This book was a pleasant surprise and the message conveyed throughout added to its charm. This story was filled with Korean mythology, difficult choices, friendship, and magic. Serin's experience in The Rainfall Market is unique to her and the reasons for her visit. Serin's search for a better life leads her on a path of self discovery as she realises that some lives aren't as glamorous as they seem. This reminded me of the theme for The Midnight Library, but had a lighter, more magical plot in comparison. This was a heart warming story that highlights the importance of even the smallest acts of kindness and how they affect the people you come into contact with.

The writing was simple and easy to follow, allowing us the chance to appreciate the message conveyed throughout. I feel the writing style would be suitable for younger readers. If you're looking for a quick and cosy read, then I would definitely recommend giving this a go.

Miyazaki meets Willy Wonka.

Beautiful story, quick evening read.

I enjoyed exploration of a Rainbow Town. Very atmospheric read.

The main goal of the main character - Serin is to find happiness and find tokaebi orb that will help her dream life come through, but everything is not as perfect as it seems.

It's a colourful story that would be great if made as an animated cartoon, however for me, it was lacking depth and deeper emotion.

It's a good book that I would suggest for my friends to read in a rainy day as something to unwind from a daily routine.

In a Nutshell: A cozy fantasy about a girl who ends up in a world within our world and discovers the secret of happiness. Overly simplistic writing, a mostly episodic plot, flat characters. I have a strong feeling that something went wrong in the translation as well. Might work better for YA readers, as it was promoted as a YA novel when released in Korea.

Plot Preview:
Outside the city where Serin stays, there’s a rundown abandoned house in a place called Rainbow Town. Rumour has it that if you send a letter about your misfortunes to this house, you might receive a mysterious ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you are permitted to enter the magical Rainfall Market, where you can choose to change your life to the one you want.
Serin never thought that she would actually be lucky when she penned her woes and posted the letter to the house. Now the holder of a special golden ticket, Serin knows that going to the market is the only way of swapping her lonely life for one with a better future. Of course, there are certain conditions to this, but Serin is hopeful of being able to handle them, especially with the help of her new feline companion Issha.
The story comes to us in Serin’s third-person perspective.

This novel garnered a cult following in South Korea after securing crowdfunding to be published, then being acquired by a local Korean independent publisher Clayhouse, where it sold 30K copies during its first month on sale and became a number one bestselling e-book, and also reaching number three in the physical chart. Overall, it has sold more than 100K copies in South Korea. Translation rights have been sold in 20 languages.
In other words, please take my review with a pinch of salt.

Bookish Yays:
🌈 Issha the spirit cat who behaves more like a dog. The best character of this story.
🌈 The ‘moral’, or life lesson that Serin learns. Mature adults already know it, but good to see it confirmed through fiction.
🌈 The book cover. Tough for me to resist such art!

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌤️ Serin as a character. While she has her strengths as well, she feels overly naïve at times, taking too long to notice what should have been obvious.
🌤️ The fantastical creatures from Korean mythology called the Dokkaebi. I don’t think the book described them accurately because they are supposed to be “Korean goblins”, but the book insisted mainly that they “look human but aren’t” and didn’t offer anything else. That said, I did like some of the dokkaebi characters.
🌤️ The descriptions of the rainfall market and the myriad rainbows in the book, both physical and metaphorical, seem good at the start. But after a point, it gets trickier to understand the setting. It’s a strange world, with magical elements as well as things from our world such as computers and casinos. Moreover, the rain-related metaphors feel overdone after a while.
🌤️ Though there is an overarching plot, the book, especially the first two-thirds or so, feels mostly like one episodic adventure after another. There are new characters in every chapter, most of whom don’t return once their chapter is over. The final few chapters work somewhat better in this regard. (The book would make a great studio Ghibli movie... for kids.)

Bookish Nays:
⛈️ For some reason, Serin’s age is not revealed at all. She sounds anywhere between 8 to 18 in various chapters, making it very tough to understand how to decode her behaviour.
⛈️ Except for the mentions of taekwondo and the dokkaebi (which are anyway inaccurately depicted), nothing in the book feels Korean. Many characters even have Western names such as Emma, Bill, and Nicole. One breakfast scene has UK/European dishes. There’s no point to reading a Korean book if it doesn’t offer Korean vibes.
⛈️ The translation is not too fluid. The overly simple writing adds to the MG feel of the book. There is also too much telling.
⛈️ The pacing is quite slow paced and even gets somewhat repetitive in between.
⛈️ A couple of major subplots are left incomplete, and a reveal at the end even puts into question some of the story arcs that were apparently settled.
⛈️ The mention of winning a golden ticket and visiting a magical place might have immediately made you recollect Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ or Meg Shaffer’s ‘The Wishing Game’. However, these books had far more depth to their storylines as the writing involved a contest and there were other participants adding to the challenge. This Korean book gets a tad boring as the other ticket holders don’t get page space for most of the book. The thrill of the challenge is missing, making the story mostly one-noted.

