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The Healing Season of Pottery
Brought to you by Penguin.
A heart warming and irresistible novel about the rejuvenating power of pottery, for fans of Before The Coffee Gets Cold and What You Are Looking For Is In The Library .
She rubbed the spoiled clay with her fingertips. Like a wound as it heals, the traces faded, and had soon vanished completely, as if they’d never been there at all.
Burnt out by her newswriting job, Jungmin abruptly quits; she’s worked tirelessly for years and she needs to make a change.
Now, after months of hibernation, it’s time to put her life back together. Venturing out into the streets near Seoul, she stumbles upon the Soyo pottery workshop. Drawn in by its light and warmth, and the smell of clay and coffee, Jungmin feels something unfurl within her…
Here, everyone has a story to share, and as the seasons change, Jungmin returns to herself. Pot by pot, plate by plate, Jungmin discovers that as her hands become busier, her mind becomes calmer, and her heart opens up like never before.
From a rising talent, this is an uplifting story of new friends and old practices, of finding community, and of what happens when you finally slow down in this fast-paced world.
A heart warming and irresistible novel about the rejuvenating power of pottery, for fans of Before The Coffee Gets Cold and What You Are Looking For Is In The Library .
She rubbed the spoiled clay with her fingertips. Like a wound as it heals, the traces faded, and had soon vanished completely, as if they’d never been there at all.
Burnt out by her newswriting job, Jungmin abruptly quits; she’s worked tirelessly for years and she needs to make a change.
Now, after months of hibernation, it’s time to put her life back together. Venturing out into the streets near Seoul, she stumbles upon the Soyo pottery workshop. Drawn in by its light and warmth, and the smell of clay and coffee, Jungmin feels something unfurl within her…
Here, everyone has a story to share, and as the seasons change, Jungmin returns to herself. Pot by pot, plate by plate, Jungmin discovers that as her hands become busier, her mind becomes calmer, and her heart opens up like never before.
From a rising talent, this is an uplifting story of new friends and old practices, of finding community, and of what happens when you finally slow down in this fast-paced world.
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First published March 23, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,074 reviews
December 28, 2024
It is official - I prefer Korean 'healing novels' to Japanese cat/Ghiblicore/twee ones. Having thoroughly enjoyed Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, I was delighted when my request for The Healing Season of Pottery was approved. Healing novels follow quite a specific formula/structure - the main character is rethinking their life by engaging in a wholesome activity such as running a bookshop, learning how to cook, opening a laundromat or discovering a new hobby. In this one, the protagonist joins a local pottery class. Close relatives of this type of novel are Western cosy fantasy (eg Legends and Lattes), cottagecore paperback romances (think those endless Cornish village books), Hallmark movies and Japanese cat/bookshop/coffeshop novels.
In The Healing Season of Pottery, we follow Jungmin, a woman who completely collapsed in her writing for broadcasting job and got a writers' block which sent her into deep depression and a life of a hermit. She stays in her silent one-bedroom apartment, she threw away the TV, she doesn't cook, she doesn't talk to anybody and she rarely leaves her flat. She discovers a local pottery class and slowly, little by little, rediscovers her will to live.
What sets the Korean ones apart, including The Healing Season of Pottery, is a more reserved exploration of emotions, a slower pace, coupled with slightly longer runtimes, which allows the reader to get to know not just the protagonist, but also their community, and, crucially, a focus on societal issues. American and British versions of this concept tend to be quite mindless ventures, whereas the Japanese ones focus on the supposedly 'universal' values and experiences, such as first love, grief or pride in one's work. We see the depressed characters in isolation, not as a part of a society that might have driven them into depression in the first place. The sort of anti-capitalist, or feminist messages Korean healing novels convey (not very forcefully, but they do convey them nevertheless) are reserved for the 'weird feminism' novels such as Sayaka Murata's works in Japan. In the Korean stories, the authors tend to be much more open about the societal specifics of what exactly drove the characters into depression.
In this one, I really appreciated the exploration of the predatory nature of broadcasting, the protagonist's former job. I also appreciated the extent to which both the protagonist and the author recognise the utter privilege of being able to just stop one's life for a year and live off savings without a job. Most depressed people don't get a chance to stay secluded in a flat, which allows for privacy for months on end. I also loved the details of the reality of running a pottery class as a small business, including the discussion of the importance of Instagram. It was idealised and romanticised, but at least we got a glimpse of the economic reality of 'following your dreams'.
I wasn't sold on the romance, I was not sure what it added to the story. As a bonus, I am always suspicious of romances built on the love interest's breakup with their current partner. It was handled tactfully here, the protagonist was not the cause of the breakup, but I wasn't sure what Ara the girlfriend added to the story in the first place.
This is not a literary novel, so don't expect interesting prose, or a deep exploration of human nature, or anything original in the narrative itself. As a novel, this is probably closer to 3 stars, but as a healing novel, it is really well-executed, so within its genre it is definitely a 4 star work.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books Limited/Viking for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In The Healing Season of Pottery, we follow Jungmin, a woman who completely collapsed in her writing for broadcasting job and got a writers' block which sent her into deep depression and a life of a hermit. She stays in her silent one-bedroom apartment, she threw away the TV, she doesn't cook, she doesn't talk to anybody and she rarely leaves her flat. She discovers a local pottery class and slowly, little by little, rediscovers her will to live.
What sets the Korean ones apart, including The Healing Season of Pottery, is a more reserved exploration of emotions, a slower pace, coupled with slightly longer runtimes, which allows the reader to get to know not just the protagonist, but also their community, and, crucially, a focus on societal issues. American and British versions of this concept tend to be quite mindless ventures, whereas the Japanese ones focus on the supposedly 'universal' values and experiences, such as first love, grief or pride in one's work. We see the depressed characters in isolation, not as a part of a society that might have driven them into depression in the first place. The sort of anti-capitalist, or feminist messages Korean healing novels convey (not very forcefully, but they do convey them nevertheless) are reserved for the 'weird feminism' novels such as Sayaka Murata's works in Japan. In the Korean stories, the authors tend to be much more open about the societal specifics of what exactly drove the characters into depression.
In this one, I really appreciated the exploration of the predatory nature of broadcasting, the protagonist's former job. I also appreciated the extent to which both the protagonist and the author recognise the utter privilege of being able to just stop one's life for a year and live off savings without a job. Most depressed people don't get a chance to stay secluded in a flat, which allows for privacy for months on end. I also loved the details of the reality of running a pottery class as a small business, including the discussion of the importance of Instagram. It was idealised and romanticised, but at least we got a glimpse of the economic reality of 'following your dreams'.
I wasn't sold on the romance, I was not sure what it added to the story. As a bonus, I am always suspicious of romances built on the love interest's breakup with their current partner. It was handled tactfully here, the protagonist was not the cause of the breakup, but I wasn't sure what Ara the girlfriend added to the story in the first place.
This is not a literary novel, so don't expect interesting prose, or a deep exploration of human nature, or anything original in the narrative itself. As a novel, this is probably closer to 3 stars, but as a healing novel, it is really well-executed, so within its genre it is definitely a 4 star work.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books Limited/Viking for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2024
3.5⭐️
“Firing pottery is like lighting a fire in your heart. There might be something inside that you’re trying your best to ignore, but it’s only by turning your gaze toward it that you can see it clearly.”
The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin (translated by Clare Richards) revolves around Jungmin, a young woman on the cusp of thirty who shuts herself away from the rest of the world after she quits her job as a broadcast writer after her disillusionment with her job and work pressure culminate in an emotional breakdown in her workplace. Living alone in a small apartment in Chestnut Burr Village, Jungmin struggles with depression and rarely ventures outside her home. On one of her rare outings, she discovers a pottery studio and gradually, as she begins to connect with the clay she is molding and the other members of the community among whom is an old friend with whom she shares a traumatic history, she also reconnects with herself.
“Sometimes it’s the things we can’t explain that leave the most distinct echoes.”
