The Rainfall Market

‘’Would you be interested in selling us your misfortune?’’

It has been said that tears and pain make us human. We are not made of stone but of flesh and blood and feelings. And because we are humans, we experience misfortune. However, too many misfortunes can become unbearable. So when the monsoons come, people who have been chosen have the chance to swap their lives for better ones. Would you do it?

‘’What kind of life do I want?’’

As we wander the streets of the strange Rainfall Market - and isn't rainfall like heavy tears of unhappiness, after all?- we discover wonderful things. Her oils made of compliments, sauces made of forgotten memories, trees created by human tears as we struggle to achieve our goals, perfumes show more made of human words, sprays with condenscending words. And be careful because a little Dokkaebi can take away rule-following, which may or may not be fun…

‘’ Every plant has its season, Serin. Sunflowers come into bloom in the springtime, while others wait for summer or autumn. And a few don't show themselves until the coldest winter days, when all the other flowers are frozen.’’

Serin wants to fill the void in her heart and isn't dissuaded by a rather dark scene that introduces her to the Rainfall market. Her story makes you think of silver linings. (are there any, I wonder?), second chances, determination, perseverance. As sad as we may be, what kind of life do we want? In a world that is uniquely realized, whimsical yet dark and suffocating, we struggle to find a route. Our serenity may be taken by a Dokkaebi, yet we need to move forward. Can we do so on our own?

I loved walking from shop to shop in the company of Serin and Issha. This novel makes you reflect on your life, your choices, your principles even. My only objection is the final part, which fell too ‘’Fantasy’’, too ‘’Power Rangers’’ for my liking, a bit out of place and clumsily executed. Much may be lost in translation, though, some I may be a bit harsh here.

Sometimes drastic changes don't provide answers. Sometimes changing our tomorrows bit by bit is the best remedy…

‘’Rainbows are funny things, aren't they? The harder it rains, the more beautifully they shine. Who knows? Maybe it's a gift from God, for those who have endured the storms.’’

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/ show less

“Rainbows are funny things, aren’t they? The harder it rains, the more beautifully they shine. Who knows? Maybe it’s a gift from God, for those who’ve endured the storms.”

The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang (translated by Slin Jung) is a fantastical story that revolves around a young girl named Serin who wins a “Golden Ticket” to a mysterious market that operates only during the rainy season – an experience that is rumored to enable one to change one’s life. Serin, a lonely girl with a fair share of troubles and though a tad doubtful, hopes that she will find a way to change her life for the better.

The author weaves a fascinating tale with a meaningful message, combining elements of Korean myth and folklore, wit and show more wisdom, magic, mystery and adventure. I had a wonderful time following Serin’s journey and loved how the author describes the Dokkaebi and the magical market. I loved how Serin bonded with Issha, the spirit creature (in the form of a cat), who guided her through the market, coming through for her on more than one occasion. Several subplots featuring a large cast of characters - some friendly and helpful and some more devious - are deftly woven into a well-paced, engaging narrative that touches upon themes of kindness, friendship, loyalty, courage, self-realization, hope and healing.

Though I wasn’t the target audience for this book (the simplistic and straightforward prose is indicative of the fact that the book is meant for younger readers), this in no way detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story. Delightful, imaginative, adventurous and thought-provoking, I found this book to be an entertaining read. I hope the author continues Serin’s story as there are a few plot points that remain unexplored.

Finally, I love the beautiful cover art!

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for the digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. show less

Sweet Korean fairy tale about a young girl who wins a golden ticket to a mythical market of wishes during the rainy season. Loved Issha the spirit cat.

The writing is very plain and simple, aimed at younger readers, but I enjoyed the emotion-stealing dokkaebi's observations of human life. One goblin takes memories of childhood because otherwise ‘They’d never get married and have kids of their own if I let them keep those memories. They’d know how hard it is to raise children, which means we’d run out of humans to steal memories from.' While the thief of human curiosity is a bit slapdash, which apparently explains why 'some humans still haven’t lost their taste for toys even when they’re adults.' Honestly, there's no need for show more dokkaebis, just don't have kids!

Good fun, beautiful cover. show less

Serin is lonely. Her sister is far away, her mother is too busy to care for her, and they don't have enough money for Serin to go to university. So, Serin writes to The Rainfall Market hoping they will grant her wish, and they do! Serin travels to a world where she must collect orbs in search of her true wish. She and a cat, Issha, make this journey together, but Serin doesn't realize that she is being used. This is a story where the character must look deeply into themself and determine what is important. Is it a job, money, or is there something more?
A nice, easy fantasy story, however I thought the writing was somewhat stilted. A good message, though.

adult/teen/middlegrade fiction (orig published in Korean, 2023 The Rainbow Goblin Store)
Loved this quick-reading, Miyazaki-inspired story about a teen/tween who is magically whisked away to a goblin world, helping those she befriends along the way. Though the plot is rather straightforward, her journey feels very purposeful and the ending message is positive.

The Rainfall Market is the story of Serin, a girl unhappy with her life as her family is down on their luck, and she's lacking confidence.
She hears of a legendary way to trade her life for a better one by sending a letter to an abandoned house in Rainbow Town, decides to write honestly about all the reasons she doesn't like her life, and to her surprise she gets a reply.
The novel is the story of her journey through a fantastical market on the quest for a better life.
I am surprised that the book is being pitched for adults, and as a "sensation", as while it's a heartwarming, quick read (I went through it in a couple of hours) that entertained me for as long as it lasted, I think both the prose and the plot are those of a middle grade show more children's book. Accordingly I rated it only 3/5 stars based on my expectations, but it would probably be a 4 if it was found in the children's section of bookstores.

Note: I received this book for free as an ARC from #NetGalley but the opinions above are mine and unbiased. show less

In a Nutshell: A cozy fantasy about a girl who ends up in a world within our world and discovers the secret of happiness. Overly simplistic writing, a mostly episodic plot, flat characters. I have a strong feeling that something went wrong in the translation as well. Might work better for YA readers, as it was promoted as a YA novel when released in Korea.

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Plot Preview:

Outside the city where Serin stays, there’s a rundown abandoned house in a place called Rainbow Town. Rumour has it that if you send a letter about your misfortunes to this house, you might receive a mysterious ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you are permitted to enter the magical Rainfall

show more

Market, where you can choose to change your life to the one you want.
Serin never thought that she would actually be lucky when she penned her woes and posted the letter to the house. Now the holder of a special golden ticket, Serin knows that going to the market is the only way of swapping her lonely life for one with a better future. Of course, there are certain conditions to this, but Serin is hopeful of being able to handle them, especially with the help of her new feline companion Issha.
The story comes to us in Serin’s third-person perspective.

This novel garnered a cult following in South Korea after securing crowdfunding to be published, then being acquired by a local Korean independent publisher Clayhouse, where it sold 30K copies during its first month on sale and became a number one bestselling e-book, and also reaching number three in the physical chart. Overall, it has sold more than 100K copies in South Korea. Translation rights have been sold in 20 languages.

In other words, please take my review with a pinch of salt.

Bookish Yays: show less