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One Thousand Chestnut Trees: a Novel of Korea
The tumultuous history of Korea unfolds inÌýMira Stout's debut novel One Thousand Chestnut Trees, aÌýcompelling story of a young woman's search for her Korean heritage--and her own sense of identity. In her journeys, she discovers a legacy left behind by the noble clan from which she is descended--a temple erected by her great-grandfather in defiance of centuries of invasions against Korea, and the one thousand chestnut trees that shield it from view.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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About the author
Mira Stout
6Ìýbooks3ÌýfollowersMira Stout was born in New York City and raised in Vermont. She attended Brown University and has contributed to a number of publications, including The New York Times Magazine, The Paris Review, Vanity Fair, The Spectator, The Times, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, Vogue, GQ, Elle, Tatler, and The Financial Times. She lives in London, England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
March 10, 2015
Parts of this book merited a 4, and other parts a 2, so it's a hard one to rate and review.
I found the writing style a bit distracting, as it's self-consciously wordy and laden with adjectives, and can appear pompous at times.
The story is told by a succession of three narrators, across the decades, and I don't feel that the characterisation of these narrators (the grandfather, mother and daughter) is entirely successful. Their voices are not sufficiently distinct from each other, and this results in the reader occasionally becoming confused about who is talking, and when.
The daughter is often difficult to like, and the chapters narrated by her felt by far the weakest (with the possible exception of the ending). Also, I'm not sure whether these chapters are the most autobiographical, but they are permeated by the hostility the daughter feels towards her mother, which is never properly explained.
It's also odd that, while Mira Stout fails to make her main characters distinct from each other, she has no such difficulty with more minor ones. Many of those, such as Miss Cho, are both memorable and interesting.
One of the underlying themes of the book is an exploration of the challenges and difficulties of being an immigrant/emigrant (whether first- or second-generation); coupled with what it is like for those who are left behind, and how it feels to be of mixed race.
Stout handles these issues with varying degrees of subtlety and success, and she's least successful when her writing's at its most overt. It's the small details, often mentioned in passing, that best reveal Stout's characters' sense of confusion and of not belonging, and which are the most moving.
I won't give any spoilers about the way this novel ends, except to say that Stout makes a brave choice and opts for subtlety, which results in an ending that is much more haunting than going out with a bang would have been.
Overall, I do recommend this book, partly for its wonderful descriptions of the Korean landscape, but also for the insight it gives into this little-known country, its turbulent history and its people. It made me ashamed I knew so little about Korean history and culture, and I'm now keen to visit South Korea (and to try Korean food!)
I found the writing style a bit distracting, as it's self-consciously wordy and laden with adjectives, and can appear pompous at times.
The story is told by a succession of three narrators, across the decades, and I don't feel that the characterisation of these narrators (the grandfather, mother and daughter) is entirely successful. Their voices are not sufficiently distinct from each other, and this results in the reader occasionally becoming confused about who is talking, and when.
The daughter is often difficult to like, and the chapters narrated by her felt by far the weakest (with the possible exception of the ending). Also, I'm not sure whether these chapters are the most autobiographical, but they are permeated by the hostility the daughter feels towards her mother, which is never properly explained.
It's also odd that, while Mira Stout fails to make her main characters distinct from each other, she has no such difficulty with more minor ones. Many of those, such as Miss Cho, are both memorable and interesting.
One of the underlying themes of the book is an exploration of the challenges and difficulties of being an immigrant/emigrant (whether first- or second-generation); coupled with what it is like for those who are left behind, and how it feels to be of mixed race.
Stout handles these issues with varying degrees of subtlety and success, and she's least successful when her writing's at its most overt. It's the small details, often mentioned in passing, that best reveal Stout's characters' sense of confusion and of not belonging, and which are the most moving.
I won't give any spoilers about the way this novel ends, except to say that Stout makes a brave choice and opts for subtlety, which results in an ending that is much more haunting than going out with a bang would have been.
Overall, I do recommend this book, partly for its wonderful descriptions of the Korean landscape, but also for the insight it gives into this little-known country, its turbulent history and its people. It made me ashamed I knew so little about Korean history and culture, and I'm now keen to visit South Korea (and to try Korean food!)
July 30, 2023
3.5 stars
This is story about family ties, family history and identity. Anna’a mother came to Korea on a scholarship to study music and married her American father. Growing up in Vermont she has little contact with Koreans, and much of her exposure to Korean culture is through her mother’s lessons in decorum and stories of Seoul which sounded as unreal as fairy tales.
When her mother’s brother, Hong-do, comes to stay with them, Anna sees his ways as foreign and embarrassing. However as time goes on they do forge a relationship. Years later Hong-do returns to Seoul and settles there.
When Anna decides to visit Korea the family history set during many difficult years make more sense.
I particularly enjoyed the section related by Anna’s mother- her early years, the years through Japanese occupation and then the communist invasion from the north. It does give a clear picture of Korea’s history from a very personal angle.
This is story about family ties, family history and identity. Anna’a mother came to Korea on a scholarship to study music and married her American father. Growing up in Vermont she has little contact with Koreans, and much of her exposure to Korean culture is through her mother’s lessons in decorum and stories of Seoul which sounded as unreal as fairy tales.
