What a thoughtful and heartwarming read! When I saw this book on NetGalley I got super intrigued because of the cover and by reading the synopsis I thought that it was perfect for me and I was right. I loved the slow and slice of life feeling that this gave me. As someone who’s dealing with feeling burned out in all aspects of life, this hit particularly close to home. Reading Jungmin’s story was heartwarming and bittersweet at the same time. Some moments almost made me bawl my eyes out and I loved all the characters in this. Each had a story to tell, but no matter how dark it all felt extremely comforting. If you’re looking for a book that feels like a warm hug, you should pick this one up!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully written novel which manages to capture the therapeutic, 'healing' qualities of pottery. But anyone who has found solace in crafting (whatever the medium) will be able to appreciate the charm of this. A truly wonderful story.

This book was genuinely so beautiful, with the metaphor of the clay and hurdles the MC faces in creating what she hopes to juxtaposed against her life as she tries to leave behind a career that wasn't fulfilling her and find peace. A lot of the metaphor really hit home for me and the description was just so rich. The characters were all loveable and it felt like a warm and cosy atmosphere and experience I'd like to return to in a reread.

I liked the way the honorifics were retained in Korean . The author points out that healing takes time when we are wounded, he associates it with pottery ( creating a small plate or vase takes time here we can't get it done in one go, we tend to break multiple till we get a fine one . Similarly we hit many blocks and break in life yet we have to move on with time, take life slowly) . There are some lags in some sub stories but I felt fulfilled at the end of the book, jungmin's character is relatable. Overall it's a good read

Jungmin quit her jobs months ago as she felt burnt out. She was so burnt out that she has hibernated, hardly making contact with the outside world but she is now ready to find herself again and as she wanders the streets of Seoul, she comes across a pottery workshop called Soyo. It is a place where “the kiln will fire your heart” and slowly but surely Jungmin starts to make new friends and comes across faces she knows from the past, as she learns to master the art of pottery. And she isn’t the only one to find solace in this workshop and together all those who come through its doors heal each other and make the workshop an even better place than when Jungmin first stepped through its doors.

This is the kind of book I would usually really enjoy but for some reason, this one didn’t quite work for me until almost the very end. I did enjoy the idea of the story and the last few chapters read much better but I found that overall it didn’t quite flow for me and I also found it quite hard to keep track of the characters as many of the names were very similar. I do have this in Hungarian too so I will give it another try that way to see whether it reads differently in another translation. I have seen some lovely reviews for it so it may just be me.

Such a heartwarming, charming read following Jungmin who is struggling with the path life is taking her and ends up moving house, discovering a little pottery studio down the road. I found the storyline very relatable and realistic, and enjoyed the character development and the way Somin uses metaphors throughout every day life to help ease the mind into understanding lifes lessons in a gentle way. Very powerful and poignant messages.

This is what I've been looking for amongst the many translated novels I have recently read! Endearing and real, I felt like I could easily relate to Jungmin trying to navigate her depression and burnout by slowly healing herself through pottery, food and finding her own family amongst the other Soyo pottery class attendees. After suffering a breakdown working as a TV writer, Jungmin stumbles across a pottery store that welcomes her in and she slowly starts rebuilding her life from there. A lot of healing and a pinch of romance for good measure, this was a fantastic read!

Jungmin’s journey finding her will to live was slow and beautiful. Working with her hands making ceramics and meeting people helped her find a slower pace and start the healing. There is a slice of life narrative for sure, finding kindness and a place in the community.

Loved this gentle, reflective little gem and the honest way it examines depression and self doubt; I found myself constantly wanting to return to the cosy little neighbourhood to continue the year with its cast of characters in the pottery studio, seeing what they were getting up to. A relatable, wistful and comforting read - definitely healing for the soul. Felt like a special little book.

This was an interesting story of loss, love, friendship and acceptance, almost a love story, although difficult to understand at times, not sure if it was the translation or something else but I looked up several things and persevered with it and I'm glad I did

The life of a young woman attempting to get out of her depression put by starting a new hobby.

I enjoyed this book, I love the premise of making something just to get out of your own head

I did think it slowed down in the middle which is why it's not higher rated for me but still an enjoyable book!

This book had me feeling so seen. Jungmin’s story was heartbreaking and heartwarming, and I thoroughly enjoyed her story.