The pacing of the novel is on the slower side, which suits the nature of the story and allows us to get to know Jungmin as she embarks on a journey of healing, introspection and personal growth. I loved the setting of the pottery studio and the sense of community. The author’s description of Jungmin’s interactions and experience with clay and how the same motivates her to take stock of her life and slowly embrace change is heartwarming and thought-provoking. Regarding the secondary characters, I did feel that a few of the subplots were not particularly impactful or necessary, thereby distracting us from Jungmin’s story. Similarly, certain aspects of the story could have been explored further. I also wasn’t taken with how the romantic track was presented.
The writing is crisp (occasionally a tad stilted) with minimal melodrama. The author has addressed themes of mental health, childhood trauma, burnout and work-life balance and depression realistically and with sensitivity, but I would have appreciated the writing more had it a tad more emotional depth.
Overall, there is a lot about this novel that is praiseworthy and I found myself rereading several of the passages. I believe that it would appeal to those who appreciate character-driven stories revolving around themes of hope, healing and community.
“Happiness is enjoyed by the ones who’ve already experienced it. So make the most of it. The more you train yourself to notice your happiness, the more it becomes yours.”
I must mention the cover art which I think is beautiful!
Many thanks to Algonquin Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published in the US on October 22, 2024.
“Whether it’s pottery or life, it takes more than one attempt for them to come out right. And all that effort makes the end product more valuable, too.”
#TheHealingSeasonOfPottery
#YeonSomin
#ClareRichards
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
“Firing pottery is like lighting a fire in your heart. There might be something inside that you’re trying your best to ignore, but it’s only by turning your gaze toward it that you can see it clearly.”
The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin (translated by Clare Richards) revolves around Jungmin, a young woman on the cusp of thirty who shuts herself away from the rest of the world after she quits her job as a broadcast writer after her disillusionment with her job and work pressure culminate in an emotional breakdown in her workplace. Living alone in a small apartment in Chestnut Burr Village, Jungmin struggles with depression and rarely ventures outside her home. On one of her rare outings, she discovers a pottery studio and gradually, as she begins to connect with the clay she is molding and the other members of the community among whom is an old friend with whom she shares a traumatic history, she also reconnects with herself.
“Sometimes it’s the things we can’t explain that leave the most distinct echoes.”
The pacing of the novel is on the slower side, which suits the nature of the story and allows us to get to know Jungmin as she embarks on a journey of healing, introspection and personal growth. I loved the setting of the pottery studio and the sense of community. The author’s description of Jungmin’s interactions and experience with clay and how the same motivates her to take stock of her life and slowly embrace change is heartwarming and thought-provoking. Regarding the secondary characters, I did feel that a few of the subplots were not particularly impactful or necessary, thereby distracting us from Jungmin’s story. Similarly, certain aspects of the story could have been explored further. I also wasn’t taken with how the romantic track was presented.
The writing is crisp (occasionally a tad stilted) with minimal melodrama. The author has addressed themes of mental health, childhood trauma, burnout and work-life balance and depression realistically and with sensitivity, but I would have appreciated the writing more had it a tad more emotional depth.
Overall, there is a lot about this novel that is praiseworthy and I found myself rereading several of the passages. I believe that it would appeal to those who appreciate character-driven stories revolving around themes of hope, healing and community.
“Happiness is enjoyed by the ones who’ve already experienced it. So make the most of it. The more you train yourself to notice your happiness, the more it becomes yours.”
I must mention the cover art which I think is beautiful!
Many thanks to Algonquin Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published in the US on October 22, 2024.
“Whether it’s pottery or life, it takes more than one attempt for them to come out right. And all that effort makes the end product more valuable, too.”
#TheHealingSeasonOfPottery
#YeonSomin
#ClareRichards
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
November 8, 2024
Composed in a neat appealing setting with a slice-of-life arc, I followed Yu Jungmin in her new venture into pottery as a hobby after abruptly quitting her job and been caved in inside her apartment without speaking to no one for months. From a work burnout to that lump of inertia, of feeling losing hope and at times self-loathing herself, seasons changed (literally from autumn to the next end of spring) and Jungmin finally decided to go out through the August sunshine. Walking along the neighborhood blocks, she unexpectedly came into a workshop lookalike cafe that was overwhelmed with the smell of clay; 소요 (SOYO) was written on the hidden sign behind the pot of ivy and this is where a new wonderful episode started for Jungmin.
I found comfort in its storytelling and loved how the author intricately crafted Jungmin’s day-to-day vignettes with her emotional perspectives following those incidents from work to her past unresolved backstory that still lurking and coincidentally resurfaced after Juran came. The characterization was admirable esp to those new friends Jungmin met during her pottery making outings; from Johee, Jihye and Gisik to Jun, Hyoseok, Yeri and even the black-and-white cat Hoya. Each with their own stories to tell and along the way I was charmed by their bond of friendship and how that weaved of pottery and life been subtly potrayed throughout the progress.
Expected love story to bloom, bit on familial, of self-discovery, forgiveness, on one’s dream and a chapter of gloomy depressing mood strike again— lovely prose with a lesson that life was meant to have both flaws and good days, to appreciate your present, move on or slowing down if needed. Bittersweet overall yet uplifting much, and I was swooning over the ending :’))
4.3/5*
(thank you TimesReads for the gifted review copy!)
I found comfort in its storytelling and loved how the author intricately crafted Jungmin’s day-to-day vignettes with her emotional perspectives following those incidents from work to her past unresolved backstory that still lurking and coincidentally resurfaced after Juran came. The characterization was admirable esp to those new friends Jungmin met during her pottery making outings; from Johee, Jihye and Gisik to Jun, Hyoseok, Yeri and even the black-and-white cat Hoya. Each with their own stories to tell and along the way I was charmed by their bond of friendship and how that weaved of pottery and life been subtly potrayed throughout the progress.
Expected love story to bloom, bit on familial, of self-discovery, forgiveness, on one’s dream and a chapter of gloomy depressing mood strike again— lovely prose with a lesson that life was meant to have both flaws and good days, to appreciate your present, move on or slowing down if needed. Bittersweet overall yet uplifting much, and I was swooning over the ending :’))
4.3/5*
(thank you TimesReads for the gifted review copy!)
July 24, 2025
Una novela de ritmo lento, que te obliga a bajar las revoluciones del día a día y que a través de entrañables personajes te invita a reflexionar sobre la vida misma ✨
Me gustó mucho la forma en que la cerámica se convierte en un eje importante del libro, funcionando como elemento terapéutico para conectar con uno mismo, pero también como actividad que ayuda a conectar con otros y construir lazos de amistad y algo más por ahí también 🤭
Quedé con ganas de inscribirme a un taller de cerámica 😅
Me gustó mucho la forma en que la cerámica se convierte en un eje importante del libro, funcionando como elemento terapéutico para conectar con uno mismo, pero también como actividad que ayuda a conectar con otros y construir lazos de amistad y algo más por ahí también 🤭
Quedé con ganas de inscribirme a un taller de cerámica 😅
May 4, 2024
Maybe the pottery of blues and whites, much like those found in nature, had already stolen her heart. She found it fascinating that these hard ceramics made by human hands could resemble nature's hues quite so closely.
자연의 색을 닮은 푸르고 하얀 도자기들에 마음을 뺏긴 건지도 몰랐다. 인간이 만든 딱딱한 고체가 자연의 색을 쏙 빼닮을 수 있다는 것이 신기했다.
The Healing Season of Pottery is Claire Richards' translation of 공방의계절 by 연소민 (Yeon Somin).
As a lover of both translated fiction and Korean culture, I do try to read pretty much all the fiction that is translated from Korean into English, but a lot of it is then not the sort of avant-garde literary fiction I would normally seek - and the vibe here is I think best described as 'charming' - less generously, 'twee'.
