Scan barcode
kt_schutte's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Sexual violence, Vomit, Violence, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and War
Moderate: Pedophilia and Police brutality
shanmcdonald's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual content, War, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Trafficking
lglais's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Vomit, Death, Gore, Murder, Racism, Genocide, Kidnapping, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Colonisation, Trafficking, Sexism, Child death, War, and Confinement
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Author: Mary Lynn Bracht
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: January 20, 2018
T H R E E • W O R D S
Unsettling • Enlightening • Redemptive
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Korea, 1943. Hana has lived her entire life under Japanese occupation. As a haenyeo, a female diver of the sea, she enjoys an independence that few other Koreans can still claim. Until the day Hana saves her younger sister from a Japanese soldier and is herself captured and transported to Manchuria. There she is forced to become a comfort woman in a Japanese military brothel. But haenyeo are women of power and strength. She will find her way home.
South Korea, 2011. Emi has spent more than sixty years trying to forget the sacrifice her sister made, but she must confront the past to discover peace. Seeing the healing of her children and her country, can Emi move beyond the legacy of war to find forgiveness?
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was gifted a copy of White Chrysanthemum by a friend a few years ago, and when I needed a book to fit a 'flower in the title' prompt, it was easy to grab off of my shelf. I didn't know much besides that it was a historical fiction, and I decided to tandem read the physical book along with the audio.
I was instantly drawn into the eye-opening account of the war crimes committed against 1000s of Korean women during WWII. The history of the Japanese sex slavery, and these women known as 'comfort women' is something I knew very little about. As detailed in the author's note, it's another heinous aspect of history governments have tried to brush under the rug, yet needs to be told. The detailed descriptions of what when on with these women were hard to read, yet really drew me into the story. I also appreciated learning about haenyeo culture.
As I kept reading, my interest waned as the story moved away from the central aspect. And I don't think the dual POVs worked for the story Bracht was trying to tell. While I knew they were connected, it felt like two separate stories being told parallel to one another. Emi wanted justice and healing with what happened to her sister, and Hana was always searching for home and eventually had to adjust to a new meaning for the word 'home'.
Mary Lynn Bracht handles the unsettling content with care in her debut. I preferred the first half of the story, and the ending left me satisfied, but something throughout the middle left more to desired. I would definitely read more of Mary Lynn Bracht books in the future.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• historical fiction fans looking for something different
• readers who like stories about sisters
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Words are power, her father once told her after reciting one of his political poems. The more words you know, the more powerful you become. That is why the Japanese outlaw our native language. They are limiting our power by limiting our words."
Graphic: Torture, Trafficking, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, and Confinement
Moderate: Kidnapping, War, Death, Murder, Grief, Blood, Violence, and Sexual content
Minor: Sexism, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, and Misogyny
hi_mari's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Rape, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, and Sexual violence
rspades's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Stalking, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Slavery, War, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Trafficking, and Torture
Moderate: Body horror, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, and Blood
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Addiction, Self harm, and Alcohol
julianeos's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
En vanvittig vond og trist bok, men også veldig fangende og informativ. Vanskelig å legge fra seg, og selv om det var mye som nesten gjorde fysisk vondt å lese, synes jeg den var utrolig godt skrevet og er glad jeg leste den. Sitter igjen med et sterkt inntrykk av boka og reflekterer over krig, krigsforbrytelser og «comfort women».
Synes at selv om det var en noe trist slutt så var den tilfredsstillende og ikke like vond å svelge som det kunne vært, noe jeg setter pris på etter en så dyster og vond lesning. Liker endingen veldig godt, om den enn er noe usannsynlig. Ble også mer og mer glad i Emi som karakter og synes hun fikk en fin slutt. Ett etterlengtet punktum. Hana som karakter ble jeg veldig glad i, til og med mer glad i enn jeg hatet mange karakterer og det skal godt gjøres.
Alt i alt utrolig fin og vond bok, som jeg anbefaler på det sterkeste, dersom man har hodet til å tåle vonde scener og to generelt triste historier. Heldigvis noe håp innflettet.
Graphic: War, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping
bookycnidaria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, War, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Torture, Pedophilia, Murder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Genocide, and Death of parent
mscgrl05's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Blood, Physical abuse, Rape, and Trafficking
Moderate: Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: War
dienlv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Trafficking, Suicide, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent