Berkley announced the January publication of the #1 bestselling cozy fantasy that has taken South Korea by storm: THE RAINFALL MARKET by You Yeong-Gwang, translated by Slin Jung. Part coming-of-age story and part escapist fantasy with all the whimsy of a Studio Ghibli film, this is the perfect read for fans of heartwarming adventure stories like Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes and Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library.
THE RAINFALL MARKET garnered a cult following in South Korea upon its initial publication, securing a spot at the top of the bestseller list after securing crowdfunding to be independently published. Yeong-Gwang wrote the story during breaks while delivering food for a living, and his hope is that all readers will find healing and courage through his story so they may go out and find their own happiness. In the novel’s afterword, he writes: “What kind of book did I want to write? Something that left readers with a lingering sense of warmth even after they turned the last page. A light, fun read that was still packed with meaning. A book that could heal wounded hearts and cast a ray of hope into the darkness. That would be perfect, I thought. And so this book was born.”
The novel follows Serin, a teenager whose life is plagued by misfortune until she receives a ticket to the fabled Rainfall Market. It is said that whoever brings their ticket to the abandoned house on the outskirts of Rainbow Town on the first day of the rainy season will be granted entrance to the mysterious Rainfall Market—and will be given the opportunity to trade in their misfortune for a completely new life.
Lonely and with little prospects, Serin jumps at the chance to choose a new life for herself, and is equally thrilled to find that her ticket, the sole golden ticket at the market, gives her the ability to collect as many futures as she wishes and take a peek at what her potential new life would look like. With the help of a magical cat companion, Issha, Serin travels the market, meeting and helping the Rainfall Market’s Dokkaebi—spirits with special abilities—in exchange for the Dokkaebi orbs that hold endless possibilities for Serin’s future.
But as with all magic there is a catch: Serin has one week to find the future she wants and leave the Rainfall Market before the end of the rainy season with her orb, or she will be doomed to vanish into the market forever.
