I received an ARC from NetGalley and I'm willingly leaving my review
Translated from Korean (the author is Korean so I'm presuming). The huge problem I had is that many titles, nouns, words, were still all in Korean, so I was confused most of the time. Having a laundromat take away your pain and sadness was well executed but it came with mini sermons about life all through with many repeats about people, life, and regrets. We were never told about Hae-in's life. TRIGGERS: severe bullying, depression, family abandonment, etc.

I could benefit from a trip to Marigold Mind Laundry!
This book is good for anyone who enjoys self-reflection and stories of hope.
My only dislike was that some moments it felt like the writing slipped from third person fiction to non-fiction self-help.

The premise of this reminded me of any number of Kdrama with an immortal protagonist doing something magically mundane to help folks, while also on some personal quest. It also seemed reminiscent of Japanese books about eateries and bookeries with a revolving door of clientele processing specific traumas aided by the magical or clever help of the proprietors. Usually it scratches a very specific cozy, magical realism itch for me. This one, however, was entirely too steeped in trauma for the mundane business coziness element to really be a grounding effect. For one thing, Jieun's whole immortality mechanism made zero sense and felt purposefully obfuscated. The total suspense of disbelief from the scant few customers we see using the "laundry service" detracts from the very real traumatic journey they describe. While all the clientele end up being a sort of found family that sort of end up helping Jieun, the overall execu is just entirely too hand wavey for much emotional impact. The lessons too true and magic ultimately becoming unremarkable set dressing. This one needed an editor BAD to flesh out and make more coherent in its emotional intent.

"The enigmatic owner of a magical laundromat that erases people’s painful memories must learn to find her own peace before she can truly help others."

Cozy: like a warm drink or a tight hug. This book is precious.

This book, a bestseller in Korea, offers a series of reflections on how to not let unhappy memories or uncomfortable feelings ruin your life. These are delivered in a cozy and magical way. The pain or wrinkles in your heart or mind are manifested on a T-shirt, which then gets washed at the Marigold Mind Laundry, where you can choose to have one of your unhappy memories erased, or just have your feelings ironed out.

So why did this cute and whimsical idea not end up working work for me?

To begin with, I have no idea if some of this can be due to translation issues or what, but the writing was very simple while the details of the story itself were often confusing. The history of the woman who runs the laundry and her magical abilities are brought up in convoluted ways, introducing new powers in a way that implies you were supposed to already know of them (most people in the special village have a power and develop it in childhood, but some don’t get one at all, but sometimes you get two powers, but should you train these chosen ones or keep the fact of their magic secret from them, and then apparently they, or maybe only one of them, it’s not clear, will live life after life and can never die and traverse time and space—-it’s a lot, and it’s not introduced in a way that’s very clear.)

Sometimes there is dialogue from a character who wasn’t even present in a scene before then, and that is the first indication that they’re all of a sudden there. We learn a lot about the emotions of the various characters who make use of the laundry without ever getting any in depth characterization. I found myself side-eyeing the lessons themselves at times, like when the laundry lady is saddened to see one character always trying to hide his sadness behind smiles and tells him it’s okay to feel the negative emotions as well as the positive ones, but then advises the next customer, “Smiling even when you’re sad tricks the brain into thinking you’re happy, give it a try”.

This book definitely has a nice premise, but the execution didn’t work for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

Okay I feel like I must have read a different book than everyone else, because from start to finish I was confused rather than engaged and delighted. I love the concept of the laundry that washes away regret and painful memories, but I found the rollout of the story to be so all over the place that I couldn't see where things were going even though I knew where things were going... This one was written in a style that just didn't resonate with me.

The concept of a laundry where you can wash your mind and heart clean of pain, loss, loneliness, negativity is an interesting one. I like that Jieun, the person whose powers allow for the cleaning, asks people if they are sure they want to eliminate certain memories, as erasing too much can cause its own problems. The customers tend to choose to leave some of the unpleasant memories as reminders. Also, sometimes just having a willing listener helps relieve the aching a little. What I also like about the story is that the people Jieun interacts with at the mind laundry also teach her things. Though she has lived many lives and many years, she still has lessons to learn. The story is set in Korea, so incorporates a lot of Korean words and phrases, as well as customs.

2.5 stars. This was a nice palette cleanser. It reminds me of a similar book I recently read, The Full Moon Coffee Shop. It’s one of those books that give you a reminder of the things that really matter in life. Also a giftable book for anyone young who seems a bit lost. It was a short and sweet read. I would not call this fantasy, more magical realism.

Quick summer read! I have always enjoyed books in translation. I like reading what the rest of the world writes. I enjoyed this story, as the idea of a laundry that erases, or tempers, memories sounds like a wonderful idea! I liked the characters and the town of Marigold (it sounds like a wonderful place to vacation actually!) The only problem I had was with the names. Not being familiar with Korean names, it really slowed my reading down as I had to memorize spellings and a never did learn how to say the names. Perhaps a index with pronunciation guide at the end of the book would be helpful for non-Korean speakers? Maybe a short biography of each character would be helpful as well, as I finally just listed all the characters names and sexes on a piece of paper so I could be sure of who the characters were! Sorry. I know this probably sounds awful. But it would be ever so helpful to many readers, I am sure. Other than that, I did enjoy the story.; it was lovely over to read over tea time! I will be purchasing the book and will edit the names phonetically for an easier read.
It deserves a another star, but names just made it so difficult to read.