When her mother’s brother, Hong-do, comes to stay with them, Anna sees his ways as foreign and embarrassing. However as time goes on they do forge a relationship. Years later Hong-do returns to Seoul and settles there.
When Anna decides to visit Korea the family history set during many difficult years make more sense.
I particularly enjoyed the section related by Anna’s mother- her early years, the years through Japanese occupation and then the communist invasion from the north. It does give a clear picture of Korea’s history from a very personal angle.
October 22, 2011
This book reminded me, in structure, of an Amy Tan book. Asian families, focusing on the relationship between mothers and daughters, with the mother's background in sharp focus. In delivery, it only partly succeeded. Set in America and then Korea, this book is about a daughter, Anna, who rebels against her mother's Korean habits in America, then meets and begrugingly establishes a relationship with her uncle (her mother's brother) and decides to travel to Korea to see for herself the place that shaped her mother and, in part, her own background. The book comes in 3 main parts, focusing on the daughter, the mother and her family, and the daughter again. The middle section of the book, focusing on the mother and extended family, is really quite good. It has strong character development, it relies on Korea's history for its pace, but that history is interesting and it was beautifully woven into a family history in a way that was engaging and connected you to the characters. The other parts of the story -- the parts about the daughter -- weren't as good. The writing wasn't bad, but the character of the daughter was hard to connect to. There was no substance behind her estrangement from her mother, thereby making the daughter look like a selfish person. There was no substance behind the relationship with her uncle. A few dinners together and suddenly he was her inspiration. It didn't make sense to me. The part where the daughter was in Korea was especially disappointing, the author could have done so much more to awaken this daughter's self-realization.
I'm glad I read this book because through it I learned things about Korea and Korean history that I didn't previously know. It urged me on to do some non-fiction research into the Korean War and Canada's role in that. But the story itself only engaged me half of the book.
I'm glad I read this book because through it I learned things about Korea and Korean history that I didn't previously know. It urged me on to do some non-fiction research into the Korean War and Canada's role in that. But the story itself only engaged me half of the book.
September 19, 2011
If I could, I would give it 2 1/2 stars... I liked the book for its historical information but having recently finished an *amazing* book about living through war and simultaneously reading another book with a writing style that I preferred more, this one seemed to fall flat in engaging me.
The story follows a woman in her twenties born to a Korean immigrant mother and a US father who decides to go looking for her roots in Korea. The story is then told from the perspective of her maternal grandfather (just before the Korean war), followed by her mother (just prior to immigrating to the US) and then back to her during her trip in the 1980's. I found the narrative perspectives to be rather distant and too matter of fact like for my taste. And the narrative with the young woman was too full of metaphors and too long descriptions of the scenery to keep my attention.
I learned a great deal about Korea; a country I realized I knew virtually nothing about. And I really appreciated the historical context for today's North/South Korea split. I had no idea how brutal Japan was during their occupation of Korea, they completely decimated the country and I'm not even sure why. And then to read about the Korean war and the devastation that created by dividing the country even further. So much violence.
As the daughter of immigrant parents myself, I also appreciated her lending a voice to the experience of belonging to a country but not really being able to claim it as one's own. It seems to be a common sentiment, you grow up hearing about this country, feeling like you don't belong in the US because you're "different" and then when you get to the "home" country, realizing that you don't really belong there either.
Overall, I like the story, the history, and the concept; it was the delivery that just fell flat for me.
The story follows a woman in her twenties born to a Korean immigrant mother and a US father who decides to go looking for her roots in Korea. The story is then told from the perspective of her maternal grandfather (just before the Korean war), followed by her mother (just prior to immigrating to the US) and then back to her during her trip in the 1980's. I found the narrative perspectives to be rather distant and too matter of fact like for my taste. And the narrative with the young woman was too full of metaphors and too long descriptions of the scenery to keep my attention.
I learned a great deal about Korea; a country I realized I knew virtually nothing about. And I really appreciated the historical context for today's North/South Korea split. I had no idea how brutal Japan was during their occupation of Korea, they completely decimated the country and I'm not even sure why. And then to read about the Korean war and the devastation that created by dividing the country even further. So much violence.
As the daughter of immigrant parents myself, I also appreciated her lending a voice to the experience of belonging to a country but not really being able to claim it as one's own. It seems to be a common sentiment, you grow up hearing about this country, feeling like you don't belong in the US because you're "different" and then when you get to the "home" country, realizing that you don't really belong there either.
Overall, I like the story, the history, and the concept; it was the delivery that just fell flat for me.
December 21, 2015
This book had me torn - I wanted to know more about the Japanese Occupation & Korean War but I didn't want to finish this book as the writing wasn't engaging me. I also was not grabbed with the voice of the daughter who was trying to tie the story together. If Stout had just focused on the historic aspects of the story from the Mother's perspective, this would have been a better book.
November 6, 2018
In my opinion this book's depiction of wars in Korea feels so realistic and heartbreaking. I understand now why Koreans have grudges against Japanese. I like the story from the mother's point of view. For me it's so touching and sad. Yet, I don't really enjoy the story from the daughter's point of view. Too much description about the surrounding and don't really elaborate the feeling. Yup, there is description about the daughter's feeling about cultural gap as a westerner and half korean who lived abroad. But, that's it. The flow is just too slow and sorry to say boring. Well, apart from what I said, this is still recommended to know more about what happened to Korea that you might probably not find in any school text books.
