A review by anlekaha
The Kinship of Secrets by Eugenia Kim

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.