In the Coming and Going

by Rachel Langley

Lina travels the world-not by plane, by train, or by choice.

She vanishes into thin air and reappears in random places-an unpredictable and sometimes frightening "condition" that causes concern and disappointment for all her loved ones, especially her mother. But she's always done this; it's nothing new-though this time, it's different.




This time she appears in the courtyard of a little house where she has a brief encounter with Halmeoni, an old Korean woman who seems to recognize her. Lina doesn't usually go to the same place more than once, but something keeps pulling her back there. When she meets Halmeoni's grandson, Byeong-ho, she begins to discover the life-altering connections she has to both of them and the risks and unintended consequences of her transient presence in their lives.




With Lina's ex-fiancé wanting to get back together, her mother dating the wrong man, and her growing affection for Halmeoni and Byeong-ho, she must balance living life in two different worlds and try to reconcile all of her relationships, including the one with herself.

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 12, 2024

Reviews

[Kriti Bajaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first novel-in-verse and I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised! The poetic form was used to great effect in this story to convey difficult emotions and confrontations, with some very beautiful lines that gave me pause (a "message tone clearing a pathway to the past", meeting at "intersections on the internet"). The story keeps switching between two worlds, but the author ensures that we are present in both. As someone who enjoys traveling, learning languages and Korean culture, there was a lot I could connect with – and I could easily imagine the rest.

[Stac H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't typically read novel in verse. Because of this, I was a bit hesitant at the start simply due to the structure of the writing. However, I was quickly pulled into the story before I could really focus too much on the structure. And that's what it really all comes down to - the story. An intriguing story will grip you no matter the format in which it is told. This one in particular left me wanting more in a good way.

[Jill Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ ⭐️!!
I’ve never read a book quite like this. I didn’t know what to expect when I saw ‘a novel in verse’, but it grabbed me from page one and I didn’t set it down until I was finished.

It’s odd, it’s interesting, it’s both heart warming and heart wrenching.

I’d recommend this book to anyone - and I will… it’s only a few hours long and worth every minute.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, both the storyline as well as the writing style. Never read a novel in verse and was pleasantly surprised and loved it. I can’t wait to read more, the story was interesting and kept me drawn in. Def recommend