Chaotic Pages

Deciding between 4 or 3 stars was tough, but I settled on 4 because of FL. I'm a big fan of cunning, manipulative female leads, so FL really grabbed my attention. While some say it's like the Mindfuck series, I think it's not even close. FL's portrayal of being emotionless and calculating but has a fixation on Theo, the male lead is fascinating.

Theo's character annoyed me because he was hypocritical throughout. He got mad at FL for keeping secrets when he wasn't honest either. He didn't tell her things until later, and even then, she found out from someone else, which somehow brushed over.

See the hypocrisy?

Aside from the characters, the plot gets 3 stars at best. It's a mix of too many clichés, making it messy and hard to follow. There are too many characters and side stories, making it overwhelming for a standalone read.

The ending left me disappointed. The story had potential, but it didn't live up to it. With better execution, 'Morally Corrupt' could've been great, but it missed the mark.

“Books are not meant to remain in your mind, but your heart” 

And this book has claimed its place in my heart just like that.

I never thought I would be writing a blog post about a book. It’s not that I don't like it, but whenever I complete a book, I don’t have a clear opinion on it. Do I like it or not? I just have a feeling of like or dislike, but if someone asks me why, or which part I liked, I cannot answer because I don’t know. And when I do know, I can’t put those thoughts into words. I don’t know if anyone feels like this, but for me, it is tough.

But this book, for the first time, I can say that I know why and what made me like the book.

Imagine this: A cold winter evening, a cozy blanket, and the delightful aroma of a freshly brewed cup of coffee. That’s exactly how I felt diving into the pages of Hyunam Dong Bookstore. This unexpected journey began when I saw this book in a fellow bookworm’s hand during a Secret Santa exchange. A small note inside the book by the previous reader, that this provided wisdom and acceptance. Naturally, my curiosity got the better of me, and I delved into the digital version of this book.

Somehow, I got hooked on the book from the very first page. This is rare for me as I take time to warm up to a new book.

Basically, this is about a woman named Yeounge who is fed up with her life and opens a bookshop (her childhood dream) to find her cheerful lost self who loves reading.

The writing is so cozy. Again, I never knew that writing could have specific feelings. But the author's writing felt like a cozy cup of coffee during a beautiful rain. I had this feeling the whole time while I was reading this book.

Each chapter is aligned with different parts and phases of life. The complexity of life has been written so simply without losing its complex nature.

It’s especially wonderful to see that the author shows life from various people's perspectives like an overworked employee, a jobless top graduate, a teenager, a corporate employee, etc.

It's just so beautifully written that I felt like the bookstore in my neighborhood, which I drop by and listen to them work, talk, and experience. The subtle way of writing about situations in life, the subtle understanding between people, and the way deep topics were presented is a wonderful feeling.

My favorite line from the book:

“Dissonance before moments of harmony makes the harmony sound beautiful. Just as harmony and dissonance exist side by side in music, life is the same. Because harmony is preceded by dissonance, that’s why we think life is beautiful.”

This line was so beautifully written by Seymour, and I found it through this book. Just thinking of how writing can make wonders and how we were able to find rare beauty in other books from a single book makes me feel blessed. I get to live to experience these moments.

This book connected to me on various levels, maybe because I'm at a similar point in my life. It gave me a new perspective on life; it provided the very comfort that I couldn’t find around me. It feels like now I can try for more and don’t need to be afraid of others. I can be more selfish.

On a bottom note: I think it’s a wonderful, cozy read, but I don’t think this is for everyone. Some might even feel like it’s more of a self-help or non-fiction kind. This book doesn’t have any major plot or twists, just a fluffy read.