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This tale of love and loss takes place just before, during, and after the 1950 North Korean invasion of South Korea. Mi-na is the adopted daughter of Gui-yon and Eum-chun, a working-class family living on the outskirts of Seoul. However, the peace of the family is disturbed greatly when Gui-yon takes a live-in mistress to produce the sons that Eum-chun cannot. Further complicating their lives is the invasion of communist troops into South Korea. As the family struggles to evacuate, they are horrified by the brutality of the invaders. Life becomes a struggle for mere survival in the face of cruelty, lawlessness, and hunger. Will all survive the invasion? Will Mi-na ever live down her shame of not being born a boy? Only time will tell.
This is a beautifully written novel that grabs readers with its plot and characters. The author presents the narrative in descriptive language, which at times reads like poetry. Sentences such as “Dull peach colored the sky like persimmon juice spreading through gauze” evoke vivid mental images. Devine has a gift for storytelling and character building, leading the reader to truly relate to her characters as they struggle through life. She delves into the feelings of her players as they each succumb to their positions. She also captures the fear and anxiety of people as they face the advances of the North Koreans. The author is adept at showing the innermost thoughts of those she portrays. The book is a page-turner and holds one’s interest throughout the narrative. This work will undoubtedly stay in the readers’ minds as they contemplate its characters and their situations. Those looking for a mesmerizing plot, intriguing characters, and dynamic language will find these and more in this engaging novel.