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A review by bookapotamus
The Evening Hero by Marie Myung-Ok Lee
4.0
The Evening Hero released last year and I’m so glad I finally was able to read it.
Alternating between past and present, Korea and America, it follows Dr. Yungman Kwak, an obstetrician living in Minnesota whose hospital has suddenly closed and he’s left wondering what happened to his American dream. When he left Korea almost 50 years ago - he also left behind a secret. And just as he’s dealing with so much uncertainty in his life, a letter arrives.
There is so much to unpack in this sweeping saga of an immigrants life. Told with such beautifully smooth prose - it’s a pleasure to read and absorb every word. The perils of war, the loneliness an immigrant faces, perpetual racism, a flawed healthcare system, and the push and pull of family, all build the foundation to this heartbreakingly stunning story. And though it sounds quite heavy, there’s quite a bit humorous moments neatly tucked into Yungman’s thoughts - and I loved reading about this brave man who has tried his entire life to just do his very best.
A gorgeous novel of how our past makes us, how a better future is uncertain, and how the present is a longing for both.
Alternating between past and present, Korea and America, it follows Dr. Yungman Kwak, an obstetrician living in Minnesota whose hospital has suddenly closed and he’s left wondering what happened to his American dream. When he left Korea almost 50 years ago - he also left behind a secret. And just as he’s dealing with so much uncertainty in his life, a letter arrives.
There is so much to unpack in this sweeping saga of an immigrants life. Told with such beautifully smooth prose - it’s a pleasure to read and absorb every word. The perils of war, the loneliness an immigrant faces, perpetual racism, a flawed healthcare system, and the push and pull of family, all build the foundation to this heartbreakingly stunning story. And though it sounds quite heavy, there’s quite a bit humorous moments neatly tucked into Yungman’s thoughts - and I loved reading about this brave man who has tried his entire life to just do his very best.
A gorgeous novel of how our past makes us, how a better future is uncertain, and how the present is a longing for both.