This was a very cosy and lighthearted read that, in a way, reminded me of Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop. However, it didn't have the same emotional impact on me as Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop had. I still very much enjoyed reading about Jungmin's journey, with her trying to get out of her shell ad recover from the emotional damage left by her previous job and trying to start again, with having a different perspective in mind. I loved the descriptions of pottery, of the techniques that all the people used to make dishes and how it all related to their personal lives. It was interesting to see how everything came together in the end, how their issues affected them, what were their relationships with each other and why, essentially, they were the way they were. For me, probably Jun's perspective was the most interesting out of all secondary characters, how a young person doesn't know how to tell his parents, that the path they chose for him is not something he particularly enjoys and he only does everything to satisfy his parents even if for him it feels like a chore. Johee's story was captivating as well, although quite sad when you think about it, but it explains why the pottery shop is so precious to her. Overall, this was a very interesting read, emotional and reflective in different ways and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Thank you Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

I enjoyed reading The Healing Season of Pottery by Yeon Somin (translated by Clare Richards) which I downloaded to my iPhone courtesy of NetGalley.
This is a significant narrative where the main character Jungmin is a thirty-year-old woman living in a village in her homeland of Korea. Her life has taken an unexpected turn and essentially this novel follows her path to understanding and renewal.
As an English reader it is obvious that this is a translated text and so I utilised nicknames for the character names that I found difficult. Some of the menu items I was not familiar with, but the food was often described and sounded delicious!
The underlying story was slowly revealed. It contained some sadness and solitude although the times spent at Soyo where the pottery classes were held fostered a place to restore happiness and balance.
Within the first few pages I connected with the description of the bicycle comparison, and throughout the story with the passing of the seasons. Later in the book there was a unique reference to a car and a relationship breakdown.
There was an undertone of respect within the storyline, and it culminated with a satisfying conclusion. This is a very thoughtful text beautifully written.

I wanted to love this book. I enjoyed exploring all the characters' lives while creating pottery and how the main character changed her mindset after taking these classes. However, I found it slow and longer than it should have been. Ultimately, this book wasn't really for me but I am sure others will love it.

A truly beautiful Book set around a Pottery & the characters that use it to help to heal the stress & other complicated things within each of their lives. Yeon Somin writes with a wonderful poetical phrasing which in turn gives more realism & depth to each of the characters & their lives at & outside the Pottery workshop & Café. #NetGalley, # GoodReads, #FB, #Amazon.co.uk, #Instagram, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/8a5b541512e66ae64954bdaab137035a5b2a89d2" width="80" height="80" alt="200 Book Reviews" title="200 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>.

Going into this book, I really enjoyed the cosy feel and I could vividly imagine what was going on whilst I was reading. As someone who's struggled with burn-out and that 'lost' feeling, this book perfectly captures how day-to-day life can be healed slowly through finding new passions and connections in unexpected places. Reading this made me yearn more for this new era of healing novels and I can't wait to see what else Yeon Somin writes in the future.

Soothing and lovely to read!
It’s so cozy and I loved all the pottery aspects so much!
Some of the Korean words required some googling for me to fully appreciate everything but that’s on me!
To summarise - cozy and amazing!

'Cracks were forming in the silence that Jungmin had been protecting for months. As they widened, it felt good, freeing.'

This is a charming, uplifting novel, a soothing balm against the chaos and troubles of modern life. Jungmin has given up her stressful job in the TV industry and has retreated into herself, basically never leaving her apartment and living in seclusion. On a rare visit out she stumbles across a pottery workshop, mistaking it at first for a café. But this chance encounter is the start of a new life, and in her return visits to the pottery she encounters a cast of characters who allow her to open up, face the demons of her past and move on.

I keep using the phrase 'healing fiction' with, it seems, a lot of the things that I read, and its easy to see why they are so popular. This is a quiet, subtle novel, excellently translated by Clare Richards, and is honest enough to explore some serious themes whilst also giving a positive outcome and a sense of change: 'Like the waves, the seasons flowed in, and flowed out.'

Oh, and there's a cute cat as well, so that's all good. 4.5 stars.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

I did enjoyed this book as a simple and cosy story. It gave me the desire to create, to make something with my hands, to discover new hobby and to share it all with new people I met. It was a nice book to read. Thank you Penguin General UK for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.