June 7, 2021
membaca buku ini, serba sedikit kita akan memahami, atau sekurang-kurangnya, tahu, akan sejarah korea � bagaimana negara ini terbahagi kepada korea selatan dan utara, tentang kuasa-kuasa yang pernah menjajahnya. jika dikira dari abad-abad terawal, korea telah melalui tempoh penjajahan yang amat panjang dan getir. dengan bijak penulis telah mengadun fakta ini dalam novel ini.
pada awal cerita, kita diperkenalkan keapda karakter utama, iaitu generasi kedua imigran dari korea selatan. sedikit gusar sekiranya ‘perjalanan� cerita ini klise seperti cerita-cerita generasi kedua atau ketiga imigran di negara-negara barat yang mengalami krisis identiti, mencari-cari jati diri, dan menemuinya setelah melalui suatu peristiwa/pengalaman yang menyentap.
mujurlah novel ini tidak begitu.
tetapi karakter utama � anna � tetap perlu melakukan perjalanan balik ke tanah leluhurnya � korea � untuk menjadikan cerita ini, jadi. maka, anna melakukannya � pergi ke korea (selatan) � kerana merasakan kehidupannya agak tidak ‘menjadi� di manhattan. sambil-sambil itu, bolehlah dia menjejak kaum kerabat dan menyingkap riwayat hidup ibunya di sana.
penulis sangat bijak membawa pembaca mengikuti perjalanan anna yang berpandukan kepada pengkisahan daripada ibunya. teknik imbas kembali oleh penulis yang menyusun cerita daripada sudut pandangan ibunya, membawa pembaca ke tahun 1936, malah, lebih awal dari itu � dari abad ke -16. penceritaan melalui imbas kembali ini sangat tersusun, sangat lancar, jelas � vivid. apabila membaca tentang kekejaman tentera jepun ke atas penduduk tempatan, teringat kisah sama yang pernah dibaca dalam novel ‘women of the sea�. kekejaman ini benar-benar berlaku � mengapa pula tidak. itu adalah sebahagian daripada catatan sejarah; sejarah tidak berbohong.
kerana novel ini berlatarbelakangkan korea, tidak dapat tidak akan tergambar bintang-bintang korea dan semua artis dan budaya k-pop yang tidak diminati (kecuali siri drama di netflix; beberapa judul drama menjengah fikiran waktu membaca novel ini). budaya k-pop bagaikan membadai dunia; begitu kejayaan teknologi mereka yang semakin menerajui dunia � mungkinkah ini cara untuk mengkhabarkan kepada dunai bahawa, ini masanya mereka ‘kembali�, watch us rise. kerana sesungguhnya apa yang mereka lalui sepanjang tempoh negara mereka dilanda peperangan, sangat kejam. ya, peperangan mana yang tidak kejam, tidak zalim, tidak memusnahkan.
ekskursi solo anna ke tanah tumpah darah keluarga ibunya adalah suatu perjalanan yang menyayukan hati. hasrat untuk mejejaki dan melihat rumah dan kediaman agam moyang dahulu tidak kesampaian. semuanya sudah tiada dan tidak meninggalkan kesan, malah hampir tidak tercatat dalam sejarah. kehampaan anna ini menjentik kesedaran betapa perlunya menjaga dan menghargai segala khazanah yang kita ada sekarang dan tidak membiarkan apa saja bentuk kemajuan menguburkan segala-galnya. ya, sangat malang bagi keluarga anna � dan banyak lagi yang senasib dengannya � khazanah keluarga yang turut menjadi sebahagian daripada sejarah bangsa dan negara hapus dimusnahkan dalam peperangan. ya, dokumentasi dan depositori sangat penting.
pada akhir-akhir novel ini, kita berkenalan dengan miss choo, penterjemah yang diupah oleh pak cik anna untuk menemaninya sepanjang dia berada di korea. miss choo, seorang penuntut univesiti yang digambarkan sebagai ceria, moden dan bersifar terbuka, merupakan satu watak yang sangat menarik. dalam sikapnya yang terbuka, moden, dia dengan yakin dan lancar mempertahankan jati dirinya sebagai rakyat negara yang pernah dijajah, ditindas dan dizalimi. dalam penjelasannya yang yakin, dia menyatakan apa yang membezakan rakyat korea dengan bangsa-bangsa dunia yang lain � tanpa menidakkan keluhuran jati diri, nilai- murni mereka; tentang ketidakpedulian apa yang dunia harapkan atau fikirkan tentang mereka � betapa tidak perlunya mengikut acuan negara barat, khasnya. sangat menarik dan bersemangat watak ini dengan falsafahnya yang mewakili rakyat korea dan ketahanan mereka � begitu juga semangat dan sifat yang dimiliki myung-ja, ibu anna. miss choo mewakili generasi muda korea, khususnya golongan pelajar yang anna sifatkan sebagai gemar memberontak tetapi perjuangan mereka tidak dipedulikan - tanggapan yang menyinggung hati miss choo. mungkin anna yang tidak benar-benar memahami, dan hanya bersifat defensif. miss choo dan myung-ja pada zaman mudanya merupakan watak-watak yang mewakili sisi berani, yakin serta hasrat masa hadapan korea. ya, segala yang k-pop akan dilihat dengan perspektif yang berbeza selepas ini.