30yo Jungmin has been flat-bound for months, suffering from burn-out and severe depression, when one day she forces herself to leave her flar:
Three seasons went by with Jungmin mired in selfloathing. One summer morning, nine months after the thorn had pricked her right palm, she shot up from her chair and screamed. The words she blurted out contained no sensible resolutions or goals. They weren’t even sentences to begin with. Nothing more than an ‘exclamation’, devoid of fully formed words. But her cry was loaded with an immense pressure, something she needed to act on. In truth, this scream had been building since last spring. As her life as a recluse went on, she started to believe she might never be able to return to society and would die there alone. Hundreds of thousands of won kept vanishing with the simple act of breathing. It was as if each month she was being charged just to carry on living. Living a life worthy of that sum was the only way to ensure her money wasn’t going to waste.
Looking for a coffee shop, she accidentally wanders into a pottery workshop instead where she receives a warm, and unintrusive, welcome and finds healing, and meaning, in the craft of pottery and the community of those she learns it with. Adopting a stray cat also gives her a sense of purpose.
She realized that there was no miracle cure for inertia better than responsibility. Her body, once heavy and waterlogged, grew light like a towel dried crisp in the sun. That feeble voice that’d echoed round her ears, questioning her right to take responsibility for another life, gradually faded away. There was no need for Jungmin to writhe or plead – the tightly- wound balls of yarn that suffocated her seemed to be unravelling of their own accord, one after another.
A trigger for Jungmin's retreat from society was realising that she was unable to fully take in art or literature - She couldn’t find a single meaning hidden between the lines. Once she’d read more than five sentences, the contents would vanish from her mind – like a snowman lacking shade, melting helplessly under the morning sunlight - and as she re-emerges from her 'cave' she is able to revisit an art exhibition where she had similarly struggled previously, and re-connect with it:
"Embedded here and there across my entire body, it seems, is the deep sorrow of a femme fatale, something that I cannot deny. No matter how I squirm and writhe, my sad legend is not erased."
Chun Kyung- ja, self- portrait, The 22nd Page of My Sad Legend , 1977
For those new(er) to Korean literature, there is plenty of comprehensible cultural colour here (and I suspect Richards has skillfully inserted many glosses for the English reader) - hanja characters in names, honorific speech markers, the Korean education system, the ubiquity of TV features on cafes and restaurants, and various food dishes. Oddly, given the specific subject matter, I felt the aspects on the craft of pottery itself were less successful.
Ultimately this is well executed - but not my sort of book, hence the 2 star rating.
Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the ARC.
자연의 색을 닮은 푸르고 하얀 도자기들에 마음을 뺏긴 건지도 몰랐다. 인간이 만든 딱딱한 고체가 자연의 색을 쏙 빼닮을 수 있다는 것이 신기했다.
The Healing Season of Pottery is Claire Richards' translation of 공방의계절 by 연소민 (Yeon Somin).
As a lover of both translated fiction and Korean culture, I do try to read pretty much all the fiction that is translated from Korean into English, but a lot of it is then not the sort of avant-garde literary fiction I would normally seek - and the vibe here is I think best described as 'charming' - less generously, 'twee'.
30yo Jungmin has been flat-bound for months, suffering from burn-out and severe depression, when one day she forces herself to leave her flar:
Three seasons went by with Jungmin mired in selfloathing. One summer morning, nine months after the thorn had pricked her right palm, she shot up from her chair and screamed. The words she blurted out contained no sensible resolutions or goals. They weren’t even sentences to begin with. Nothing more than an ‘exclamation’, devoid of fully formed words. But her cry was loaded with an immense pressure, something she needed to act on. In truth, this scream had been building since last spring. As her life as a recluse went on, she started to believe she might never be able to return to society and would die there alone. Hundreds of thousands of won kept vanishing with the simple act of breathing. It was as if each month she was being charged just to carry on living. Living a life worthy of that sum was the only way to ensure her money wasn’t going to waste.
Looking for a coffee shop, she accidentally wanders into a pottery workshop instead where she receives a warm, and unintrusive, welcome and finds healing, and meaning, in the craft of pottery and the community of those she learns it with. Adopting a stray cat also gives her a sense of purpose.
She realized that there was no miracle cure for inertia better than responsibility. Her body, once heavy and waterlogged, grew light like a towel dried crisp in the sun. That feeble voice that’d echoed round her ears, questioning her right to take responsibility for another life, gradually faded away. There was no need for Jungmin to writhe or plead – the tightly- wound balls of yarn that suffocated her seemed to be unravelling of their own accord, one after another.
A trigger for Jungmin's retreat from society was realising that she was unable to fully take in art or literature - She couldn’t find a single meaning hidden between the lines. Once she’d read more than five sentences, the contents would vanish from her mind – like a snowman lacking shade, melting helplessly under the morning sunlight - and as she re-emerges from her 'cave' she is able to revisit an art exhibition where she had similarly struggled previously, and re-connect with it:
"Embedded here and there across my entire body, it seems, is the deep sorrow of a femme fatale, something that I cannot deny. No matter how I squirm and writhe, my sad legend is not erased."
Chun Kyung- ja, self- portrait, The 22nd Page of My Sad Legend , 1977
For those new(er) to Korean literature, there is plenty of comprehensible cultural colour here (and I suspect Richards has skillfully inserted many glosses for the English reader) - hanja characters in names, honorific speech markers, the Korean education system, the ubiquity of TV features on cafes and restaurants, and various food dishes. Oddly, given the specific subject matter, I felt the aspects on the craft of pottery itself were less successful.
Ultimately this is well executed - but not my sort of book, hence the 2 star rating.
Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the ARC.
January 23, 2025
Schöne Wohlfühllektüre für zwischendurch Nachdem Jeongmin ihren Job als Drehbuchautorin beim Fernsehen gekündigt hat, fällt sie in ein schwarzes Loch. Der rettende Lichtblick ist eine von Topfpflanzen umsäumte Werkstatt, welche Jeongmin für ein Café hielt und deshalb betrat. Die Besitzerin spürt, dass es Jeongmin nicht gut geht und lädt sie augenblicklich ein, an einem Töpferkurs teilzunehmen.
Die Arbeit mit dem kalten Ton holt Jeongmin nicht nur ins Leben zurück, sondern erdet sie auch in sich selbst. Zudem lernt sie über die Teilnehmenden des Kurses neue Menschen mit ihren Problemen kennen, die bald zu guten Freunden werden.
Man merkt, dass die Autorin selbst Erfahrung mit dem Töpfern hat. Vor allem in der ersten Hälfte sind die Berührungen mit dem Ton sehr schön eingefangen. Viele Gedanken und Assoziationen haben mich sehr bewegt. Allerdings werden die in dem Maße wie Jeongmin ins Leben zurückfindet immer weniger bzw. weniger tiefgründig. Die vorhersehbare Liebesgeschichte hätte es für mich nicht gebraucht.
Trotzdem ein hübsch aufgemachtes Wohlfühlbuch mit einer originellen Thematik und zumindest zu Beginn tollen Sprüchen.
Mehr zum Buch im Lesemonat Dezember auf meinem YouTube Kanal „Japan Connect“.
https://youtu.be/v30xqb-KzvI?si=pp8-P...
Die Arbeit mit dem kalten Ton holt Jeongmin nicht nur ins Leben zurück, sondern erdet sie auch in sich selbst. Zudem lernt sie über die Teilnehmenden des Kurses neue Menschen mit ihren Problemen kennen, die bald zu guten Freunden werden.
Man merkt, dass die Autorin selbst Erfahrung mit dem Töpfern hat. Vor allem in der ersten Hälfte sind die Berührungen mit dem Ton sehr schön eingefangen. Viele Gedanken und Assoziationen haben mich sehr bewegt. Allerdings werden die in dem Maße wie Jeongmin ins Leben zurückfindet immer weniger bzw. weniger tiefgründig. Die vorhersehbare Liebesgeschichte hätte es für mich nicht gebraucht.
Trotzdem ein hübsch aufgemachtes Wohlfühlbuch mit einer originellen Thematik und zumindest zu Beginn tollen Sprüchen.
Mehr zum Buch im Lesemonat Dezember auf meinem YouTube Kanal „Japan Connect“.
https://youtu.be/v30xqb-KzvI?si=pp8-P...