All in all, I had picked up this book as a cozy fantasy for adults. But it started feeling much too cozy and I began wondering if I had got the target age group wrong. I am also not sure if the gap between intent and content is because of this being the author’s debut work or because of a poor translation of the original. But no matter which one it is, I didn’t find this living up to the promise made.
Online articles show that the original had been marketed as a coming-of-age fantasy in Korea, aiming at the YA crowd. I wonder why the UK promotions don’t aim at YA readers. At least we could have gone in with the right expectations. The writing feels so basic that most of it, barring the age-inappropriate scenes such as the one in the casino, would even work for middle-graders. I don’t know if my experience would have been the same if I had gone into this anticipating a middle-grade or YA fantasy. But as it is marketed as a general fantasy, I expected deeper content, and the end result didn’t match up.
I guess YA readers could give this book a go and see if the Korean hype is justified. If you can read Korean, (or any language other than English that the book is available in), then I’d suggest you give that language a go because the English translation certainly doesn’t do the book any favours. If you enjoyed books like ‘The Midnight Library’, then too you might give this book a try as it has a similar kind of underlying philosophy but without the post-life aspects.
2.25 stars.

My thanks to Penguin Random House - Michael Joseph for providing the DRC of “The Rainfall Market” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.

This is a really fresh take on what is becoming the very popular genre of Korean cosy/healing fiction. I loved this one particularly as it more depth to it, I felt, than other similar fiction what with having both light and dark elements (and genuinely feeling quite tense at times). Very much enjoyed the Korean mythology incorporated also and this take on the very popular 도깨비. I loved this so much I bought a nice hardback edition for my shelf and have already highly recommended to other friends.

Note: I also listened to the audiobook for parts.

3.5 Stars rounded up.

I think this book was one of those ideal timing’s situations. Yes, I’m sure I would have still enjoyed it otherwise, but it really found me at the right time. I needed something cosy and fantastical and this was ideal. I also really liked the audiobook narrator.

It some ways it reminded me of Spirited Away, a girl in a place where nothing is quite as it seems. The theme or moral of the story is looking at what you have but looking at it differently to see what you actually have. While obvious it was still woven nicely into the world and it’s magical inhabitants. Plus, anything that has a cat as a guide is a win in my book.

This was a sweet book, I loved the poetic writing and the comfy cosy aspects so much!!!! I loved translated fiction so much

This book was a quick, light-hearted read — sweet, fun, and easy to fall into. Serin’s journey was wonderful to follow, especially with the author's vibrant portrayal of the magical market and the mischievous Dokkaebi, which added so much color to the story.
The tale itself weaves together elements of Korean myth, folklore, and magic, all tied together with a meaningful message. Although some parts of the plot felt a little predictable, the overall charm made up for it.
The writing style leaned toward the simple side, though I wonder if that impression comes from the translation. Regardless, the story's heart and warmth still shine through beautifully.

Give more Korean/Japanes books that mixes magic realism, mythology and make me feel good and think in a positive way.
LOVED IT, LOVED IT . Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Rainfall Market has the whimsy and fun that I was expecting, but one thing that was a little confusing was that it seems to be marketed as an adult book but it read very much like a young middle grade novel. I mostly enjoyed the story and didn’t struggle to finish it, but it was a little confusing figuring out who it was written for! Maybe it’s how it comes across in the translation. But if you go into this knowing this, I think it’d be a really enjoyable read for pretty much all ages.

Thank you Netgalley, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House | Michael Joseph and You Yeong-Gwang for the eArc of The Rainfall Market.

I've recently started reading more translated fiction so I was really excited to receive this Arc. I love the mysticism of this book It's beautifully written and translated. For for me, it's also very relatable with our MC, Serin and because of this I feel The Rainfall Market has a very " Spirited Away " vibes by Studio Gibli which I loved and mixed with Matt Haigs, " Midnight Library " We all go around wishing we could have a do over.

I read this very quickly and pretty much in one sitting so I'll be very tempted to pick up more of You Yeong-Gwangs works in the future.

4 stars

The pacing for The Rainfall Market was too slow for me, and I’d definitely say middle grade in audience. However I’ve not read much translated fiction so that may be why. Otherwise a lovely story if not a bit simple.

"It's never too late to start on your dreams. The present is the best time to launch yourself forward."

Serin's life is lonely. She lives in a hovel with her mother, who is barely able to support them. Serin dreams of going to university, of carving out a different life for herself, but she knows it's not possible.

Then, she reads a book about the mythical Rainfall Market. The author claims that if you send a letter to a certain abandoned house, you could receive a ticket to the market, where your life would be forever changed and your dreams would be made real. When Serin receives a ticket, she travels to the market, where a cat called Issha will be her guide as she navigates the market to find her perfect life. But, it's much harder than she realised. In the meantime, someone or something is watching her very closely.

This is a lovely, gentle story about how the things you think you need, aren't really the things you want. Serin wants to get out of poverty, wants to find a great job, wants money ... These are not bad things to desire but the point is, the result of escaping these often mean something else that is negative might enter her life.

