かけがえのない心

by Cho Haejin, チョ・ヘジン, オ・ヨンア (Translator)

お母さん、聞こえますか?
私はこうして生きています。

幼少期、海外養子縁組に出されたナナは、フランスで役者兼劇作家として暮らす。
そんな彼女に突然、人生を変える2つの知らせが届く。

別れた恋人との間に子どもを妊娠したことと、韓国から来た、自分の人生を追ったドキュメンタリー映画への出演依頼と。

生みの親を知らないナナは、生まれてくる子どものためにも自分が“誰なのか"を見つけようとソウルへ向かう。
そして、思いもしなかった人たちとの出会いから、35年前、駅に捨てられた暗い記憶の糸が少しずつほぐれていき……。

海外へ養子に出された子どもたち、米軍の基地村で生きた女性たち……。
現代韓国の歴史の中でなきものとされてきた人たちに、ひと筋の光を差し込む秀作長編小説。
第27回大山文学賞受賞作

Genres: Fiction, Adoption

256 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2019

Reviews

[Kiera Spann · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Simple Heart’ is a profoundly moving story of one woman’s journey of rediscovering her past and facing her traumas by traveling back to Korea, where she was born and abandoned as a child before being adopted.

It vaguely reminded me of the 2017 movie ‘Lion’ and the writing structure was reminiscent of Ocean Vuong’s ‘On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous’. I was consistently pulled into the story both with beautiful writing and the plot. I would highly recommend for those who are fans of literary fiction and any self-discovery/ character introspection novels.

The story was also multi-linear, and deviated from the original concept to include much larger societal themes and characters throughout that I found DEEPLY impressive for a book that clocks in at less than 250 pages.

My only hesitancy with any part of this book was the emphasis on stressing motherhood and heavily discouraging (and certain characters shaming abortion and adoption. In the current US political climate, this can be a nuanced issue. However, it’s also a nuanced issue in the book that the narrator herself is coping with, so I’m giving it some grace. Just know to expect it!

Over impression: Highly expressed, beautiful story, and I think will be a high contender for translated work awards next year (US release date is in Feb 2026, I read as an ARC (thank you!!))
Overall rating : 4.5/5 !

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small novel packs a lot in and it's incredibly thought provoking. Nana, formerly know as Munju, is a French Korean playwright, who is also a transracial adoptee, goes back to Korea to be part of a documentary, in search of her origin story. While there, she also befriends an older restaurant owner, who feeds her body and soul. This exploration of transracial adoptions through Munju's and another's as well as feelings of displacement and abandonment, capture why this is such a complex issue. And, it's only explorations of these lives is how better understanding can be attained.

I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“그러니까 하나의 생명을 외면하지 않고 자기 삶으로 끌어들이는 방식…”(130p)

어릴 적 프랑스로 입양된 주인공 문주는, 우연한 기회로 입양을 다룬 다큐멘터리를 촬영하기 위해 한국을 찾게 된다. 그 과정에서 그녀는 자신과 비슷한 사연을 지닌 아이를 해외로 입양 보냈던 낯선 이를 우연히 만나게 된다. 지금까지 문주를 버티게 해왔던 ‘철로에 버려졌다’는 왜곡된 기억과 그로부터 비롯된 분노는, 또 다른 입양아 복희의 이야기를 따라가며 드러나는 진실 앞에서 서서히 변화해 간다.

누군가가 아무 조건 없이 건넨 환대가 여러 사람의 우주를 조금씩 바꿔가는 과정.... 그 변화가 마음을 뭉클하게 만든다.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A profound book which led me to think. This book depicts those adopted children’s self-struggle and unsureness of their own identities very well. I was touched by the way woman helps woman, the kindness that a stranger can give to a baby.

[Yujia Huang · Rating 3 out of 5]

太啰嗦了。主角的内心戏我很难共情，特别是她怀孕时候对子宫内那个胚胎的感情，难以理解。故事本身挺动人，但加上这些难以让人理解的内心戏就变成了咯噔文学。