October 30, 2025
Quando comecei a ler este livro procurava um livro mais leve e com tons outonais. O que encontrei na história de Jungmin foi muito mais do que uma leitura levezinha de outono. É uma jornada de recomeços, de encontrar novos objetivos na vida e de fazer uma pausa na nossa vida mais agitada. Por vezes caminhamos tão depressa na nossa vida que nos esquecemos de respirar, e como isso perdemos a beleza da vida quotidiana.
Jungmin depois de ter um esgotamento devido ao excesso de trabalho, desiste da sua carreira de screenwriter e refugia-se durante meses no seu apartamento. Até que um dia decide sair e encontrar uma loja de cerâmica onde acaba por se inscrever num workshop. É aprendendo a fazer pratos, copos e vasos de cerâmica que a protagonista voltará a encontrar felicidade no seu quotidiano. Aquele seu pequeno "passatempo" dará uma utilidade na sua vida que se encontrava em stand-by. E as novas pessoas que ela conhece, a protagonista finalmente aprenderá a se valorizar e a acreditar nas suas capacidades criativas.
Esta pequena narrativa dialogou mais comigo do que pensava. Por retratar a pressão da vida adulta: de encontramos o trabalho ideal, a sensação de sentirmos um fardo, de queremos aquela pessoa ideal que nunca aparece ou de a sociedade exigir demasiado de nós. Jungmin e o seu entusiasmo pela cerâmica deu-me vontade de aprender algo novo.
Jungmin depois de ter um esgotamento devido ao excesso de trabalho, desiste da sua carreira de screenwriter e refugia-se durante meses no seu apartamento. Até que um dia decide sair e encontrar uma loja de cerâmica onde acaba por se inscrever num workshop. É aprendendo a fazer pratos, copos e vasos de cerâmica que a protagonista voltará a encontrar felicidade no seu quotidiano. Aquele seu pequeno "passatempo" dará uma utilidade na sua vida que se encontrava em stand-by. E as novas pessoas que ela conhece, a protagonista finalmente aprenderá a se valorizar e a acreditar nas suas capacidades criativas.
Esta pequena narrativa dialogou mais comigo do que pensava. Por retratar a pressão da vida adulta: de encontramos o trabalho ideal, a sensação de sentirmos um fardo, de queremos aquela pessoa ideal que nunca aparece ou de a sociedade exigir demasiado de nós. Jungmin e o seu entusiasmo pela cerâmica deu-me vontade de aprender algo novo.
November 20, 2025
3,5 ⭐
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Historias del taller de cerámica Soyo es un libro que destaca por su sensibilidad y por la forma en que logra trasladar al lector a un espacio íntimo, casi ritual, donde la cerámica funciona como puente entre las personas y como metáfora de lo que se rompe y se recompone en la vida.
Uno de los mayores aciertos del libro es su atmósfera. El taller Soyo se siente vivo, acogedor, lleno de olores, texturas y silencios. A través de distintos personajes; algunos más entrañables que otros, la autora explora pérdidas, reencuentros, amistades inesperadas y pequeños despertares emocionales. Hay relatos especialmente logrados, capaces de producir una emoción profunda con muy poco.
Esta historia nos muestra que, la vida, como la cerámica, se moldea de a poco, y las grietas también pueden ser parte de su belleza.
Un libro bonito y contemplativo, con momentos muy emotivos, aunque algo irregular en su ritmo y profundidad
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Historias del taller de cerámica Soyo es un libro que destaca por su sensibilidad y por la forma en que logra trasladar al lector a un espacio íntimo, casi ritual, donde la cerámica funciona como puente entre las personas y como metáfora de lo que se rompe y se recompone en la vida.
Uno de los mayores aciertos del libro es su atmósfera. El taller Soyo se siente vivo, acogedor, lleno de olores, texturas y silencios. A través de distintos personajes; algunos más entrañables que otros, la autora explora pérdidas, reencuentros, amistades inesperadas y pequeños despertares emocionales. Hay relatos especialmente logrados, capaces de producir una emoción profunda con muy poco.
Esta historia nos muestra que, la vida, como la cerámica, se moldea de a poco, y las grietas también pueden ser parte de su belleza.
Un libro bonito y contemplativo, con momentos muy emotivos, aunque algo irregular en su ritmo y profundidad
January 9, 2025
THE HEALING SEASON OF POTTERY is, at its heart, about a young woman experiencing burnout who walks into a pottery studio by chance and finds herself learning the craft while also getting to know the little group of regulars at the studio. It had a cozy, slice of life feel to it that I’ve found really appeals to me as a reader lately.
I didn’t necessarily find that the pacing, character work and writing (or perhaps it could have been the translation) were completely my cup of tea. There were moments that felt a little clunky and almost too straightforward (perhaps blunt is a better term) in execution.
However, this was definitely readable! What I appreciated the most, personally, was the way this novel invited readers to find the value in connection, creative outlets and confronting the things in your past and/or present that weigh you down. So while this isn’t necessarily my favorite novel of this time, I did find value in this read.
I didn’t necessarily find that the pacing, character work and writing (or perhaps it could have been the translation) were completely my cup of tea. There were moments that felt a little clunky and almost too straightforward (perhaps blunt is a better term) in execution.
However, this was definitely readable! What I appreciated the most, personally, was the way this novel invited readers to find the value in connection, creative outlets and confronting the things in your past and/or present that weigh you down. So while this isn’t necessarily my favorite novel of this time, I did find value in this read.
December 20, 2024
I have lost all faith in adult fiction. Another bad one. Is it me? All I seem to really like anymore are the books I read with my kids. The Healing Season of Pottery is so terribly boring that I fought the urge to end early the entire time. Waste. Cute idea. Terrible story.
November 23, 2025
3,75
Ein netter, hoffnungsvoller Roman mit liebenswerten Charakteren und ganz viel Gemütlichkeit. Es werden auch schwerere Themen angesprochen, aber von irgendwas müssen sich die Charaktere ja auch heilen lassen, so will es der Titel :).
Ein netter, hoffnungsvoller Roman mit liebenswerten Charakteren und ganz viel Gemütlichkeit. Es werden auch schwerere Themen angesprochen, aber von irgendwas müssen sich die Charaktere ja auch heilen lassen, so will es der Titel :).
January 19, 2025
3.75 ⭐️ Signed up for a pottery class
April 2, 2025
3,5. Tras abandonar su trabajo como redactora de programas de televisión, Jeongmin se hunde en una profunda depresión, la cual incluso la lleva a no salir de la pequeña casa en el barrio de Bamgashi a la que acaba de mudarse, salvo para lo preciso. No deja de darle vueltas a como abandonó su trabajo cuando dejó de estar cómoda en este, se siente perdida y no encuentra su camino. Un día, cansada de estar sin hacer nada y de lo anodino que es su día a día, decide salir a pasear por el barrio en busca de una cafetería, sin embargo, sus pasos la llevaran casi por accidente a un taller de cerámica llamado “Soyo &”, donde su dueña, Johee, le dará un gran recibimiento. Lo que empieza siendo una manera de pasar el tiempo en un momento complicado, acaba convirtiéndose en un salvavidas para Jeongmin, una manera de conectar con otros y volver a conectar consigo misma, una forma de por fin abrirse a los demás, y también abrirse a un destino que está deseando vivir.
Aunque me declaro un fanático de todas estas historias confortables de literatura japonesa o coreana que están editando en español, debo admitir que el hecho de que todas estén ambientadas en librerías o bibliotecas estaba empezando a resultarme repetitivo. Por eso, este cambio de escenario que podemos apreciar en “Historias del taller de cerámica Soyo”, llevando ese ambiente cozy a un taller de cerámica donde una experta ceramista inicia a todo tipo de personas en el arte de la cerámica, me ha resultado muy refrescante, puede que incluso estimulante, ya que Yeon Somin describe esas clases de cerámica casi como si fueran un experiencia más allá de lo terrenal. Me ha picado la curiosidad para aprender algún día.
