Rate this book

Once The Shore (2009)

by Paul Yoon(Favorite Author)

3.88 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1932511709 (ISBN13: 9781932511703)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Sarabande Books

review 1: I enjoyed Paul Yoon's first novel, this short story collection proceeded it and I was looking forward to reading it. What's so incredibly impressive is that Once the Shore is every word as good if not better. For an author so young to write with such emotional maturity, such succinctly stunning narrative...these stories were a powerhouse each in their own quiet way. Just like an artist can use spare brush strokes to convey a landscape, Yoon uses spare plain wording to create an entire world, in this case of an island off the coast of Korea and its inhabitants from the time of just after World War Two and into the present time. The stories are very lightly interconnected, more thematically so than tangibly. Just as with his novel, Yoon masters capturing the beauty and meani... moreng of small (as in the opposite of large and loud, not as in insignificant) lives. There is a grace to such lives, a sort of quiet dignity, an importance easily overlooked in a gigantic overwhelming noisy world. Whether for the sheer beauty of the language, for learning about another culture, for expanding your world view or your heart...this is a phenomenal and exceptionally moving read. Highly recommended.
review 2: This was a very well-crafted series of short stories, all taking place on the fictional island of Solla, off the coast of Korea. Yoon presents a place, characters, and gentle story line to the reader for the purpose of presenting some beautiful writing. The stories are interesting, but are not the main focus. His themes are very sad, but thought-provoking: loss, being an outcast, regret, the consequences of war on the innocent populations at their mercy. There are also several perspectives on the east-west confrontation--sometimes gentle, sometimes jarring. I did not feel like I learned much about Korean culture, but now I am curious about it and will likely find more novels that take place there to help me get that sense. less

Download links for: Once the Shore

Advertising