bahawa ibu dan keluarga datuk anna mempunyai kaitan dengan golongan bangsawan dan istana daripada segi kedudukan dalam kerajaan dan pertalian darah dengan keluarga diraja silam korea, memberi nuansa romantis kepada novel ini. ditambah pula dengan pencarian biara/kuil (temple) yang dibina moyangnya di gunung sorak, begitu juga pencarian seribu pohon berangan, menambah daya tarkan pada cerita ini.
novel ini jelas-jelas adalah mengenai jati diri dan rasa kental mempertahankannya tanpa menyakiti orang lain. mempertahankan apa yang dipercayai dan segala yang diperjuangkan, walaupun tidak seiring atau dipersetujui oleh orang lain. ia juga tentang pilihan � apa yang kita pilih, dan harga yang perlu dibayar. contohnya, kita mahukan kemajuan, namun budaya mana yang perlu kita korbankan; kita mahu mendirikan segala fasiliti kerana menjadi tuan rumah sukan olimpik, bukit mana yang akan kita tarah untuk pembinaan, tanah mana yang kita akan gali dan timbus, tebing mana yang akan kita tambak; dataran hijau mana yang akan kita rata dan simenkan untuk membina lapangan pakir. ya, begitulah seterusnya.
ini adalah satu cerita yang bagus (mengapa sejarah tidak ditulis begini). tetapi, walaupun bagus ia tetapi kurang menyengat dari segi gaya penulisan (mungkin sebab itu tanpa sedar, terkait dengan buku teks sejarah semasa membacanya). walaupun mahu habis membacanya dengan segera, ia tetap saja satu novel yang perlu dibaca dengan perlahan dan tenang, lantaran ia terlalu ‘menyedut� tenaga dari segi emosi dan pemahaman; cerita ini menuntut itu daripada pembaca.
setelah dua bulan berada di kampung halaman ibunya dan dilimpahi dengan kebaikan saudara dan taulan yang menyenangi dan menyantuninya, akhirnya anna dihadapkan dengan pilihan untuk sama ada terus tinggal di korea atau kembali ke amerika syarikat. dengan segala keindahan (budi manusia dan alam) yang ditemui dan dikenali di korea, tarikan lebih ke arah untuk dia terus tinggal di seoul. dihadapkan dengan pilihan sukar dibuat tetapi juga mudah kerana tarikannya, anna tidak terus merembat apa yang ditawarkan. syukurlah, anna bukanlah suatu watak yang tidak berpendirian, dan keputusannya tidak mudah dijangka.
dan seribu pohon berangan yang ditanam sekitar temple yang dibina oleh moyangnya di gunung sorak � anna dan pak ciknya tidak menemuinya. tetapi sebagaimana kita perlu yakin kepada sejarah silam dan kewujudan magisnya, anna dan pak ciknya yakin temple dan seribu pohon berangan itu ada. mereka cuma belum menemuinya.
March 9, 2020
I enjoyed the book for the historical Value and the stories of 3 generations of suffering in war torn country. However the daughter Anna's character was not convincing as she sounded like a different person at the start and in the end. I also do not get a sense of why her mother has not return to her home land for a visit and what resentment she was still harbouring or facing her fear of what was remaining of her family. It was still an interesting read although Mira was very wordy in her description and some parts of the history seen like a cut and paste of a history book. It became like a feast for the tourists towards the end as she toured the country and it provided me with more interest to visit these places other than Seoul. As the story was told in 3 different voices it was quite confusing when they were refering to their relatives. Recently I watched a Korean series on netflix Mr Sunshine which is set in korea during early 1900s so if you are interested in furthering your understanding of Koreans Fight for indprndence this is a great series to watch.
August 31, 2009
I have tried to read this book for four years, and finally finished it today. I revisited the book after returning from Korea, but it still took me over six months to read. There are three generations worth of writing in this book, and the parts I liked were the historical perspectives of the grandfather and mother. There was actually a very good history offered on 20th century Korean history in these two narratives. I really, really did not enjoy the sections of the book narrated by the daughter. There were too many unnecessary "life lessons" going on, and too many generalizations made about Korean, Chinese, Japanese and American culture. Her voice really seemed unnecessary and gratuitous.
July 31, 2017
You can tell that the story meant a lot to the author which makes it easier to read. There was a lot of historical information involved in writing this book. The author was very passionate about finding her roots which took a lot of research. I liked the layout of the book and how she writes in three different persons, herself, her mother and her grandfather. She also paid close attention to detail even though she was not alive yet during the Mother and Grandfather part of the book. I think if I had any connection/relation to Korea I would have been more drawn/attached by the writer. To me, this book is almost a 3-star book so it centrally is worth the try.
December 21, 2020
Why did I like this book? Because of the fact that you get so much information about Korea, a country so far away and unknown for me. I really didn't know that it has such an interesting and heartbreaking history. The story of the grandfather and mother are therefore the best parts of this book.