Cada uno de los personajes de la historia se relaciona con la cerámica y entiende la actividad de una manera diferente, pero todos la usan como vía de escape ante una situación complicada de su vida. Esta unión que experimentan a través de este arte, consigue que poco a poco forjen un vínculo, y se abran los unos a los otros. He disfrutado de ese abanico tan grande y variado de personajes y como formaban un grupo tierno y creíble, donde todos tenían su lugar en el taller. También siento que la autora consigue que estas relaciones que se dan entre sus personajes, relaciones de diferentes tipos, al cocerse a fuego lento y sin prisas, se sientan reales.
Me ha sorprendido gratamente que pese a que no deja de ser una historia sencilla y tierna, la autora toca temas más profundos y delicados a los habituales en este tipo de novelas, como pueden ser el maltrato, el alcoholismo o la salud mental. Quizás me hubiera gustado que ahondara un poco más en estas cosas, porque se quedan en la superficie, pero entiendo que lo deja en el límite justo para que la historia no pierda ese carácter confortable y esperanzador. Mi cosa favorita de la obra es la existencia de Hoya, un gato callejero que vive cerca del taller y que acaba siendo adoptado con el objetivo de ser salvado de una vida de penurias en la calle. Me ha gustado mucho como trataba el tema la autora, aunque siento que llegado cierto punto se olvida de él y eso me chafó el disfrute.
Un último punto a valorar es la ambientación, es una delicia como la autora va describiendo ese barrio llamado Bamgashi, lleno de almendras, y como las estaciones del año van pasando por él. Es uno de esos libros que te abre el apetito porque no para de hablar de comer, con esa costumbre tan asiática de entender la cocina y el comer junto a seres queridos como una manera de sanar las heridas que la vida te va generando. No sé si es que estoy últimamente sensible y todo me llega más rápdio, pero el final me ha gustado mucho y me ha parecido muy emotivo.
Ahora bien, pese a que no tengo una sola queja (salvo que Hoya no salga más, eso sí) y es una de esas historias sencillas pero bonitas, que te dejan una sonrisa en el rostro al acabarla, debo admitir que cuando empecé a pensar en la reseña me invadió una una sensación agridulce, algo difícil de explicar. ¿Tiene algo malo la historia? No, de hecho he hablado de todas sus virtudes, la he disfrutado y la recomiendo, sin embargo, siento que me ha faltado algo más que me termine de cautivar, ese algo memorable que he encontrado en otras historias confortables que me haga no olvidarme de ellas y sentirla redonda
Aunque me declaro un fanático de todas estas historias confortables de literatura japonesa o coreana que están editando en español, debo admitir que el hecho de que todas estén ambientadas en librerías o bibliotecas estaba empezando a resultarme repetitivo. Por eso, este cambio de escenario que podemos apreciar en “Historias del taller de cerámica Soyo”, llevando ese ambiente cozy a un taller de cerámica donde una experta ceramista inicia a todo tipo de personas en el arte de la cerámica, me ha resultado muy refrescante, puede que incluso estimulante, ya que Yeon Somin describe esas clases de cerámica casi como si fueran un experiencia más allá de lo terrenal. Me ha picado la curiosidad para aprender algún día.
Cada uno de los personajes de la historia se relaciona con la cerámica y entiende la actividad de una manera diferente, pero todos la usan como vía de escape ante una situación complicada de su vida. Esta unión que experimentan a través de este arte, consigue que poco a poco forjen un vínculo, y se abran los unos a los otros. He disfrutado de ese abanico tan grande y variado de personajes y como formaban un grupo tierno y creíble, donde todos tenían su lugar en el taller. También siento que la autora consigue que estas relaciones que se dan entre sus personajes, relaciones de diferentes tipos, al cocerse a fuego lento y sin prisas, se sientan reales.
Me ha sorprendido gratamente que pese a que no deja de ser una historia sencilla y tierna, la autora toca temas más profundos y delicados a los habituales en este tipo de novelas, como pueden ser el maltrato, el alcoholismo o la salud mental. Quizás me hubiera gustado que ahondara un poco más en estas cosas, porque se quedan en la superficie, pero entiendo que lo deja en el límite justo para que la historia no pierda ese carácter confortable y esperanzador. Mi cosa favorita de la obra es la existencia de Hoya, un gato callejero que vive cerca del taller y que acaba siendo adoptado con el objetivo de ser salvado de una vida de penurias en la calle. Me ha gustado mucho como trataba el tema la autora, aunque siento que llegado cierto punto se olvida de él y eso me chafó el disfrute.
Un último punto a valorar es la ambientación, es una delicia como la autora va describiendo ese barrio llamado Bamgashi, lleno de almendras, y como las estaciones del año van pasando por él. Es uno de esos libros que te abre el apetito porque no para de hablar de comer, con esa costumbre tan asiática de entender la cocina y el comer junto a seres queridos como una manera de sanar las heridas que la vida te va generando. No sé si es que estoy últimamente sensible y todo me llega más rápdio, pero el final me ha gustado mucho y me ha parecido muy emotivo.
Ahora bien, pese a que no tengo una sola queja (salvo que Hoya no salga más, eso sí) y es una de esas historias sencillas pero bonitas, que te dejan una sonrisa en el rostro al acabarla, debo admitir que cuando empecé a pensar en la reseña me invadió una una sensación agridulce, algo difícil de explicar. ¿Tiene algo malo la historia? No, de hecho he hablado de todas sus virtudes, la he disfrutado y la recomiendo, sin embargo, siento que me ha faltado algo más que me termine de cautivar, ese algo memorable que he encontrado en otras historias confortables que me haga no olvidarme de ellas y sentirla redonda
January 12, 2025
A very nice, warm book about healing and finding people that help you be yourself again. 5 ⭐.
May 23, 2025
3.5
Me ha gustado que la ambientación de la historia haya cambiado de una librería a un taller de cerámica, pues aunque me encantas estás historias cozy, el hecho de estar ambientadas en los mismos a veces cansa.
El hecho de como estaban narradas las escenas en el taller me transportaba allí y hasta podía sentir la arcilla bajo mis manos.
Y para que mentir, me han entrado ganas de aprender cerámica jejeje.
Me ha encantado la historia pese a ser tierna y sencilla, y como resuelven los problemas (que aunque han sido más delicados y profundos) aunque se han quedado un poco en la superficie, pero entiendo que no quiera ahondar para mantener lo cozy de la historia.
Si bien no tengo queja alguna, me ha dejado un poco seca con el final. Esperaba algo más para que terminara de callarme del todo.
Me ha gustado que la ambientación de la historia haya cambiado de una librería a un taller de cerámica, pues aunque me encantas estás historias cozy, el hecho de estar ambientadas en los mismos a veces cansa.
El hecho de como estaban narradas las escenas en el taller me transportaba allí y hasta podía sentir la arcilla bajo mis manos.
Y para que mentir, me han entrado ganas de aprender cerámica jejeje.
Me ha encantado la historia pese a ser tierna y sencilla, y como resuelven los problemas (que aunque han sido más delicados y profundos) aunque se han quedado un poco en la superficie, pero entiendo que no quiera ahondar para mantener lo cozy de la historia.
Si bien no tengo queja alguna, me ha dejado un poco seca con el final. Esperaba algo más para que terminara de callarme del todo.
November 24, 2025
⭐️3.75/5
🪔 synopsis: jungmin (FL), once a broadcast writer, develops a severe case of writer’s block that ends her career, trapping her in a suffocating burnout. jungmin is depressed and shuts herself completely off from society, making her a hermit. until a hot summer day pushes her outside her apartment in search of a caffeinated drink.
by mistake, she walks into 소요& (SOYO), a pottery studio she assumes is a café. there, the warm-hearted owner johee offers her coffee in a handmade mug and extends an unexpected invitation to try pottery.
something in that small act of kindness cracks open the quiet numbness around jungmin and she fins herself returning to the studio.
as she learns to shape clay, she meets classmates who carry their own scars and hopes. together, they form a close, honest community, supportive yet unafraid to nudge each other toward growth. through their friendship and the gentle rhythm of the pottery wheel, Jungmin begins to rediscover joy and rebuild confidence.
pottery becomes a metaphor for her own healing journey: messy, slow, imperfect and deeply meaningful. in reshaping clay, jungmin slowly reshapes her life. Because even beauty can emerge from flaws.
