses the text with an innocent sense of wonder that slips into naivety. Her dokkaebi are often delightful, sometimes comical, and certainly lovable--when their mischief isn't too great. She even gives Issha, the magical cat, proud and imperious meows as he attempts to guide Serin to happiness. While marketed to adults, the novel has YA appeal, especially as Serin's age isn't readily apparent beyond the fact that she's still in school. VERDICT You's debut is a delightful fable that combines Korean folklore with an It's a Wonderful Life vibe and Spirited Away action.--Matthew Galloway |
Análisis semanal de editoriales
| Yeoung-Gwang's sweet but uneventful debut introduces schoolgirl Serin, who wins a "Golden Ticket" to a marketplace of dreams by writing an essay describing her misfortunes. There's no need for her to embellish; Serin's father died when she was too young to remember him, her house burned down, she lives with her mother in a dank "semi-basement" apartment, and, last year, her little sister ran away and has not returned. In response to her essay, she's invited to the market at the start of the next rainy season, where she can trade her misfortunes for "a happier story in our stock." The market is run by Dokkaebi, goblin-like creatures from Korean folklore, among them Toriya, a gentle giant who loves to pick flowers despite a phobia of insects, and Mata, who owns a bookstore. Serin's quasi-adventures include getting a haircut and visiting the shops and food stalls accompanied by Issha, a cat with a ravenous appetite and a keen sense of where to find the best bargain. The tale meanders with little sense of forward momentum as Serin considers her options for a better life. The result is a cute but predictable fairy tale that feels better suited for a younger audience. (Jan.) |
Análisis de lista de libros
| They say if you write your troubles in a letter and send it to a certain address, you might be chosen and given a chance to change your life. Serin, poor and without many prospects, writes her letter without much hope, but to her surprise, she is selected to visit the Rainfall Market and choose a magical, new life. With her new companion, Issha, a cat spirit, and the Dokkaebi, the strange creatures who inhabit the Rainfall Market, to help her, she now has just one week to decide what future she wants. But the futures she thinks she wants turn out to be not so nice after all, and there may be a mysterious force working against her. With all the fantastical magic of a Studio Ghibli film, the world You YeongGwang creates in this short and moving novel will enchant readers. This is a perfect story to share with the whole family. For fans of Diana Wynne Jones or anyone who loves fables and fairy tales. |
