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theslowreaderr's review against another edition
4.0
A story that tells of suffering as much as it does unconditional love that crosses the Pacific ocean. I really do wish I knew what truly happened to Hyo but as it is based in real life, it is inevitable that life will get in the way. Easily one of my favourite reads this year.
ondbookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
anothetbennet's review against another edition
3.0
I was searching through books when I saw this one, the cover caught my attention.
The plot of two sisters, one living in South Korea and the other living in the USA felt intriguing.
It’s a slow burn heavily focused on family secrets and your own identity.
To be honest I expected more, it was a bit predictable but overall a solid read.
The plot of two sisters, one living in South Korea and the other living in the USA felt intriguing.
It’s a slow burn heavily focused on family secrets and your own identity.
To be honest I expected more, it was a bit predictable but overall a solid read.
oconnorlizzy's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
brogan7's review against another edition
3.75
A story of a family divided because of the Korean war; one sister/daughter left behind with her uncle and her grandparents, the other emigrated to the US with her parents as a baby/one year old.
I liked the characters, the kindness of the uncle, the loyalties ofthe younger daughter, the sadness of the situation and its richness too.
It dragged a bit towards the end, I felt the author sort of moralizing/interpreting when I wanted more flow to it, maybe more strife (the sisters' easy harmony seems unlikely to me, actually), and I wasn't at all sure about keeping the secrets, particularly secrets that everyone knew except the one concerned (Miran)--this seemed to me naive (that Miran would never suspect; that there would never be a strain there, on all of them, towards telling her.)
I liked the characters, the kindness of the uncle, the loyalties ofthe younger daughter, the sadness of the situation and its richness too.
It dragged a bit towards the end, I felt the author sort of moralizing/interpreting when I wanted more flow to it, maybe more strife (the sisters' easy harmony seems unlikely to me, actually), and I wasn't at all sure about keeping the secrets, particularly secrets that everyone knew except the one concerned (Miran)--this seemed to me naive (that Miran would never suspect; that there would never be a strain there, on all of them, towards telling her.)
stefan_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
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
3.0
wordnerdy's review against another edition
3.0
https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2018/11/2018-book-168.html
This book is a sequel to Kim’s The Calligrapher's Daughter, which I read like eight years ago and in fact have no memory of reading, so it works fine as a stand-alone. It takes place from the 1950s to the 1970s and centers on two sisters—one, the elder, who was brought to America with her parents in the late 40s, and the other, who was left behind with family but then is stuck there through the war years and beyond. Sections of this are told in letters and diaries, but they appear seemingly at random, and it’s a little bit of a jarring shift in the narrative each time. I also thought the back half felt a little bit rushed. Still, an engaging and interesting read. I liked the relationship between the sisters a lot. B/B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on Tuesday.
This book is a sequel to Kim’s The Calligrapher's Daughter, which I read like eight years ago and in fact have no memory of reading, so it works fine as a stand-alone. It takes place from the 1950s to the 1970s and centers on two sisters—one, the elder, who was brought to America with her parents in the late 40s, and the other, who was left behind with family but then is stuck there through the war years and beyond. Sections of this are told in letters and diaries, but they appear seemingly at random, and it’s a little bit of a jarring shift in the narrative each time. I also thought the back half felt a little bit rushed. Still, an engaging and interesting read. I liked the relationship between the sisters a lot. B/B+.
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A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on Tuesday.
thesundaywriter's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful story about family love, sacrifice and grappling with one's own identity in the midst of a tumultuous time. The author's own experiences help to evoke that bite of raw authenticity and there are many memorable heartfelt and lyrical passages.