I’m a two-timing reader, make that multi-timing. At any given moment, I have a couple of books by my bedside and a few audiobooks checked out from the magnificent collection of the Singapore library system on my phone. I possess a Kindle but am not a big fan of ebooks – the goal is to get away from flickering screens to the extent possible and so I put in my airpods and set off – sometimes I listen on my commute to work and at other times, on my solitary walks.

Yet there are times when I am in a reading slump, despite easy access to books and ample time to indulge. And then there are days when I can’t find enough hours to devour the books that have grabbed my attention. Right now, I’m feasting on a wide range of interesting books. Here are a couple of reviews for you to consider as your next read.

Deal of a lifetime

By Fredrik Backman

Audio narration by Santino Fontana

When I discovered this little gem, only 47 minutes of audio, was available in Libby, the app used by the library, I downloaded it right away and listened to it while heading to my monthly book club meeting. I had previously enjoyed A Man Called Ove and wanted to see Backman’s prowess as a short story writer.

The book starts with the protagonist addressing his son who is now a young man. No names are mentioned but the story moves at a brisk pace, describing the present which is set in a hospital and the past which is doled out in small installments.

The cancer ward is predictably grim but the bright star next door is a five year old girl who uses all the crayons she receives to color a chair knowing no one will scold her and walks around with a toy rabbit named Babbitt. As the story progresses, we encounter other characters, the little girl’s mother and a mysterious woman in a grey jumper. The focus though, is on the protagonist who continues to smoke in the balcony despite his own diagnosis, reminiscing about his life as a famous, wealthy and well-known businessman.

A diagnosis of cancer is a terrible burden and possibly a huge loss for someone as accomplished as the protagonist, who leaves behind a considerable legacy as a public figure. Contrast that with the child whose short life has not been of sufficient consequence yet whose possible end is equally tragic. The girl and the protagonist exchange a few words in which he discovers that she shares his distrust and fears the woman in the grey jumper who walks around the hospital with a folder.

“The only thing of value on Earth is time. One second will always be a second, there’s no negotiating with that.”

Life threatening illnesses always bring the value of time to the forefront. But the protagonist goes further to dwell on the ways in which people use time. He dispassionately deals with his own past failings as he addresses his son knowing that no life is perfect. His lack of remorse makes us suspect his true character but soon there is a twist that not only takes your breath away, it makes you wonder about your own leanings and question the choice you would make when given the opportunity to strike a deal.

Although the story is set during Christmas and is classified under Holiday and literary fiction, the magical realism element was an engaging and necessary part of this short novella.

My opinion: A must read. What do you have to lose? It’s 47 minutes of your life – can’t get a better deal for those minutes of your life.

The Healing Season of Pottery

Author: Yeon Somin

Translated from Korean by: Clare Richards

Audiobook narrated by: Jennifer Kim

I am a sucker for cozy or healing fiction as this new genre of novels are called. A favorite of contemporary writers from Japan and Korea, typically women writers, they tackle the effect of stresses of modern urban life and what it means to truly step away and re-examine your life in a soothing community space.

Jungmin, a thirty-year-old television screenwriter who quits her job and moves out of Seoul to Ilsan take refuge in her apartment with no interest to re-enter mainstream life. After months of seclusion, on her first walk in the neighborhood, she enters Soyo workshop assuming it’s a cafe, without knowing what awaits inside its cozy interior. It turns out to be a pottery studio run by the kind and friendly Johee. As Jungmin appreciates the coffee offered by the owner who insists that the beans she uses are regular ones, it is the cup, made right there in the studio that actually makes it special, Jungmin mulls over her words and agrees to the suggestion to join a weekly pottery class at the studio.

This turning point changes Jungmin’s solitary life upside down and introduces a whole host of other characters, including the interesting Gisik who intends to launch his coffee shop and pottery studio, Jihye, Jun and others. As the seasons change, we witness the burgeoning of new life within Jungmin as she tries her hand at pottery, takes in a foster cat and even helps out with the studio’s Instagram page. While we get a glimpse of the back stories of each of the other characters, we are able to view Jungmin’s struggles in rea time as memories of her unhappy childhood resurface when she runs into an old school friend at the studio. Over time, Jungmin is able to come to terms with her past and the guilt that weighs her down and makes a trip to see her estranged mother. 

Books such as these help you gently look inside larger societal issues that drive young people towards burnout and depression without being preachy and offer a comforting way to make peace with the past while choosing an entirely different future. It highlights the importance of supportive community spaces that allow the unfurling of emotions and burdens without judgment, allowing the characters to blossom at their own time.

My opinion: A feel good story that envelops you in a warm embrace for a long time.

Photo by nomao saeki on Unsplash