Why did I not like this book so much? Because of the way the daughter is writing. Her style, with all these description that are 'over the top'. I read a review from a reader who used the word 'pompous'. I think that is a good word. It is a pity, because the story itself is so interesting. When the style would have been less pretentious, it would have been a wonderful book.
Why did I not like this book so much? Because of the way the daughter is writing. Her style, with all these description that are 'over the top'. I read a review from a reader who used the word 'pompous'. I think that is a good word. It is a pity, because the story itself is so interesting. When the style would have been less pretentious, it would have been a wonderful book.
February 5, 2016
impressive debut novel (some parts do fall short, but easy reading too). a young artists moves out of nyc, back home, frustrated with her boho life. then her old-school uncle comes for a visit from korea and she is sparked and intrigued. young woman goes 'back' to korea and re-discovers her roots and saga of korean history.
a family saga/epic in 300 or so pages.
a family saga/epic in 300 or so pages.
May 17, 2019
As another reviewer commented, parts of this novel deserve four stars. Told across three different narrators, the central narrator (the daughter) has the weakest of the three voices. I enjoyed hearing her mother’s story though even then it at times felt like a simple historical catalogue rather than a novel.
December 18, 2007
I like the story in this book a lot but it's overloaded with too many adjectives and mixed metaphors. It was easiest to read the first time when I was distracted by learning so much about life in Korea during and since the war but now on the third reading I could barely get through it.
December 10, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. I only gave it four stars 'cause I might have really liked it 'cause I live in Korea. But it was full of good history about this country, it had several gererations (kinda like the joy luck club). Focused on the females of one family.
July 25, 2024
See @myyearofrereading on Instagram for more info on my re-reading project.
FAV QUOTES
‘Han is sorrow and yearning and resentment; it lasts centuries, and never goes away. It is at the core of us,� said my mother. � p 10
I had neither been kind nor unkind to my uncle, but had saved up knowing him for a future time, when it would be easier. I thought he would always be there to discover, like a locked family treasure chest, too substantial to be moved. � p 16
…I wondered about romantic Love. The rare, invisible currency running through people’s lives, whose presence tripled your blood count in the night. � p 37
Through the violin she could enjoy a safe, dignified release, externalized, separate from herself. Music seemed to liberate enter structure her feelings. Perhaps she feared that if she ever started grieving her loss is, she might be unable to stop. Maybe time and distance had frozen them, as a kindness, deep inside her. � p 48 [about her mother]
Father was convinced that Jin-ho was falling under the spell of the group’s Communists � an end worst than Art. � p 134
I felt as if I were in a prdoundly foreign land, but at the same time there was a faint echo of familiarity about everything full stop it was all new comma it everything fitted perfectly comma as if it's in print might already exist in my consciousness. � p 239
Being 1/2 caste had the same effect in the east as in the West. Your face was subliminally unsettling to both races. Eyes brushed over you as if you did not quite count, you were an aberration, a blip that would be smoothed over by the next manifestly white coloured face that came into view. You were a curious mutation of the gene pool. But there was nothing diluted about being alive in these colours; you were not fifty-fifty, but two hundred percent alive; not a half-being, but a double being. � p 263
The spare, elegant lines and cool hues of the landscape washed over me without the violence of beauty I had seen in the West. The colours were quiet shades of moleskin and mink, duck egg blue and evergreen. I felt no urge at all to paint the scenery, for it already looked like painting. � p 265
As I had noticed before, the absence of tension around me, the lack of attention seeking, sexually competitive behaviour, still felt odd. It was a big generalisation, but it felt as if people were not hungry in the way that many Westerners were (self included). � p 271
‘Korea’s endless struggle against foreign domination has become . . . the crucible of modern Korea,� explained Mrs Park.
‘Struggling against an outside enemy has become our whole identity,� added her husband. � p 248
Here at the tip of Korea, I waited for some revelation, some piece of the puzzle to slip into place.
No such enlightenment came. � p 274
Being here, thousands of miles away, was the closest I had ever been to her. � p 293
I longed for something impossible: for a gentle unfolding of secrets; for a geological deceleration of time; for scars to be reversed; For my family to undie. � p 311
FAV QUOTES
‘Han is sorrow and yearning and resentment; it lasts centuries, and never goes away. It is at the core of us,� said my mother. � p 10
I had neither been kind nor unkind to my uncle, but had saved up knowing him for a future time, when it would be easier. I thought he would always be there to discover, like a locked family treasure chest, too substantial to be moved. � p 16
…I wondered about romantic Love. The rare, invisible currency running through people’s lives, whose presence tripled your blood count in the night. � p 37
Through the violin she could enjoy a safe, dignified release, externalized, separate from herself. Music seemed to liberate enter structure her feelings. Perhaps she feared that if she ever started grieving her loss is, she might be unable to stop. Maybe time and distance had frozen them, as a kindness, deep inside her. � p 48 [about her mother]
Father was convinced that Jin-ho was falling under the spell of the group’s Communists � an end worst than Art. � p 134
I felt as if I were in a prdoundly foreign land, but at the same time there was a faint echo of familiarity about everything full stop it was all new comma it everything fitted perfectly comma as if it's in print might already exist in my consciousness. � p 239
Being 1/2 caste had the same effect in the east as in the West. Your face was subliminally unsettling to both races. Eyes brushed over you as if you did not quite count, you were an aberration, a blip that would be smoothed over by the next manifestly white coloured face that came into view. You were a curious mutation of the gene pool. But there was nothing diluted about being alive in these colours; you were not fifty-fifty, but two hundred percent alive; not a half-being, but a double being. � p 263
The spare, elegant lines and cool hues of the landscape washed over me without the violence of beauty I had seen in the West. The colours were quiet shades of moleskin and mink, duck egg blue and evergreen. I felt no urge at all to paint the scenery, for it already looked like painting. � p 265
As I had noticed before, the absence of tension around me, the lack of attention seeking, sexually competitive behaviour, still felt odd. It was a big generalisation, but it felt as if people were not hungry in the way that many Westerners were (self included). � p 271
‘Korea’s endless struggle against foreign domination has become . . . the crucible of modern Korea,� explained Mrs Park.