🪔thoughts: this gentle slice-of-life novel focuses deeply on healing, especially through the quiet art of pottery. it’s a warm, comforting story that never rushes the process of recovery. instead, it acknowledges that healing moves at its own pace - slow for some, quicker for others and that both are completely okay.
what truly surprised me was how inspiring and vivid the descriptions of pottery were. the novel beautifully explains the craft, from forming a simple coffee cup to shaping plates, vases, and sturdy pots. it shows pottery not only as a hobby or “making something,” but as a meaningful art form full of patience, intention and even emotion.
throughout the story, themes like sadness, depression, loneliness, feeling inadequate, and the courage to start again are explored with honesty and tenderness. this book made my heart feel warm, especially while reading it during the colder season. for anyone looking for healing fiction—something cozy, gentle, and real—this novel is a lovely and heartfelt recommendation.
———
10-11
in less than 8 hours? yes i did finish this book, in one go :)
🪔 synopsis: jungmin (FL), once a broadcast writer, develops a severe case of writer’s block that ends her career, trapping her in a suffocating burnout. jungmin is depressed and shuts herself completely off from society, making her a hermit. until a hot summer day pushes her outside her apartment in search of a caffeinated drink.
by mistake, she walks into 소요& (SOYO), a pottery studio she assumes is a café. there, the warm-hearted owner johee offers her coffee in a handmade mug and extends an unexpected invitation to try pottery.
something in that small act of kindness cracks open the quiet numbness around jungmin and she fins herself returning to the studio.
as she learns to shape clay, she meets classmates who carry their own scars and hopes. together, they form a close, honest community, supportive yet unafraid to nudge each other toward growth. through their friendship and the gentle rhythm of the pottery wheel, Jungmin begins to rediscover joy and rebuild confidence.
pottery becomes a metaphor for her own healing journey: messy, slow, imperfect and deeply meaningful. in reshaping clay, jungmin slowly reshapes her life. Because even beauty can emerge from flaws.
🪔thoughts: this gentle slice-of-life novel focuses deeply on healing, especially through the quiet art of pottery. it’s a warm, comforting story that never rushes the process of recovery. instead, it acknowledges that healing moves at its own pace - slow for some, quicker for others and that both are completely okay.
what truly surprised me was how inspiring and vivid the descriptions of pottery were. the novel beautifully explains the craft, from forming a simple coffee cup to shaping plates, vases, and sturdy pots. it shows pottery not only as a hobby or “making something,” but as a meaningful art form full of patience, intention and even emotion.
throughout the story, themes like sadness, depression, loneliness, feeling inadequate, and the courage to start again are explored with honesty and tenderness. this book made my heart feel warm, especially while reading it during the colder season. for anyone looking for healing fiction—something cozy, gentle, and real—this novel is a lovely and heartfelt recommendation.
———
10-11
in less than 8 hours? yes i did finish this book, in one go :)
October 11, 2024
Jesień to pora kiedy szczególnie potrzebujemy wlać w nasze serca odrobinę ciepła i optymizmu. A co zrobi to lepiej niż komfortowa, ciepła i budująca opowieść?
"Oddać obecną porę roku w ceramice"
Czytając „Uzdrawiającą moc ceramiki” koreańskiej autorki Yeon Somin możemy ogrzać się nie tylko przy cieple pieca do wypalania ceramiki, ale i przy emocjach bohaterów tej subtelnej i poruszającej opowieści. Płynąca w niespiesznym tempie następujących po sobie kolejnych pór roku i zmian w życiu gości odwiedzających warsztat ceramiczny historia, niesie ukojenie i siłę.
Każdą z osób trafiających do klimatycznej pracowni „Soyo – w której wypieka się uczucia” prowadzi tu inna ścieżka i choć każda zdaje się mieć inne cele, oczekiwać czegoś innego od sztuki tworzenia ceramiki, to stają się dla siebie niezbędnymi czynnikami budując małą społeczność. W warsztacie Johui dzieje się magia, bo to miejsce nie tylko fizycznej pracy, ale przede wszystkim duchowej przemiany. Szczególnie dla odgradzającej się od świata Jeongmin okazuje się formą terapii, a dotyk gliny, jej kształtowanie i przenoszenie własnych uczuć na materię stają się symbolem jej wewnętrznej transformacji.
Niemal czułam mieszankę ziemistego zapachu gliny i kawy, przy której łatwiej otworzyć się przed drugą osobą i miałam wielką ochotę znaleźć się tam choć na chwilę nie tylko na kartach powieści. W tym niosącym ukojenie miejscu sztuka i małe, codzienne gesty odmieniają życie, a wspólne tworzenie uzdrawia dusze, wzmacnia relacje i buduje mosty między ludźmi.
To piękna opowieść o sztuce, poszukiwaniu siebie i odnajdywaniu sensu w obliczu trudnych doświadczeń życiowych pokazująca, że zawsze mamy wybór, czasem tylko trzeba do niego dojrzeć. To również historia o tworzeniu czegoś pięknego z chaosu oraz o miłości, która pojawia się wtedy, kiedy najmniej się tego spodziewamy. Znajdziemy w niej wiele życiowych mądrości, delikatnych emocji i przekonamy się o sile wspólnoty i podążania za marzeniami.
Urzekająca okładka niesie ze sobą równie cudowną historię. Sprawcie sobie tę odrobinę przyjemności tej jesieni i odwiedźcie klimatyczną pracownię Soyo, może i Wam przyniesie ukojenie i wskaże drogę.
"Oddać obecną porę roku w ceramice"
Czytając „Uzdrawiającą moc ceramiki” koreańskiej autorki Yeon Somin możemy ogrzać się nie tylko przy cieple pieca do wypalania ceramiki, ale i przy emocjach bohaterów tej subtelnej i poruszającej opowieści. Płynąca w niespiesznym tempie następujących po sobie kolejnych pór roku i zmian w życiu gości odwiedzających warsztat ceramiczny historia, niesie ukojenie i siłę.
Każdą z osób trafiających do klimatycznej pracowni „Soyo – w której wypieka się uczucia” prowadzi tu inna ścieżka i choć każda zdaje się mieć inne cele, oczekiwać czegoś innego od sztuki tworzenia ceramiki, to stają się dla siebie niezbędnymi czynnikami budując małą społeczność. W warsztacie Johui dzieje się magia, bo to miejsce nie tylko fizycznej pracy, ale przede wszystkim duchowej przemiany. Szczególnie dla odgradzającej się od świata Jeongmin okazuje się formą terapii, a dotyk gliny, jej kształtowanie i przenoszenie własnych uczuć na materię stają się symbolem jej wewnętrznej transformacji.
Niemal czułam mieszankę ziemistego zapachu gliny i kawy, przy której łatwiej otworzyć się przed drugą osobą i miałam wielką ochotę znaleźć się tam choć na chwilę nie tylko na kartach powieści. W tym niosącym ukojenie miejscu sztuka i małe, codzienne gesty odmieniają życie, a wspólne tworzenie uzdrawia dusze, wzmacnia relacje i buduje mosty między ludźmi.
To piękna opowieść o sztuce, poszukiwaniu siebie i odnajdywaniu sensu w obliczu trudnych doświadczeń życiowych pokazująca, że zawsze mamy wybór, czasem tylko trzeba do niego dojrzeć. To również historia o tworzeniu czegoś pięknego z chaosu oraz o miłości, która pojawia się wtedy, kiedy najmniej się tego spodziewamy. Znajdziemy w niej wiele życiowych mądrości, delikatnych emocji i przekonamy się o sile wspólnoty i podążania za marzeniami.
