Dear literary citizens of Nación Libro, as you know, it is common in our literary community to review content by Hispanic & Latin American authors. This week, however, we have decided to make an exception, actually a very fortunate one.

This is a fascinating novel, the brainchild of South Korean author Won-pyung Sohn about the life of a boy named Yunjae who was born with a condition called alexithymia, which prevents him from recognizing and expressing emotions. This disease is associated with a deficiency of a cerebral amygdala which is generally the size of an almond.

While as a child he has the protection of his mother and his grandmother, the protagonist leads a more or less bearable life because they are the ones who “train” him in recognizing reactions of those around him.

But a terrible incident separates him from both when he reaches puberty, thus forcing him to manage alone to interact with the world, a world that is often hostile to people with special needs.

This is how Yunjae meets two people who become key in his life: A girl his age called Dora who awakens certain unknown sensations in him. He also meets Gon, a troubled teenager who suffered a terrible childhood, and who confronts him with dangerous episodes.

Widely awarded internationally, this is a novel about a very unusual topic. For this reason and for its jovial narrative, we trust that it will very quickly become one of his favorites. Do not miss it!