‘Struggling against an outside enemy has become our whole identity,� added her husband. � p 248
Here at the tip of Korea, I waited for some revelation, some piece of the puzzle to slip into place.
No such enlightenment came. � p 274
Being here, thousands of miles away, was the closest I had ever been to her. � p 293
I longed for something impossible: for a gentle unfolding of secrets; for a geological deceleration of time; for scars to be reversed; For my family to undie. � p 311
July 18, 2017
Mira Stout, similar to the capability of an Author like Bernice Ruebens, weaves a wonderful story, but in a notably different style that is all her own. She is subtle, yet allows the reader, if they wish to be as deeply understanding to her meaning as she allows one, to interpret that the journey, in this case , of the young Korean woman, going back incredibly ( a rare thing) , to the land of her Mother's origin, due to a deeper level she is achieving in her womanhood to appreciate the sacrifices that were made, and even more to understand the culture surrounding the Korean heritage of pain and suffering that shaped the lives and the outing together aftermath of the Koreans after their war that literally tore apart their country.
In this effort, Mira shows that this young girl discovers that life is about more, more than just the empty pursuits that America idealizes in most of its status and life values. ( Don't get me wrong, I believe America to be the greatest country in the world still), but the greater understanding of the sacrifices made by the Koreans to accept the changes , some heartbreakingly devastatingly in-reconcilable w/in their country, and their simplicity in approach towards life, cultural heritage, is a reminder of where America might need to make strides to return to in a greater sense of honor. There is a lot to be admired in the integrity of this Korean culture as portrayed in this book.
Also, the character of Anna and her acceptance that life is about something more than herself only, and that the life she has been leading of , as he puts it subtly, yet with a chord of truth in her writing running penetratingly deep to the heart of a human's fallibility in shallowness, is seen for what it really is, when compared to the richer truths of her family's heritage in self-sacrifice, in simply life lived, daily striving to be true to one's self, country , family, filial honor and taking whatever comes approach to living that life, is a richer, more real and full sense of living life.
This is a area glimpse of that truth, and yet Mira is able to portray aspects of characters' personalities and the effects they have in her main character, in a pontificating light that allows her character to ponder her own meanings about each situation, interaction, and move with the reader to draw her own conclusions and visual images, also richly portrayed alongside her subtlety.
Ms. Stout says a lot without excessive language, and is good at telling story through different character perspectives- very difficult for a writer.
In this effort, Mira shows that this young girl discovers that life is about more, more than just the empty pursuits that America idealizes in most of its status and life values. ( Don't get me wrong, I believe America to be the greatest country in the world still), but the greater understanding of the sacrifices made by the Koreans to accept the changes , some heartbreakingly devastatingly in-reconcilable w/in their country, and their simplicity in approach towards life, cultural heritage, is a reminder of where America might need to make strides to return to in a greater sense of honor. There is a lot to be admired in the integrity of this Korean culture as portrayed in this book.
Also, the character of Anna and her acceptance that life is about something more than herself only, and that the life she has been leading of , as he puts it subtly, yet with a chord of truth in her writing running penetratingly deep to the heart of a human's fallibility in shallowness, is seen for what it really is, when compared to the richer truths of her family's heritage in self-sacrifice, in simply life lived, daily striving to be true to one's self, country , family, filial honor and taking whatever comes approach to living that life, is a richer, more real and full sense of living life.
This is a area glimpse of that truth, and yet Mira is able to portray aspects of characters' personalities and the effects they have in her main character, in a pontificating light that allows her character to ponder her own meanings about each situation, interaction, and move with the reader to draw her own conclusions and visual images, also richly portrayed alongside her subtlety.
Ms. Stout says a lot without excessive language, and is good at telling story through different character perspectives- very difficult for a writer.
December 23, 2023
Another re-read for me. I bought the book when spending the best part of a year (1999) working in Seoul and loved it - it helped explain a lot of what I encountered at work and socially with the South Korean people I met and got to know. And I really enjoyed learning more about Korean history, the war and Korean society. I had the priviledge of working with some exceptional simultaneous translators - all young woman, who also helped to "translate" a number of cultural circumstances, and I also remember a few young women on our team who had Korean heritage but had been brought up in America - interestingly I was tolerated so much better on our project team as I was so obviously an alient and so allowances were made - but the Korean Americans got the hardest time from our Korean colleagues - they looked Korean but spoke didn't speak Korean (well) or read / write hangul and lived westen cultural norms - many older Koreans just couldn't get their heads around that and treated them poorly or like simpletons.