I regret spending the last lovely days of summer trying to finish a book I should never have requested. This novel may be a best seller in Korea, but it leaves a bad taste in the mouth as a translation into English. Jeun has lived a million lives, but is trying to bring back the parents she "disappeared" somehow through some kind of magic. She returns to the town of Marigold and opens a mind laundry where she helps people launder the pain of bad memories that keep them from happiness. The reader has to contend with Korean words that are not translated. Want more? I didn't think so. Let me save you the trouble. Live in the moment. That's all the philosophy you need to find happiness. Thank you (I think) to Dial Press for an early copy of this book. So sorry it was not for me.

Wouldn't that be something to be able to get rid of those memories? I enjoyed the story of this book but also the characters and understanding of what they were going through. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Jieun is missing her parents. She has looked for them for most of her life with little success. This book was an ok read

This book was a great example of how we need others to help us through tough times. We can't always get through them alone. By helping others, the main character was able to find her place in the world and finally be happy again. The beginning was a but confusing, and it may have been lost in translation a bit how Jeuin ended up where she did. However, the main points of the book and different character arcs were really fun to read and see their growth.
Thanks, Net Galley, for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the arc! This was a charming novel with a magical premise that tackles love, loss, and grief. The author spins a magical tale that is reminiscent of other recent popular Asian translated novels which I have loved and The Midnight Library (which another reviewer has pointed out). It’s hard to put in detail what I felt the book was lacking but I think it’s still a good picture of different hardships that people have gone through in life from a very optimistic mindset.

I have been enjoying many translated Asian fiction recently, this one was another good one.. I find Asian fiction very unique and creative with their ideas of how to discuss difficult topics and healing. This is a fast short read - the book approaches peoples many forms of pain and discusses how to best to heal by washing away the stains or ironing out the creases on the soul- as existing in the present moment will help to bring us a happy life. Each persons unique story are relatable for many people, and the main characters development and growth maintains your interest.

Thank You to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press for this ARC. This is my honest review.

Thank you so much to Random House + NetGalley for this ARC - as someone who loves translated Korean fiction, this one certainly did not disappoint. I had so much fun with this short read - there are no other words to describe it aside from healing. To wash away the stains of a wounded soul is such a vivid image. This books also made me nostalgic for a quiet peaceful living experience that I've never exactly experienced. I cannot recommend this enough.

I really enjoyed the premise of this novel, but the delivery was not what I was exactly expecting.

In the past, I have enjoyed a few translated stories, but they are not my main genre of choice. If you know you love translated novels, and stories set in other countries surrounding characters from other cultures, this book might be perfect for you. Much like the description says, this book is very introspective. It really digs into past traumas and how they can really take control of your life and how you interact with the people around you.

Things that really lowered my rating: the pacing, this book was very slow. When we were going through each story for each character, I was expecting a bit more emotional impact (which might just be my interpretation). I think if the delivery was different I would have been able to rate this book a little higher and been a little more excited or satisfied by the ending.

Dear Author,

Your book was a joy to read. I understand why it's such a bog hit in Korea, and I hope it does just as well here. You reminded me, through this gorgeous, breathtaking novel, that existing in the present moment is most important to living a happy and joyous life. Following Jieun through her discovery of this and the fulfillment a found family can bring to one’s life was a pleasurable experience.

Yours truly,
J.D. McCoughtry

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this e-arc.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

<I>Light and darkness aren't two sides of a coin; they form a continuum. She gazed at the dimming landscape. Even in the darkest spaces, there is light.</I>

Charming and heartwarming, MARIGOLD MIND LAUNDRY tackles the themes of love, loss, family, and grief.

In a small village where the air and water is clear, and the inhabitants know no pain, a young Jieun-- who's powers to grant wishes and comfort those in pain manifested later than the other children-- makes a devastating mistake. Suddenly alone in the world, Jieun vows to never rest until her beloved parents are returned to her.

Over a million lonely lives later, Jieun stumbles into the seaside village of Marigold. Tired of traveling, she decides to open the Mind Laundry; offering the services of mind cleansing and de-wrinkling. And in the process of helping others, Jieun herself may have some heartwarming revelations.

English readers should note, this book follows the trend of other Asian-translated books I've read (i.e. Before the Coffee Gets Cold, What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, and The Traveling Cat Chronicles) of having a thin plot in favor of deeper thematic exploration. This type of writing isn't for everyone, and should be taken into consideration before deciding to read MARIGOLD MIND LAUNDRY or not.

This novel is almost two books in one. First book, a quirky sweet story set in Korea. Imagine a laundry where the stains of regret, unhappiness, even sadness get washed away and replaced with self- confidence, contentment and joy. Second book, an advice book on how to move beyond your past, those memories and feelings that hold you back and instead focus on the positive things in your life. Instead of providing step by step instructions, advice is dispensed via a lovely story where the individuals in the story receive the advice and are able to overcome their obstacles.

I enjoyed this story, although a few terms were foreign to me such as Aigoo (Korean for OMG) but overall, I liked how the author dispensed advice without sounding preachy and in a story format. If you enjoy stories with a bit of magic, where the characters strive for new beginnings and where advice is given in a gentle caring way, this book is for you.