A review by angelsbeforeman
Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin

emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

one of my favourite books of all time. totally has nothing to do with my personal connection to sokcho. it follows the narrator, a french korean woman, who works at a guesthouse in sokcho. she develops a connection with a french cartoonist called kerrand, who came to korea for artistic inspiration.
absolutely beautiful writing style. breathtaking. i love elisa shua dusapin so much and i will read anything she writes. so atmospheric and describes sokcho with such accuracy, not only the way it looks but the way it feels to be there. wonderful descriptions of the cold and the characters' loneliness, almost eerie sometimes. i really liked the narrator and often found her relatable. i think it's very good that the author brought up the struggles the narrator faces as a wasian person. the narrator's identity issues are very well handled in every aspect. 
another thing i liked is the contrast between the narrator's true understanding of korea, and the way kerrand understands it. he says he wants her to show him the real korea, but he constantly misses it and just sees it the way any tourist would. 
no complaints whatsoever about this novel. i love and adore it as much as it is possible to love a book. i reread it every once in a while and find myself thinking about it quite often ♡