THE RAINFALL MARKET
If you could swap your life for a better one, which would you choose?
On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. They say that if you send a letter detailing your misfortunes there, you could receive a ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you’ll be granted entrance into the mysterious Rainfall Market–where you can choose to completely change your life.
No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket. Lonely and with no real prospects for a future,
If you could swap your life for a better one, which would you choose?
On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. They say that if you send a letter detailing your misfortunes there, you could receive a ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you’ll be granted entrance into the mysterious Rainfall Market–where you can choose to completely change your life.
No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket. Lonely and with no real prospects for a future, Serin ventures to the market, determined to create a better life for herself.
There, she meets a magical cat companion named Issha and they search through bookstores, perfumeries, and fantastical realms while Serin tries to determine what her perfect life will look like.
The catch? Serin only has one week to find her happiness or be doomed to vanish into the market forever.
And all the while, a shadow follows quietly behind them…
- Ace Books
- Paperback
- January 2025
- 224 Pages
- 9780593952665
About You Yeong-Gwang & Slin Jung (Translator)
You Yeong-Gwang was born in Seongnam in 1984. He wrote this story during breaks while delivering food for a living. He felt truly happy while writing this story and wishes for all readers to find healing and courage through it so that they may go out and find their own happiness.
Praise
“The Rainfall Market is a warm and wondrous story about the pursuit of that most elusive of treasures: a perfect life. Gentle, affirming, and utterly transportive, this book will leave you with gratitude for the small things that matter most–and also, the urge to hug your cat.” —Julie Leong, USA Today bestselling author of The Teller of Small Fortunes
“With all the fantastical magic of a Studio Ghibli film, the world You Yeong-Gwang creates in this short and moving novel will enchant readers. This is a perfect story to share with the whole family. For fans of Diana Wynne Jones or anyone who loves fables and fairy tales.” —Booklist
“A satisfied smile surely awaits readers of The Rainfall Market. The feel-good, magical narrative features a teen’s self-discovery quest with (slightly) softened reminders of universal, contemporary societal challenges. The Rainfall Market’s undeniable antidotal qualities will surely soothe minds and warm hearts.” —Shelf Awareness
“A delightful story of friendship, found family, and the knowledge that happiness may merely require a change in perspective. Fans of cozy magical realism, such as The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee and Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, will love this.” —Library Journal