Urzekająca okładka niesie ze sobą równie cudowną historię. Sprawcie sobie tę odrobinę przyjemności tej jesieni i odwiedźcie klimatyczną pracownię Soyo, może i Wam przyniesie ukojenie i wskaże drogę.
July 22, 2025
After reading and cherishing Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, I was looking forward to slow-reading this one. I've been reading it for over a month, giving myself time to savor it and inform my own thoughts. As someone who had to re-start in life, I know first-hand how hard it is, how depression can quickly make one feel worthless. So, these narratives are empowering because they force the reader to reconsider what 'success' means, but also that there is no streamlined path to follow. We stumble into people, who can become great friends, and even when we plan out our ideal career plan, its reality might be hauntingly unsatisfying.
This is for the readers who are considering change, but feel too frightened. If you are feeling burnt out, crying every morning before work or simply too numb to do more than just survive, I think this would find you better than any email could.
This is for the readers who are considering change, but feel too frightened. If you are feeling burnt out, crying every morning before work or simply too numb to do more than just survive, I think this would find you better than any email could.
January 4, 2025
Thanks to Penguin Publishers/Viking for providing an advance review copy of The Healing Season of Pottery, along with The Rainfall Market and The Marigold Mind Laundry.
First Impressions and Overview
When broken pottery is repaired with gold in the Japanese art of kintsugi, the cracks become part of its beauty. In her graceful debut novel, Yeon Somin approaches human healing with similar artistry - showing how our broken places can be mended with care, time, and the right kind of attention.
The Healing Season of Pottery follows Jungmin, a burnt-out broadcast writer who abruptly quits her job and retreats into isolation. After months as a recluse, she stumbles upon Soyo Workshop while searching for coffee in her neighborhood near Seoul. What begins as an accidental visit evolves into a journey of self-discovery through pottery, as Jungmin finds herself drawn into the workshop's warm community of artists and students.
Writing Style and Literary Craftsmanship
Yeon's prose has a meditative quality that mirrors the contemplative nature of working with clay. Her writing style is refreshingly understated—she trusts readers to sit with moments of silence and introspection rather than filling every space with exposition. The author demonstrates particular skill in sensory details:
"As the coffee was served, its aroma crawled in amidst the smell of clay that hung in the air. In an instant, the space filled with a scent that she couldn’t describe in words. That harmony between the smell of clay and coffee. It was an aroma she’d never imagined before, but it wasn’t bad. The physiological judgments of the nose—sweet, bitter, fishy—were preceded by an emotional judgment: “harmless.” For Jungmin, highly sensitive to smell, it wasn’t often she trusted her emotions over her nose."
These sensory touchpoints ground us in the physical experience while hinting at deeper emotional resonance. The translation by Clare Richards maintains this delicate balance, carrying over the original Korean text's poetic qualities without sacrificing clarity.
Character Development and Relationships
The Workshop Community
One of the novel's greatest strengths lies in its lovingly crafted ensemble cast. The Soyo Workshop becomes a microcosm of healing and growth, populated by characters who are all wrestling with their own forms of brokenness:
- Johee, the workshop owner carrying grief for her late husband
- Jihye, struggling to find direction in her career and life
- Jun, a talented young artist torn between family expectations and personal passion
- Gisik, seeking to build something authentic despite others' skepticism
The evolving dynamics between these characters feel natural and earned. Particularly compelling is the slow-burn romance between Jungmin and Gisik, which develops with a gentleness that mirrors the patience required in pottery-making.
The Protagonist's Journey
Jungmin's character arc is masterfully rendered. Her initial emotional numbness thaws gradually through learning pottery, making the eventual breakthrough moments more impactful. The author resists the temptation to rush her healing, showing instead how recovery often comes in fits and starts:
"Like this, the thirty blocks of clay were lumped together over and over, until all that remained were two pieces. With Johee’s help, Jungmin had pinched in the end of one and actually made it look like a vase. The other was a wide, shallow bowl. Though they could never compare to Jun's perfectly molded works, or Gisik's creatively designed ones, Jungmin was satisfied. She was beginning to find her center."
Themes and Symbolism
The Metaphor of Clay
The central metaphor of pottery-making proves rich ground for exploring themes of transformation and self-discovery. Clay must be centered before it can be shaped; it requires both firmness and gentleness; it can be reformed countless times before firing. These qualities create natural parallels to personal growth and healing.
Time and Seasonality
The novel's structure follows the changing seasons, with each section reflecting different stages of emotional development. This attention to natural cycles emphasizes how healing cannot be rushed - like clay in a kiln, it requires the right conditions and timing.
Minor Critiques
While the novel's gentle pacing generally serves the story well, some readers may find the middle section slightly meandering. A few subplots, particularly involving secondary characters' backstories, could have been more fully developed or omitted for tighter narrative focus.
Additionally, the resolution of Jungmin's family conflict feels somewhat abbreviated compared to the careful development of other story elements. A deeper exploration of this reconciliation might have provided more emotional satisfaction.
Cultural Context and Universal Appeal
Though firmly grounded in contemporary Korean culture, The Healing Season of Pottery explores universal themes that will resonate with readers globally. The novel offers fascinating glimpses into Korean pottery traditions while keeping its focus on the human elements that transcend cultural boundaries.
The book joins a growing category of contemplative Asian literature exploring themes of healing and community, alongside works like Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina.
Final Thoughts
The Healing Season of Pottery is a quietly powerful novel about the restorative power of art and community. While it may not appeal to readers seeking fast-paced plots, those willing to slow down and sink into its meditative rhythms will find much to appreciate.
Yeon Somin has crafted a debut that, like well-made pottery, finds beauty in simplicity and strength in careful attention to craft. The novel reminds us that healing isn't always about dramatic breakthroughs—sometimes it comes through the steady practice of showing up, day after day, willing to try again.
First Impressions and Overview
When broken pottery is repaired with gold in the Japanese art of kintsugi, the cracks become part of its beauty. In her graceful debut novel, Yeon Somin approaches human healing with similar artistry - showing how our broken places can be mended with care, time, and the right kind of attention.
The Healing Season of Pottery follows Jungmin, a burnt-out broadcast writer who abruptly quits her job and retreats into isolation. After months as a recluse, she stumbles upon Soyo Workshop while searching for coffee in her neighborhood near Seoul. What begins as an accidental visit evolves into a journey of self-discovery through pottery, as Jungmin finds herself drawn into the workshop's warm community of artists and students.
Writing Style and Literary Craftsmanship
Yeon's prose has a meditative quality that mirrors the contemplative nature of working with clay. Her writing style is refreshingly understated—she trusts readers to sit with moments of silence and introspection rather than filling every space with exposition. The author demonstrates particular skill in sensory details:
"As the coffee was served, its aroma crawled in amidst the smell of clay that hung in the air. In an instant, the space filled with a scent that she couldn’t describe in words. That harmony between the smell of clay and coffee. It was an aroma she’d never imagined before, but it wasn’t bad. The physiological judgments of the nose—sweet, bitter, fishy—were preceded by an emotional judgment: “harmless.” For Jungmin, highly sensitive to smell, it wasn’t often she trusted her emotions over her nose."
These sensory touchpoints ground us in the physical experience while hinting at deeper emotional resonance. The translation by Clare Richards maintains this delicate balance, carrying over the original Korean text's poetic qualities without sacrificing clarity.
Character Development and Relationships
The Workshop Community
One of the novel's greatest strengths lies in its lovingly crafted ensemble cast. The Soyo Workshop becomes a microcosm of healing and growth, populated by characters who are all wrestling with their own forms of brokenness:
- Johee, the workshop owner carrying grief for her late husband
- Jihye, struggling to find direction in her career and life
- Jun, a talented young artist torn between family expectations and personal passion
- Gisik, seeking to build something authentic despite others' skepticism
The evolving dynamics between these characters feel natural and earned. Particularly compelling is the slow-burn romance between Jungmin and Gisik, which develops with a gentleness that mirrors the patience required in pottery-making.
