Scan barcode
meganjjang's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
The first 50 pages were 5 star for me, the rest of the book was slow, boring and not what the blurb promised - learnt nothing new about the Korean War either which the reading questions and blurb promise.
planet_dar's review against another edition
2.0
There never seemed to be anything at stake. The secrets just sort of rolled out. One character would say, "Oh, did I tell you about the time...?" and reveal something interesting but the character that the secret was being revealed to wasn't even wondering if there was a secret. Wouldn't have finished it if it wasn't a book club selection. The afterword by the author was the most interesting part. Perhaps this novel would have been better as a memoir.
maggienolin's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
bookrambler's review against another edition
5.0
The Kinship of Secrets is author Eugenia Kim's second novel and tells the story of two sisters -Miran and Inja-separated by war and an ocean. While the novel is fiction, the story is inspired by Kim's own family history. We witness the parallel growth of the two sisters, the rise and fall of a nation and the power of hope and secrets.
anlekaha's review against another edition
4.0
I got this book as part of a grab bag from my library so I had no idea what it was about. One of the quotes on the back called it an allegory so that set some expectations for me. As I read about separated sisters I thought about themes such as the sacrifices we make for family and nature vs nurture and felt the novel succeeded well there. I really liked the perspectives of the sisters and their personalities. The writing was a little wordy at times for me and the pace sometimes a little slow but I was interested enough to push through. Then I discovered the author's note at the back and learned that the story was based on the author's own family. That made the story all the more powerful because it isn't just an allegory; her family was truly separated and lived through that same history.
thepoptimist's review against another edition
3.0
I've been reading a lot of Korean works lately and they're reacquainting me to the idea of Korean "han". Go back a mere generation and see how Korean lives are influenced by the Japanese occupation, the Korean War, families split apart and the very real possibility of imprisonment and/or death. Han is the feeling of sorrow, injustice and anger that informs the Korean people but still has room for fierce hope.
It's 1948 and the Cho's arrive in the United States with their daughter Miran. They have left their sickly child Inja behind with an uncle and grandparents with the promise to fetch her as soon as they settle into their new home. But then war breaks out, Inja flees to Busan and the Cho's reunion with their daughter extends across years.
Chapters switch back and forth between Inja in South Korea while Miran struggles to find her place in an adopted homeland. I recognized Miran's mother's collections of colloquialisms. My father also kept a ledger of idioms, endlessly fascinated by these turns of phrases that otherwise made no sense like "kick the bucket" or "over the moon".
The family is eventually reunited after over a decade apart and the reunion is not quite so simple. Inja has made a life for herself in Korea and mourns the loss of her friends and extended family. Miran has to contend with her sibling that is still a stranger to her.
A lovely read but more importantly I'm appreciating how many Korean works in translation are hitting North American shelves and am relishing collecting stories of my Korean culture.
It's 1948 and the Cho's arrive in the United States with their daughter Miran. They have left their sickly child Inja behind with an uncle and grandparents with the promise to fetch her as soon as they settle into their new home. But then war breaks out, Inja flees to Busan and the Cho's reunion with their daughter extends across years.
Chapters switch back and forth between Inja in South Korea while Miran struggles to find her place in an adopted homeland. I recognized Miran's mother's collections of colloquialisms. My father also kept a ledger of idioms, endlessly fascinated by these turns of phrases that otherwise made no sense like "kick the bucket" or "over the moon".
The family is eventually reunited after over a decade apart and the reunion is not quite so simple. Inja has made a life for herself in Korea and mourns the loss of her friends and extended family. Miran has to contend with her sibling that is still a stranger to her.
A lovely read but more importantly I'm appreciating how many Korean works in translation are hitting North American shelves and am relishing collecting stories of my Korean culture.
sonalipawar26's review against another edition
4.0
The Kinship of Secrets is a soul-stirring novel which makes one realise the importance of family. This book is based on the lives of two sisters raised in different parts of the world, one raised in the USA and another in South Korea.
(Read the full review on my blog: https://musingsofalazywriter.wordpress.com/2018/12/31/book-review-the-kinship-of-secrets/)
Alternating between the point of views of both the sisters, Kim balances the narration beautifully. And never did I think, at any point, that there was a discrepancy in the story. Another matter of intrigue was how the relationship between the members of the family was not only tied but strengthened due to the secrets they held. This family was bound by ‘secrets’, and while during the end I had my doubts about one sister telling the other her truth, I understood why she decided not to confess. It all made sense to me.
(Read the full review on my blog: https://musingsofalazywriter.wordpress.com/2018/12/31/book-review-the-kinship-of-secrets/)
Alternating between the point of views of both the sisters, Kim balances the narration beautifully. And never did I think, at any point, that there was a discrepancy in the story. Another matter of intrigue was how the relationship between the members of the family was not only tied but strengthened due to the secrets they held. This family was bound by ‘secrets’, and while during the end I had my doubts about one sister telling the other her truth, I understood why she decided not to confess. It all made sense to me.
melkelsey's review against another edition
4.0
First sentence: On a chilly summer night, the newsmonger trudged uphill to a residential enclave of Seoul, the last neighborhood on his route.
Well-written fictional version of the author's family's story. I didn't like the third person pov from multiple perspectives because the transitions were nonexistent and it lacked clarity. Another good book by Kim but I liked The Calligrapher's Daughter better!
Well-written fictional version of the author's family's story. I didn't like the third person pov from multiple perspectives because the transitions were nonexistent and it lacked clarity. Another good book by Kim but I liked The Calligrapher's Daughter better!
rlbasley's review against another edition
5.0
A book of fiction based on the real life experience of the authors family. Told in the voice of the sisters Miran and Inja. It tells of the difference in their lives when Miran goes to America with their parents while Inja remains in Korea to live with her uncle and Grandmother. A separation of Two years is vastly extended with the outbreak of the Korean War and tough immigration laws prevent Inja from going her family in America. The book beautifully tells the story of each of their lives and the secrets that are hidden in families for the good of some of the members. It also shows how acculturation is very difficult in America and the issues with family reunification. But it surrounds itself in the love of family (books that normally make my black sheep soul gag) and does it in a well rounded way. If you enjoyed the Calligraphers Daughter, you will love this book.
abookishtype's review against another edition
3.0
An impossible choice separates a Korean family just before the Korean War breaks out in Eugenia Kim’s The Kinship of Secrets. This choice means that Inja is left behind with her relatives while her parents take her slightly older sister, Miran, to the United States. The book follows the two sisters as they grow into teenagers, each wondering about the other while also resenting their parents’ divided attention. This quiet novel takes its time building up the characters and never gets too harrowing (not compared to some things I’ve read). It’s an intriguing meditation on the complexities of family relationships after they’re derailed...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss, for review consideration.