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A review by bentohbox
Haunting the Korean Diaspora by Grace M. Cho
5.0
This was a pretty heavy book, both in writing style and emotion. It reads very academically, which means it may not be accessible to everyone, and there were some passages that were difficult to get through because of the volume of terminology Cho uses or refers to.
However, I also think in this context, the book is incredibly well-done, relatively easy to read, and covers the generational and internal traumas we often don't hear of. I think Cho argues her points very well throughout (although there are some places where I think her logic can be a bit dubious), and provides strong historical context. Some people probably will take issue with her conclusions and framing but I think she does a good job of defending her position.
This book also just made me sad; being Korean American, not knowing much at all about the Korean War, and always struggling with my own sense of Han and familial history, I think I really connected with the books mission and specific focus on Korean women. It really embodies Lee Min Jin's opener for Pachinko that "it's a woman's lot to suffer."
However, I also think in this context, the book is incredibly well-done, relatively easy to read, and covers the generational and internal traumas we often don't hear of. I think Cho argues her points very well throughout (although there are some places where I think her logic can be a bit dubious), and provides strong historical context. Some people probably will take issue with her conclusions and framing but I think she does a good job of defending her position.
This book also just made me sad; being Korean American, not knowing much at all about the Korean War, and always struggling with my own sense of Han and familial history, I think I really connected with the books mission and specific focus on Korean women. It really embodies Lee Min Jin's opener for Pachinko that "it's a woman's lot to suffer."