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bookishcori's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
After finishing The Evening Hero, I had an inkling to pick up more Korean lit.
Willow, Hongju and Songhwa leave their home village as picture brides in 1918. Seeking a new life and hope for their families they’ve left behind, they arrive in Hawaii to find it’s not as they were promised. They end up far apart, their husbands are less than ideal, the work is hard, and xenophobia abounds. An escalation of the Korean independence movement threatens to split the Hawaiian-Korean community. Can they find their ways back to each other?
This is about hardships and resilience, and ultimately the power of friendship.
Pick this up if you like historical fiction, especially about lesser known pieces of history.
Willow, Hongju and Songhwa leave their home village as picture brides in 1918. Seeking a new life and hope for their families they’ve left behind, they arrive in Hawaii to find it’s not as they were promised. They end up far apart, their husbands are less than ideal, the work is hard, and xenophobia abounds. An escalation of the Korean independence movement threatens to split the Hawaiian-Korean community. Can they find their ways back to each other?
This is about hardships and resilience, and ultimately the power of friendship.
Pick this up if you like historical fiction, especially about lesser known pieces of history.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Domestic abuse, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Slavery, Violence, and War
Minor: Child death
duckyreads's review against another edition
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Picture Bride is an intriguing translated Historical Fiction story that follows several young women known as picture brides that travel from Korea to Hawaii to be married to Korean men that they've only seen pictures of. Willow is the primary narrator in the story, and we start her story as a young girl and the only daughter of a widowed mother.
I really enjoyed that the narrative weaves accurate historical information about the tension between China, Korea, Japan, and the Pacific region in that period. It's a glimpse into the probable lives of the Korean people during that time. Willow is an admirable character, especially considering how young she was when she went to Hawaii. Her relationship with her husband was initially reserved, but watching her find her voice was inspiring.
The familial relationship she has with the other picture brides, Hongju and Sanghwa, was very sweet and lovely to read. The narrator also did a great job reading and dramatizing the story. As a translated work most of the dialogue flowed, but there were some areas where the narrative was clunky.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed that the narrative weaves accurate historical information about the tension between China, Korea, Japan, and the Pacific region in that period. It's a glimpse into the probable lives of the Korean people during that time. Willow is an admirable character, especially considering how young she was when she went to Hawaii. Her relationship with her husband was initially reserved, but watching her find her voice was inspiring.
The familial relationship she has with the other picture brides, Hongju and Sanghwa, was very sweet and lovely to read. The narrator also did a great job reading and dramatizing the story. As a translated work most of the dialogue flowed, but there were some areas where the narrative was clunky.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Grief and Slavery
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