“Even though my brain was a mess, what kept my soul whole was the warmth of the hands holding mine on both sides”, Almond by  Sohn Won-Pyung This statement stuck with me. It was such a poignant statement yet it said a lot about the protagonist’s personality and his compassion. Almond is a poignant coming-of-age novel by South Korean author Sohn Won-Pyung. The story follows Yunjae, a boy born with alexithymia—a condition that makes it difficult for him to experience emotions like fear, anger, or joy. Raised by his loving yet pragmatic mother and grandmother, Yunjae learns to navigate the …