The Healing Season of Pottery was my bookclub’s January pick. The member who chose it is really into cozy fiction and came across this title. This was a new author and title for all of us, but had been recommended by an indie bookstore.
Jungmin has had a rough year. She’s had a melt down at her high-pressure job and is feeling untethered to life and society around her. She stumbles into a pottery shop that also offers classes and through these classes she finds purpose, friendship, and love again.
I thought the author did a great job showing how powerful art is in teaching us about ourselves. I’ve never done pottery, but those of my friends who have talked about the meditative nature of working with clay, firing it in the kiln, and picking the right glaze and paint to finish it off. Just like people, no two clay creations are the same, even done by the same artist.
The author is Korean and the translator did an ok job but there were several instances where the dialogue felt stilted and unnatural. There were also moments where a glossary or footnote explaining some of the Korean diminutives and titles would have helped. There were a few moments that certain characters used a title that was either formal or too informal and readers are asked to infer this with no explanation of why or what the correct option should’ve been.
I think you need to enjoy cozy fiction to really enjoy this book. While there is some character growth from Jungmin, there’s a lot of the plot that’s just her attending her pottery classes and getting to know people. If you need a more complex plot or conflict, I don’t think you’d enjoy this. Same for the romance. If you really like romance and want a clear cut resolution, this might not be the one for you.
