Cover Story: I Can’t Look Away
I love that we’re seeing a moment between the two in the stacks of Five Willows, where they often do meet. My eye keeps getting drawn to Seojun’s hat, though. Is it supposed to be…see-through in the story?
The Deal:
In late 1700s Joseon, fictional books are verboten, said to encourage heretical leanings in the populace towards horrible ideas, like Catholicism or independent thought. Haewon, however, refuses to obey the latest restrictions, especially since her scribe work helps pay to keep her family afloat. Sadly, her absolute favorite author, Black Lotus, has left their series on a cliffhanger and refuses to publish any longer. This rankles on another level, because Haewon and Black Lotus had been pen-pals, and quite close ones.
As the son of a very high-ranking government official, Seojun has always known his place would be to marry well and take up a position alongside his father one day. But his poet’s heart couldn’t be beaten into submission, so he wrote out his emotions and ideals in the works he published as Black Lotus. With the king’s latest proclamations and his father breathing down his neck for him to marry, Seojun knows he needs to put aside childish things and become the man he must be…if only he didn’t feel like he was dying inside while doing it.
BFF Charm: Peas In A Pod, Meh
Haewon probably comes from the most stable home of all of Hur’s female protagonists thus far, even if her family is a bit eccentric a la the Bennetts, as we are deep in a Pride and Prejudice retelling. She loves her sisters without fail, though I had to work real hard to keep up that same level of forgiveness for her younger sister, Yeonhee. I would gladly hang out with Wol, the secret bookstore owner, and Haewon when they gathered at The Five Willows to gab about books and life.
Seojun, on the other hand, is…a tougher sell for a BFF charm. He’s a bit dour, partially from having a vastly different temperament than the life he lives requires, but even if he was able to be his full and authentic self, I’m not sure if we’d jive. He seems like he’d want to sit and discuss the meaning of philosophy and poetry books and how it relates to the meaning of life.
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
There’s the makings of all the classic slow-burn swoon that P&P is famous for, amped up with even more societal restrictions that make the meager contact Darcy and Elizabeth share positively scandalous. Add in a dash of You’ve Got Mail with Seojun and Haewon being secret pen-pals, and you’ve got the makings of a fabulous romance. I think it worked better for others, partly because, as I mentioned above…Seojun didn’t totally do it for me. He’s a very…soft boy, both in emotions and in spine, and while I know much of it was about restraint, he was just too close to constantly giving everything he’s ever wanted up just to make his father happy. It wore on me.
Talky Talk: Book Lover
There was a small element of a mystery (because it’s June Hur and of course there is!), but this was her most romance-forward novel to date. Outside of the sparks flying between Haewon and Seojun, it was also a love letter to reading, books, and what it means to be true to your self when society is demanding you conform. I’ve always found Hur’s writing to be evocative and easy to sink into, and I felt immersed in this world right away, even if I didn’t enjoy learning about it as much as some her other books. Sometimes knowing it’s a retelling is just what you need, other times knowing the plot beats that are coming sometimes lessen the excitement for what comes next. Hur did a good job of making the story fit her setting and fit her characters in creative ways, but I think this was not the right time for me to read this book, and my enjoyment of it suffered a bit because of it.
Bonus Factor: Bibliophile
Haewon is a die-hard bibliophile, and Seojun is as deeply passionate about writing in his own ways. He feels a compulsion to write, to get his thoughts out, that almost makes me a bit concerned for him. You can feel Hur’s own passion for her craft and dedication to knowledge in every discussion.
Bonus Factor: Retellings
My favorite part of You’ve Got Mail trope is when the first person learns the identity of the other and in their real-life moments, pokes and prods at that connection to see where it leads. The stand-out P&P moment in this book is when Seojun proposes, despite himself, and offends Haewon in multiple ways.
Anti-Bonus Factor: Censorship
Petty men in leadership who seek to destroy everything good and decent in the world because their fragile egos can’t handle not being the center of attention. Am I reading a modern-day cautionary tale or a historical?!
Relationship Status: Meet Me In The Stacks
It’s great to have a hobby-friend, Book, someone whose primary tie to you is your shared love of a specific subject. We don’t have to be besties, but when we get together we can gab and gab for hours about the thing we both adore.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Feiwel and Friends. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. Behind Five Willows is available now.