Anyway, I think I was always going to love this book. The daughter, Anna, objects and is dismissive of her mother's un-american ways. Her visiting uncle is another fish out of water - even more so. When Anna feels a call to visit South Korea for herself the positions are reversed - her South Korean family offer her more tolerance and care than she extended as a clunky, self absorbed American teen. The back stories of her grandfather and mother illuminate the enormous upheavals occuring in their world before Anna was even born.
Well worht a read.
Anyway, I think I was always going to love this book. The daughter, Anna, objects and is dismissive of her mother's un-american ways. Her visiting uncle is another fish out of water - even more so. When Anna feels a call to visit South Korea for herself the positions are reversed - her South Korean family offer her more tolerance and care than she extended as a clunky, self absorbed American teen. The back stories of her grandfather and mother illuminate the enormous upheavals occuring in their world before Anna was even born.
Well worht a read.
July 3, 2019
It was interesting reading the reviews of this story. In contrast, I found Anna's story very interesting as she does not know a lot of her mother's history or grandfather's story. Born in USA she has been bullied because she is different, the other. However this was written in late 1990s but already highlights the malaise present there.
I found some of the story of the grandfather and mother a little like a textbook relating facts. The history of Korea is not told in NZ schools as such so I learnt a lot and now understand the complete antipathy the Korean people have for the Japanese. Also this story has new resonance in light of events over the last few years in North and South Korea. Main lesson: humans can be selfish and inventively cruel and racial hatred knows no bounds.
I did enjoy Anna's journey and her description of her stay in South Korea because she is our eyes on this world. I too was disappointed that they didn't get to their final destination, but, on reflection, maybe they did. The descriptions of the Korean countryside and towns was important and relevant, both in the grandfather and mother's stories, as it made Anna's view of that changed world all the more relevant. This is a story I had to finish.
I found some of the story of the grandfather and mother a little like a textbook relating facts. The history of Korea is not told in NZ schools as such so I learnt a lot and now understand the complete antipathy the Korean people have for the Japanese. Also this story has new resonance in light of events over the last few years in North and South Korea. Main lesson: humans can be selfish and inventively cruel and racial hatred knows no bounds.
I did enjoy Anna's journey and her description of her stay in South Korea because she is our eyes on this world. I too was disappointed that they didn't get to their final destination, but, on reflection, maybe they did. The descriptions of the Korean countryside and towns was important and relevant, both in the grandfather and mother's stories, as it made Anna's view of that changed world all the more relevant. This is a story I had to finish.
August 27, 2021
I almost gave up on this book a few chapters into it because it felt like another book based on a bad/ complex mother-daughter relationship and I kept reading only to try to find out what made this relationship go so awry. And then, the mother's story and grandfather's stories begin, and I couldn't put it down; the narratives are beautiful and lyrical, and so heartbreaking! I'm giving this 4* because the writing is quite good, and for the subtlety of the stories. What I did not like about this is that there isn't sufficient exploration of the mother-daughter relationship for us to really understand where/why the rupture has been or why she suddenly feels a need to connect with her mother's past (perhaps a second reading is due soon?). And while the blurb says that a visit from Anna's uncle "turns (her) tame world upside down", this relationship too remains unexplored and quite flat (which was the point at which that I almost gave up reading the rest!). But having lived in South Korea as a (fairly ignorant) child, the history of the country and the narrative of its partition was heartbreaking. And this has made me start looking for more books set in Korea - recommendations are very welcome!!
May 30, 2020
This novel struck a great balance between fiction and literary non-fiction, whilst still managing to weave in accurate historical information during the flash back scenes of the protagonists mother during her time growing up and her eventual escape from Japanese-occupied South Korea.
The initial chapters were slow and it took me a while to really sink my teeth into the plot, however, once the narrative voice changed to the perspective of the main characters eomma, the pace and my interest level really picked up. The conclusion felt incomplete, possibly leaving the door open for a sequel by Mira Stout. But most of the loose ends appeared to be tied up, I was just left wanting a little more.
Overall the story was beautifully written and was laden with rich language choices which enhanced its beauty. As someone who has visited Seoul, I was able to vividly imagine the setting as it was described by the author with such attention to detail.
The initial chapters were slow and it took me a while to really sink my teeth into the plot, however, once the narrative voice changed to the perspective of the main characters eomma, the pace and my interest level really picked up. The conclusion felt incomplete, possibly leaving the door open for a sequel by Mira Stout. But most of the loose ends appeared to be tied up, I was just left wanting a little more.
Overall the story was beautifully written and was laden with rich language choices which enhanced its beauty. As someone who has visited Seoul, I was able to vividly imagine the setting as it was described by the author with such attention to detail.
March 9, 2024
Was wanting to read a history of Korea and didn’t have one available so I decided to read this historical novel instead. For this, this book was perfect! The history as far As I can tell is detailed and accurate. It brings you into a deeper understanding of how living in Korea through wars and occupation and how it played out for people living there, through a family story. It is a heartbreaking story and I can understand why some readers don’t like that. When I read history books my main disappointment is that they cover war and politics through the eyes of historians, military experts and leaders without detailing how ordinary people are affected. This book did better by framing the story through multiple generations of a fictional family.
