The Salmon Who Dared to Leap Higher | Ahn Do-hyun | Review
"The life of the salmon is a predictable one: swimming upstream to the place of its birth to spawn, and then to die."
Translated for the first time from Korean to English, The Salmon Who Dared to Leap Higher is a sweet fable about life and its meaning, all from the perspective of a silver fish.
As we follow Silver Salmon through his life, we learn, as he does, that he's different from other salmon, that he thinks differently, questions why certain things are done, wonders why a salmon's purpose in life is to swim upriver to the place they were born just to spawn and then die. Surely there's more to life than that?
As Silver Salmon loses his friends, gains others, falls in love, learns about the world, and avoids attacks from eagles and bears, he learns about his past and his ancestors who dared to leap above the rapids and finally make it home.
While it is a fable, a short story written to make you think about its morals and life lessons, it's beautifully written and so on-point with life (human life, that is) that it really does make you pause every so often and really take in what Do-hyun is saying. Filled with stunning illustrations, The Salmon Who Dared to Leap Higher is a wonderful look at what it means to grow up and live this crazy life.
A short book just over 100 pages, this fable is a wonderful wee read that I recommend picking up if you have a spare hour or so.
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