30th September, 2014
Our Happy Time
| Name : | Stella Anne Teoh Ming Hui |
| Class : | K3C |
| School Num. : | 12231 |
| Book Call Num. : | FGON |
| Book Title : | Our Happy Time |
| Author : | Gong Ji-Young |
| Publication Year/(Edition) : | Atria Books/Marble Arch Press (July 1, 2014) |
Characters:
Yunsu – A convicted criminal who is not innocent but not guilty of the crimes he is convicted for. He falls in love with Yujeong even though he has little time left here on this planet.
Yujeong – A rape victim with a troubled family history, she learns the other side of life, which is dark and sunny at different times and becomes closer to her Aunt Monica. She learns to open up her heart when she gets to know Yunsu better.
Aunt Monica – A nun who works at a prison, she brings Yunsu and Yujeong together but eventually dies.
Summary/ Conclusion:
This story is a cold-harsh narrative of the fact that there are other sides, situations in this reality we all live in. At first, the reason I picked up this book was the fact its title was “Our Happy Time”, but the picture of the barren tree with a crane flying, gave me a chance to steel myself for the obvious onslaught of a story of unfulfilled love. In this case it was an eye-opening, wall-tumbling love, between a convicted murderer and a rape victim with a history of 3 failed suicide attempts. The chapters overlap between their past and their present, the one in-the-background character that has the most impact on readers is Aunt Monica. Aunt to Yujeong, the rape victim, who has all one should need in the world, yet she finds no solace in what she has. Aunt Monica, who is a sister and works at the prison, allowing convicted felons a chance at redemption before they meet their end, brings together literally the most unlikely of people. Yunsu is a criminal convicted of manslaughter and rape and Yujeong is the victim of the same crime Yunsu is convicted of.
As the chapters increase, the storyline thickens, slowly out of the depths of their hearts, these two completely different people, find solace in each other and their secrets are revealed. The reactions they get, are far from the reactions they expected, each one has promised not to make the same mistakes again, each one realizes the slim chance of an everlasting love, and yet each are both victims to the most powerful thing of all, love.
As they come to terms with their love, it is already too late, Yunsu is taken away and as he leaves behind this existence, his parting words written in a journal he never expected to be found, where three words we all know.
The story ended with Aunt Monica’s death, Yujeong admitting her desire to be a mother and realizing her Aunt Monica gave up her dream of a blood-related child, to be a mother to all those wandering and already lost souls in the prison.
As I closed the book, I was overwhelmed by the sense of helplessness and immense realization, it was the truth, there were people out there, people who had done horrifying things, and yet, there were just lost. They were probably like little children who wandered too far but had no one to guide them back to the path. It seems the only words that would matter to a child growing up would be those of love, guidance and encouragement. No matter how many achievements we seem to have, no matter how high we are up on the social ladder, there will always be a little child inside of us, wanting, needing to be loved, reassured and guided. Whether an older child will guide a younger one, whether they will walk side-by-side, or walk one in front and one behind, or whether one will carry the other, it is all up to us, what decisions we make, whether we choose to love or not. As I quote a sentence from the book, I hope all who read this have the courage to love, love with all your heart and never hold back.
“As I had learned from Yunsu, love meant gladly enduring for another person, and that it sometimes meant having the courage to change yourself.” – Our Happy Time by Gong Ji-Young
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