October 18, 2024
I am always fascinated by historical fiction. And this is that plus partly emotional and soul-healing.
It was a slow start. There were insignificant mishmash conversations and I almost stopped reading. But it slowly build up after the first few chapters.
The visit of Anna’s maternal uncle Hong-do awakened a searching and emptiness in Anna which will lead her to trace her roots.
Reading her journey of self-discovery gave me a deeper insight of Korean culture and identity. Anna knew Korean language and traditions from a guide book. Will she fit in? Will she see for herself the old haunts her mother told her stories of?
The poetic and flowery language in which the story was written set the right tone through the second and third part of the story.
However, it also made an impact on me. It made me wonder: How is it that the serene and calm Japanese be brutal and heartless at the same time? Why did the Koreans tolerate the Japanese treatment and resented the Americans who liberated them after the Korean War? These are new concepts that would make me scour the shelves for materials so I can try to get more information and understand them more.
It was a slow start. There were insignificant mishmash conversations and I almost stopped reading. But it slowly build up after the first few chapters.
The visit of Anna’s maternal uncle Hong-do awakened a searching and emptiness in Anna which will lead her to trace her roots.
Reading her journey of self-discovery gave me a deeper insight of Korean culture and identity. Anna knew Korean language and traditions from a guide book. Will she fit in? Will she see for herself the old haunts her mother told her stories of?
The poetic and flowery language in which the story was written set the right tone through the second and third part of the story.
However, it also made an impact on me. It made me wonder: How is it that the serene and calm Japanese be brutal and heartless at the same time? Why did the Koreans tolerate the Japanese treatment and resented the Americans who liberated them after the Korean War? These are new concepts that would make me scour the shelves for materials so I can try to get more information and understand them more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2023
Challenge: Book with Leaf on the Cover - Dymocks Autumn 2023
Cover: Dark green leaves in the background with a sepia large leaf. The leaf contains an image of possible a temple wall and a young girl in traditional costume.
The story is told by three people. Mira, in present, Her Mother, in past and Her Grandfather, in past. This tells the story of Korea and it’s history as witnessed by GrandFather and Daughter and seen in recent times by Daughter.
I loved the Mother’s tragic story of lose and courage to survive the war torn state.
Each person you meet is with fault, and not perfect, they just want to live their life free of oppression.
I gave this memoir a 3 star review.
Cover: Dark green leaves in the background with a sepia large leaf. The leaf contains an image of possible a temple wall and a young girl in traditional costume.
The story is told by three people. Mira, in present, Her Mother, in past and Her Grandfather, in past. This tells the story of Korea and it’s history as witnessed by GrandFather and Daughter and seen in recent times by Daughter.
I loved the Mother’s tragic story of lose and courage to survive the war torn state.
Each person you meet is with fault, and not perfect, they just want to live their life free of oppression.
I gave this memoir a 3 star review.
January 26, 2019
I found the way they described the Korean War to be an interesting viewpoint and a good way to historically explain it and the events that occurred. The splitting of the 38th parallel. I also enjoyed reading about the different generations and how they shaped each other throughout the book; specifically Anna and her way of relating and not relating to her mother and Uncle. It was also interesting to note their take in Americans and the culture of living differences that occurred for Anna while she was in Korea and for her Uncle on the reverse when he was working in America.
May 29, 2023
This book relates the history of Korea through the eyes of an aristocratic family over several generations. The history is told through the characters' experiences of detention and hiding, and also in summary text. There is little story unrelated to historic events. We learn that once main character is a good violinist who now performs on tour but there are very few paragraphs relating to her musical development. Her brother is the stereotypical rebel. With so little plot the book fails for me as a work of fiction.
April 9, 2024
The author has an interesting, if familiar, story to tell� the daughter of an immigrant mother and American father struggles to connect with her mother’s traumatic history and birth culture. This one involves a Korean woman who experienced the devastation of Japan-occupied Korea and the Korean War. Unfortunately, the writing style is stilted and over-adjectived. I had a mental picture of the author with a pen in one hand and a thesaurus in the other. The consistently clumsy word choice distracted from a riveting story.
January 18, 2022
It took me about 50 pages to warm up to this book, but after that the story pulled me in. The history of the Min family at the backdrop of Korea's unstable history was fascinating, especially since it's told from both Eastern and Western voice. The gap between the generations, between mother and daughter, and between eastern nations who are so similar and yet so depressingly unable to communicate is explored in both beautiful and haunting ways.
July 25, 2020
Interesting book to learn about Korean history and culture. A girl who is half white and half Korean has decided to visit Korea and brings her closer to her Korean heritage. She has great descriptions of scenery and her feelings as she comes to understand her mother. Here’s the spoiler she never gets to the chestnut trees!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2025
For anyone who has spent time in Korea this is a worth reading. Somewhat a biography, somewhat a loosely fictional history book, it makes for interesting reading. It's not particularly well-written, and, being the author's first book, you can see her being a little over zealous with her use of adjectives in eeeeeevery sentence but somehow it all works out in the end.
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