The Protagonist's Journey
Jungmin's character arc is masterfully rendered. Her initial emotional numbness thaws gradually through learning pottery, making the eventual breakthrough moments more impactful. The author resists the temptation to rush her healing, showing instead how recovery often comes in fits and starts:
"Like this, the thirty blocks of clay were lumped together over and over, until all that remained were two pieces. With Johee’s help, Jungmin had pinched in the end of one and actually made it look like a vase. The other was a wide, shallow bowl. Though they could never compare to Jun's perfectly molded works, or Gisik's creatively designed ones, Jungmin was satisfied. She was beginning to find her center."
Themes and Symbolism
The Metaphor of Clay
The central metaphor of pottery-making proves rich ground for exploring themes of transformation and self-discovery. Clay must be centered before it can be shaped; it requires both firmness and gentleness; it can be reformed countless times before firing. These qualities create natural parallels to personal growth and healing.
Time and Seasonality
The novel's structure follows the changing seasons, with each section reflecting different stages of emotional development. This attention to natural cycles emphasizes how healing cannot be rushed - like clay in a kiln, it requires the right conditions and timing.
Minor Critiques
While the novel's gentle pacing generally serves the story well, some readers may find the middle section slightly meandering. A few subplots, particularly involving secondary characters' backstories, could have been more fully developed or omitted for tighter narrative focus.
Additionally, the resolution of Jungmin's family conflict feels somewhat abbreviated compared to the careful development of other story elements. A deeper exploration of this reconciliation might have provided more emotional satisfaction.
Cultural Context and Universal Appeal
Though firmly grounded in contemporary Korean culture, The Healing Season of Pottery explores universal themes that will resonate with readers globally. The novel offers fascinating glimpses into Korean pottery traditions while keeping its focus on the human elements that transcend cultural boundaries.
The book joins a growing category of contemplative Asian literature exploring themes of healing and community, alongside works like Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina.
Final Thoughts
The Healing Season of Pottery is a quietly powerful novel about the restorative power of art and community. While it may not appeal to readers seeking fast-paced plots, those willing to slow down and sink into its meditative rhythms will find much to appreciate.
Yeon Somin has crafted a debut that, like well-made pottery, finds beauty in simplicity and strength in careful attention to craft. The novel reminds us that healing isn't always about dramatic breakthroughs—sometimes it comes through the steady practice of showing up, day after day, willing to try again.
November 4, 2025
Λατρεύω γενικά no plot just vibes βιβλία, αλλά με το συγκεκριμένο δεν ενθουσιάστηκα.
September 28, 2025
[2.0 / 5.0] ★★✩✩✩
Ebok, Norsk (Bokmål), Bookbites/Biblioteket
Søt historie, men meeh ... Den fenget meg bare ikke 🥱
Ebok, Norsk (Bokmål), Bookbites/Biblioteket
Søt historie, men meeh ... Den fenget meg bare ikke 🥱
December 28, 2024
★5/5★
Este libro es pequeño pero perfecto, la literatura coreana es hermosa, porque nos muestran perspectivas de la vida desde ángulos realistas y a la vez maravillosos.
Los personajes de esta historia, cada uno tiene sus problemas, centrándose claro en Jeongmin, pero la trama nos hace ver como nuestros caminos se entrelazan con los demás, y como siempre hay una esperanza aunque al principio todo parecía perdido.
La construcción de la historia es preciosa, tanto en ambiente como en la profundidad de cada uno de los personajes.
Me gustó mucho, uno de mis libros favoritos del año.
Este libro es pequeño pero perfecto, la literatura coreana es hermosa, porque nos muestran perspectivas de la vida desde ángulos realistas y a la vez maravillosos.
Los personajes de esta historia, cada uno tiene sus problemas, centrándose claro en Jeongmin, pero la trama nos hace ver como nuestros caminos se entrelazan con los demás, y como siempre hay una esperanza aunque al principio todo parecía perdido.
La construcción de la historia es preciosa, tanto en ambiente como en la profundidad de cada uno de los personajes.
Me gustó mucho, uno de mis libros favoritos del año.
March 1, 2025
Un roman doux et sensible sur une jeune femme qui surmonte son burn-out grâce à une nouvelle passion. J'ai beaucoup aimé, c'est un roman qui fait du bien au coeur. La fin est aussi douce qu'innatendue. 🥰
August 3, 2025
Healing fiction é muito agradável e satisfatório de ler, contudo é "difícil" de definir...
Esta história demonstra que é possível recomeçar, é possível reencontrar a nossa força e voz após acharmos que estamos perdidos no fundo do poço.
Quer seja através de um hobby ou de alguém que nos dá a mão e um ombro amigo, podemos voltar a ser quem somos ou alguém que não julgávamos poder ser.
Foi uma leitura bonita, gostei, mas por vezes focava-se demasiado na cerâmica e isso deamotivou-me um pouco. Ainda assim, dentro do género é bom.
Esta história demonstra que é possível recomeçar, é possível reencontrar a nossa força e voz após acharmos que estamos perdidos no fundo do poço.
Quer seja através de um hobby ou de alguém que nos dá a mão e um ombro amigo, podemos voltar a ser quem somos ou alguém que não julgávamos poder ser.
Foi uma leitura bonita, gostei, mas por vezes focava-se demasiado na cerâmica e isso deamotivou-me um pouco. Ainda assim, dentro do género é bom.
December 26, 2024
Not the right ceramics cup pairing to my coffee blend.
I kept thinking that I may not be depressed enough to relate to the main character. She seemed to be written in an intentionally unlikeable way, while every side character kept praising her. At times, the internal monolog hinted that she found herself pitiful, so points for self-awareness, but I never got that feeling while reading. She just seemed unlikeable in the first half, while everyone else was written way more favorable, which just made her look rude in interactions.
Once the romance subplot is in motion, the story deviates to the side characters but never comes back to explore how this new budding love impacts her routine at the workshop or thoughts about the future. The last few chapters felt more as if they were written to tie up loose strands in order to consider the story finished rather than contribute something to it.
It may be more suited for someone who is going through something similar to the protagonist's inertia.
I kept thinking that I may not be depressed enough to relate to the main character. She seemed to be written in an intentionally unlikeable way, while every side character kept praising her. At times, the internal monolog hinted that she found herself pitiful, so points for self-awareness, but I never got that feeling while reading. She just seemed unlikeable in the first half, while everyone else was written way more favorable, which just made her look rude in interactions.
Once the romance subplot is in motion, the story deviates to the side characters but never comes back to explore how this new budding love impacts her routine at the workshop or thoughts about the future. The last few chapters felt more as if they were written to tie up loose strands in order to consider the story finished rather than contribute something to it.
It may be more suited for someone who is going through something similar to the protagonist's inertia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2025
#8
this book has been nothing but lovely. it tenderly depicted the beautiful power of healing in doing the most minuscule and mundane thing — through pottery. there lies even the slightest bit of hope and joy in the midst of crafting something small but meaningful with your own mere hands. indeed, there is healing contained in the season of pottery and everything else good in this world (ᵕ—ᴗ—) i adore sm !! ㅤ♡
this book has been nothing but lovely. it tenderly depicted the beautiful power of healing in doing the most minuscule and mundane thing — through pottery. there lies even the slightest bit of hope and joy in the midst of crafting something small but meaningful with your own mere hands. indeed, there is healing contained in the season of pottery and everything else good in this world (ᵕ—ᴗ—) i adore sm !! ㅤ♡
April 2, 2025
Bookclub book. I do not feel healed.
The book however was successful in making me feel what it is that ppl who don't like reading books feel.
One star for cat and the ice cream graveyard.
Terrible & would not recommend.
The book however was successful in making me feel what it is that ppl who don't like reading books feel.
One star for cat and the ice cream graveyard.
Terrible & would not recommend.
January 26, 2025
3,5⭐ turns out I also like Korean books that have a cat on the front cover 🥲
January 29, 2025
DNF
I’m not sure if it was because this book was translated or just the writing style but it bothered me.
I’m not sure if it was because this book was translated or just the writing style but it bothered me.
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