Looking for a better life in the rain
Book review: The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang
The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang
Published: January 21, 2025 by Ace
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Synopsis:
On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. They say that if you send a letter detailing your misfortunes there, you could receive a ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you'll be granted entrance into the mysterious Rainfall Market—where you can choose to completely change your life.
No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket. Lonely and with no real prospects for a future, Serin ventures to the market, determined to create a better life for herself.
There, she meets a magical cat companion named Issha and they search through bookstores, perfumeries, and fantastical realms while Serin tries to determine what her perfect life will look like.
The catch? Serin only has one week to find her happiness or be doomed to vanish into the market forever.
And all the while, a shadow follows quietly behind them…
Rating:
Review:
I’ve had my eye on this one since it was published because the cover is absolutely stunning. The colors are vibrant, the title makes you curious and the entire package is very appealing. The story is also an appealing idea. Everyone has wondered what kind of life they would want if they could pick another one. The entire idea made me anticipate a cozy fantasy novel with a message. And this book delivered exactly that promise.
Serin was a likeable character with a tragic story. She has read a book about a man who wrote a letter explaining his life’s misfortunes and in exchange he received a letter to visit the Rainfall Market. He was given the opportunity to get a better life than he had. Serin decides that it’s worth the risk. So, she writes. About her father dying when she’s young, her sister ran away and is never seen again, she has no friends, she has no viable prospects for her future and she longs for something better.
Her journey through the Rainfall Market was inspiring and fun. Though this is marketed as an adult story it felt like a young adult. Based on the content and the writing this was closer to a middle grade read than an adult. But it didn’t mean that I love it any less. The characters are fun and cozy. The setting is adorable. Serin is a sweet guide through the whole thing. It was so cozy that I wanted to curl up in my fuzzy blanket with a cup of tea to read it.
Like with any good story of this sort, Serin learns some lessons along the way. She finds from friends. She discovers that there is no such thing as a perfect life. Ultimately she discovers that her life will be what she makes of it. It was a quick read and an enjoyable one.