The descriptions of the market are charming and I loved Issha (even though I'm not a cat lover!). The only reason this is a three- rather than four-star read for me is that I felt the threat Serin faces in the market should have been played up more. I never felt afraid for her, even though the author clearly wants to indicate that she's in some sort of danger. There is a distinct lack of tension, both from the unnamed shadow and from the fact that Serin's time in the market is running out.

Otherwise, it's an enjoyable and cute read with some important life lessons.

I read up until 40% before DNF'ing this book.

What I read was fine, it was somewhat cosy and definitely an interesting concept but unfortunately just a little lack-lustre and didn't hold me captive enough. It was quite slow paced and read quite young - therefore just not for me.

Not a bad book, an intriguing premise and perhaps better suited to younger readers or those who don't mind a softer, slower approach to their books.

“The rainfall market” was a beautiful, engaging and cozy tale about a high school student who receives a golden ticket into The Rainfall Market- a place where she could sell her misfortune in exchange for happiness. The catch is: she has only till the end of the rainy season to find out what
true happiness is for her and leave the Market or she will be trapped there forever.

I found the book so lovely and gripping, I couldn’t put it down. Reading it felt like playing the game Strays in the world of Spirited Away. I had an absolute blast watching Serin go from one Dokaerebi to another, visiting shops, restaurants and hair salons and meeting creatures from spirit world, making friends and collecting magical orbs. And I was so happy to see the relationship she
developed with the cat she was given along the way.

As someone who’s life has been put on hold due to unforeseen circumstances (cancer) I absolutely love the lesson this book teaches its readers: it doesn’t matter what life you have, what job, what family situation or what amounts of money you earn. What matters is now, the current moment and the people that surround us when we need them. “The rainfall market” is about appreciation of the small things and realisation that the sun will always shine after the rain. There’s always happiness after the bad or sad moments.

We just need to be open to seeing these happy little things in the world around us, the way Serin had to spend all that time in the market and go against the big bad guy at the end to learn that what mattered most were the friends she made along the way and the people and things she
already had in life that she took for granted.

Such a great read! I 100% recommend it to everyone who’s ever wished their life was different.

3.5

I feel like sometimes we overuse the statement that a book ‘feels like a Studio Ghibli film’ but truly - this book does feel like a Studio Ghibli film.

Set during the rainy season, in South Korea, Serin receives a ticket to attend the mysterious Rainfall Market - a place run by Dokkaebi, where you can trade in misfortune for a different life (with no guarantees or responsibility taken for how that life pans out).

We follow Serin as she explores this mysterious market, alongside a magical cat that she’s been gifted, as she peers into possible lives, and weighs up the weight of them.

This book is quite beguiling and enchanting, and it flowed so smoothly. There is an element of peril scattered throughout the book, which did heighten the tension, but overall it was a very cosy book to get lost in.

It did feel to me that it erred more on the side of YA, due to its simplistic writing, but I didn’t mind that. It was sweet, and heartwarming, and I enjoyed it quite considerably, even though it didn’t rock my world.

Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.

A young girl finds herself at The Rainfall Market hoping to change her life for the better with a wish but perhaps she's should be careful what she's wishes for.

A really enjoyable book about appreciating what you have. I must say, perhaps due to the age of the character, it does read as very YA. Which could be to its credit as I think teenagers would enjoy this even more than I did!

I think the descriptive elements could have used some work but it did allow your mind to run free imagining it.

The Rainfall Market encapsulates for me the trauma of coming of age - where you are left unsure if the path you seek to take is the answer to the path of happiness of whether you'd be better off making a different decision. Ultimately it is a book of 'What Ifs' with Serin so lost as to where to take her life she seeks out The Rainfall Market in the hopes of finding the answer to 'happiness', learning instead that the path to such is not so easy nor sweet.

A cosy thought-provoking novel.

This book is quirky and a little bit odd in a way that I'm not sure if I loved or not. I think its the type of book that would appeal to people who like things a little bit strange. It would probably make a good book group choice as I'm sure it would encourage debate and opinions about the story and the writing style.

This was such an enjoyable read for me!

We meet Serin, a girl who is unhappy with her life and longs for a new one, maybe one with a better job, more money or just generally being in a better situation than her current one. In comes the Rainfall Market, a magical market that only opens to invited parties once a year during the Rainy Season, and gives them the opportunity to choose a better life. The catch, if a new life isn't selected by the time the Rainy Season is over, the person is stuck in the market forever.

I absolutely loved Serin's journey through the market and all the characters she meets on her travels. The story was the right balance of magical realism & lighthearted storytelling & I could 100% see this as a Studio Ghibli film.

If you're looking for an easy read to cosy up with this month, make this it!

Too magical.
I read the reviews of this book and was looking forward to reading it, I had enjoyed the restaurant of lost recipes and the Marigold mind laundry.
Serin is the girl with no friends and no money, she wins a ticket to the mystical Rainfall market and a chance to alter her life. Once she gets there, the market is filled with magical characters and a cat who helps to guide her. Who can she really trust?
I found this too magical and odd for my taste.
Thank you NetGalley, You and Michael Joseph for this ARC.