Marigold Mind Laundry

Yun makes her English-language debut with the touching if anodyne story of a small coastal village where a laundress can wash stains off people’s souls. The pensive Jieun was born with the ability to heal others and make their wishes come true. She was separated from her parents as a little girl and has since been reincarnated for the literal millionth time. At the end of each life, she has longed in vain to be reunited in the next one with her original family. Now, in her latest iteration, she sets about healing others, taking away the bad memories of a young filmmaker and helping an influencer find a life that better suits her. In the process, Jieun discovers a surprising bond with a melancholy photographer and learns to enjoy the life she has. Some readers may lose patience with the generic self-help advice Jieun dispenses to her customers: “It’s OK to cry until you feel better”; “learn to live for yourself, not for anyone else.” Still, there’s an undeniable appeal to seeing people get a second chance at life. Those in the mood for an uplifting fable ought to seek this out. (Oct.)