Solanin – Younhee Burningham

1. Analyze: (b) Idea – “primary”

I feel that the whole story was driven by the question of the point of life, more specifically, if it is possible and reasonable to pursue towards a happy, fulfilling life rather than to simply exist and survive. I wasn’t too sure if that question was answered very clearly, at least the message I got (regardless of whether I agree or disagree) was that no one really knows for sure, but we don’t have to obsess over and be unsatisfied about a mundane life as long as we have people we care about and do what is meaningful to us once in a while.

2. Rating: (R)

There is the offensive finger on page 9. Brief nudity (bear breast) on page 20, which apparently makes it an automatic R movie rating. Bed scene on page 58-59. Almost nudity on page 167. Mild language. And generally, the intended audience, it seems, are for college-aged/recent college graduates, as are the major characters, hence it may be best that young teens don’t get into the book yet.

3. Springboard: Knowledge of how forming and having a band works, and recording and concert experience that comes with it, definitely shows in Solanin. I didn’t know all the equipments that are needed in a band such as the amplifier, overdrive, chorus, delay, equalizer. I found out that those equipments are very common thing for bands among other things like Envelope follower, dynamic filter, etc. It sure is a whole another world that has many things of its own to learn about.