Reviews - White Mulberry | The StoryGraph

185 reviews for:

White Mulberry

Rosa Kwon Easton

3.84 AVERAGE

jkwriting24's review against another edition

5.0

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

You can tell in reading this that the story is near and dear to the heart of the author. This was beautifully written. Although I’ve read many books set in this period of history, this shared an interesting and rarely discussed viewpoint.

ambermcd2016's review against another edition

3.5

challenging reflective sad

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

dailywaffle's review

4.0

emotional informative medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

A story made even more impactful when you find out it's inspired by the author's grandmother.

Content Warnings

breanne's review against another edition

1.5

reflective slow-paced

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

Miyoung moves from Korea to Japan in hopes to further her education. She quickly learns how Koreans are viewed in Japan. In order to receive a higher paying job she pretends to be Japanese.

I was expecting this to be similar to Pachinko and The Vanishing Half. Miyoung's decisions are based on male validation re-constructed into seemingly "young and naive" thoughts. She decides to be called by her Japanese name, Miyoung, in hopes to stop her Japanese classmates from bullying her but nothing changes except now the other Korean students also ostracize her. Still, she insists on being called Miyoung. She studies Japanese and wears a kimono. She acknowledges feeling bad when she sees other visibly and openly Korean people treated badly but she doesn't do or say anything when these things happen.

I don't know what the point of this book was. I wanted to dnf at the 86% mark. Then we end off abruptly in 1943. Why not the end of WW2? I have read the same thing but done better.