lovelybookshelf's Review of Snow Hunters

by Paul Yoon

It is 1954 and the story traces the extraordinary journey of Yohan, who defects from his country at the end of the Korean War, leaving his friends and family behind to seek a new life on the coast of Brazil. Throughout his years there, four people slip in and out of his life: Kiyoshi, the Japanese tailor for whom he works; Peixe, the groundskeeper at the town church; and two vagrant children named Santi and Bia. Yohan longs to connect with these people, but to do so he must let go of his traumatic past. In Snow Hunters, Yoon proves that love can dissolve loneliness, that hope can wash away despair, and that a man who has lost a country can find a new home. This is a heartwarming story of second chances, told with unerring elegance and tenderness.

Originally posted on my blog, A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall:

After the Korean War, North Korean refugee Yohan emigrates to Brazil for a fresh start. All that Yohan has left behind and how it was lost is revealed in brief moments throughout the story, woven between his new experiences in Brazil, where he reacclimates to life outside the POW camp.

This is a quiet book. New relationships develop gradually; kindness is offered gently. Even moments when Yohan remembers the atrocities of war have an eerily hushed tone, and that creates a powerful impact.

Snow Hunters is short, but there is a lot within its 208 pages. In the most subtle manner, author Paul Yoon manages to stir up feelings of horror, fear, relief, gratitude, love, and compassion in his readers. Simple and refined, this is the most exquisite storytelling I've encountered in a while.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any other compensation for this review.

Snow Hunters

by Paul Yoon

Reviewed by lovelybookshelf on Jul 24, 2013

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