English Toss on Planet Andong is a story which is as peculiar as its title. It’s a little bit different, a little bit quirky and a little bit strange. Sometimes it’s laugh out loud funny, other times it is cringe worthy and then there are times when it is emotional.
Paul Taylor heads to what he must feel is a different planet, the setting of which is South Korea. With a broken heart and seeking a fresh start he moves overseas to teach English at school. I don’t think Paul was expecting the students to behave like little animals or to be involved in a school system which is far from professional, let alone the least bit knowledgeable.
It’s hard enough trying to assimilate in a new and very different environment but then to have a flatmate like Billy it’s no wonder Paul thinks he mightn’t be on planet Earth any more. Billy is a deep character, he has many layers and trust me, some of these layers you will wish you could do without. But all of these layers maketh the person and Paul and Billy maketh this book. Some parts I didn’t like as much as others and some parts I felt I just didn’t get, but this is life and especially life if you were to find yourself in a different environment. So all of these things put together produce a story which made me feel uncomfortable at times, just like Paul must have felt.
A rather unusual line up of characters cross paths with Paul, each with their own quirks. It does make for a very unique reading experience. Really tough for me to make a call on this one, it depends what frame of mind I’m in at the time I’m reminiscing. I will say it grew on me and the more I read the more I enjoyed it. Paul Taylor is definitely not a character I will forget, along with his ensemble of friends, foes and freaks.
Thank you to Goodreads and Dave Franklin for my copy of this book as I won it on Goodreads in a First Reads Giveaway.
To read the blurb for English Toss on Planet Andong click here
