This book is rich and diverse, it’s one of those reeds that will stay with you long after you finish it and still have you thinking about it later. I recommended this to tons of people because the storyline is so interesting and I think it’s one of those books that everyone should read once in their life just to get a different point of you into read something good.

When I first noticed this book on the shelf, I had no idea what it was about, but I'm pleased I read it anyhow. I can honestly say I have never read anything like this before, so keep an eye on this author. Although it lacks details (which may have been deliberate given the narrator), the rhythm and reasoning are excellent. This author understands and loves people; I could relate to each character and appreciate the little passages of speech and writing that provided insight into their personalities. This is a book for those who are both watchful and loving.

A very literary short read that was very unique. About a boy with a brain malfunction where he doesn't feel/realize pain and trauma goes through something nightmarish. It's a different twist on a coming of age story, and was so beautifully done.

In the vein of R.J. Palacio's Wonder, Almond by Won-pyung Sohn is a pithy novel about a young Korean boy, Yunjae, who has difficulty feeling emotion due to his underdeveloped amygdalae, resulting in the condition Alexithymia. This concise, confessional-style novel gives insight into Yunjae's life as he navigates the world void of emotion and empathy.

Yunjae's mother and grandmother try to school him in emotions so that he isn't the subject of unwanted attention due to his condition, and Yunjae does his best to "fake it." However, when his mother and grandmother are violently and brutally attacked on his birthday, he can't even muster up a single emotion, making him a target for further bullying. How do you not cry when your loved ones are bludgeoned with a hammer? One such bully is Yunjae's peer Gon, who pushes Yunjae further and further with emotional IQ "tests," attempting to make Yunjae feel something, anything. This novel, which reads much like a YA book, features Yunjae's reflections and observations, as well as his relationships with others as he learns to live in the world with his condition.

In all, Almond brings to life a boy living with an unusual, intriguing condition. While I didn't find the book to be entirely compelling or attention-grabbing, it was informative and candid, giving me a reflective glimpse into the life of an extraordinary boy.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Almond is about a Korean boy with an underdeveloped amygdalae, which gives him a condition and a brain disorder in which he can’t identify with emotions.
I FLEW through this book and didn’t want it to end😭😭 I think Yunjae is one of my favorite fictional characters. Even though he lacked the emotional capacity that he should have, I ended up feeling all of those emotions for him and it made me so engaged in his story and wanting the best to turn out for him.

I really wish the ending felt more complete but I couldn’t help but feel something was missing from the end. Other than that, I loved it. The emotion that can be felt from a book about a boy who lacks emotion himself is so well done!!

I really enjoyed this simple but lovely story of two young boys, each with their own set of problems, coming together to experience pain, love, loss and empathy. The writing was simple but engaging and the characters so well written that you become very involved in them, wanting the best for them. It's refreshing to read a story with a neurodiverse protaganist. The ending of the book was a bit contrived to me. I feel like it all came to a head rather quickly and abruptly but that may be because I was enjoying reading about their blossoming but strange friendship. Would totally recommend this book for people who are a fan of Asian literature, translated literature, coming of age stories and stories that feature neurodiverse characters.

Almond is Sohn Won-pyung's debut novel (translated from Korean by Sandy Joosun Lee) about Yunjae, a 15-year-old who is alexithymic, or unable to recognize or express emotions. Yunjae explains that the amygdalae are two small, almond-shaped structures in the human brain which allow us to experience emotions, but his almonds are dysfunctional. He says, "[F]or some reason, my almonds don't seem to work well. They don't really light up when they are stimulated. So I don't know why people laugh or cry. Joy, sorrow, love, fear - all these things are vague ideas to me. The words 'emotion' and 'empathy' are just meaningless letters in print."

With its confessional tone and short chapters, the novel is diary-like, showing a record of Yunjae's daily life and his attempts to understand more about his neurodivergent brain. I recommend the book because of its overall positive representation of a young neurodivergent character. Almond is a complex coming-of-age story featuring an alexithymic protagonist who finds himself in the unlikeliest of friendships, exploring the nature of love, fear, hate and the language people use, and misuse, to describe their messy emotions.

Full review posted at BookBrowse: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/reviews/index.cfm/ref/pr263552

Loved this book. The strong, but simple, clear writing leans the reader right into the character and his lack of empathy, clear cut with no messy emotions. Sohn draws his readers into a family struggling with a child who feels no empathy and we follow his life.

A moving story of a young man born with a mental defect, unable to feel emotions, until fate and a new, unlikely friend intervenes.

This slim volume allows readers to wrestle with the role of emotion in our lives. Our main character had difficulty showing and processing emotion. Things that are second nature to many are confounding. This book explores themes of family, friendship, what it means to be "normal "

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Because of a rare brain condition, Yunjae doesn't experience emotions like fear or anger, causing others to think he is weird or a "robot," but in his teens he manages to make a friend--though one with his own issues.

This was an odd book that didn't quite work for me. I actually got kind of bored with it--maybe because I just never could connect with the characters. Be aware that there is some pretty graphic violence as well.

I really loved this book. It was surprisingly moving even despite its simple premise of two boys who are foils for each other. A story about what it means to be human and to have empathy and to be good, and the ways we can try to understand each other. Really enjoyed it.

The thing that makes this book so hard to read is the same thing that makes the reader unable to put it down. The Korean teenager narrating this book has alexithymia. It’s a neurological condition in which the amygdalae, about the size of an almond) in the brain do not grow. If you have this condition you don’t experience emotions. Its difficult to read a book narrated by someone who can experience pain but not fear so can be bullied physically. How do you tell a story in which you see your grandmother killed and your mother so deeply wounded by a knife that she remains in a coma for much of middle school and high school year without becoming sad at their death? That’s what life is like Yunjae. His story is exceptional. Because of this there are no emotional highs or lows for the reader. But don’t give up hope. Its not a long book, and the ending is worth the effort put into reading. I don’t know if this book is classified as a young adult book, but it should be read by anyone 14 years old and older.

For fans of Wonder and The Curious Incident of the Dog in Nighttime.
Could be a good recommend for older teens (was published as YA in Korea), strong language.
I really enjoyed the writing of this book. I think the first half was a solid 5 stars and the quick ending dropped it to 4.

I got this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

At first I wasn’t sure what to make of this book. The young boy narrating the story suffered from an under-developed amygdala causing him to feel no emotion. As the story progressed I found myself earning to him and pulling for him to grow and succeed. Throughout the story, he suffered many hardships. I won’t go into details as I don’t want to spoil the story.

Overall, I thought this was a charming coming-of-age story. Yunjae is a highly relatable character, despite his challenges. Aren’t all of us trying to find our place, our people, and our passions during our adolescence? This is a book I’d love to share with my sixth graders during our cultural studies unit. I loved that it was not a typical casting. And I loved how deeply Yunjae and Gon were developed.

Lovely, heartwarming story that's perfect for fans of Wonder or Curious Incident. The story was so rich and beautifully told, it made a perfect escapist read during these crazy times, I can't wait to share it.

A terrific read a boy born without emotions a character that comes alive.This is a translation that is so well done a book that drew me in,I will be suggesting this unique novel to my bookclub. #netgalley#harpercollins

Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC. Heart-warming story of a boy born without feelings and the tragedy he has to overcome to find out who he really is.

This was a very interesting book if a bit confusing about the actual neurological issue the main character has. The way that he decides to respect friendship at the cost of almost everything else was really beautiful. It was well written and well translated. Liked it a lot!