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WELCOME TO BOOKIN' WITH BINGO'S" ARE YOU LISTENING? DAY"
I AM EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE TODAY'S
AUDIO BOOK CHOICE.....
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Read by Greta Jung
BY MARY LYNN BRACHT
ABOUT THE AUDIO BOOK:
For fans of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko and Lilac Girls, the heartbreaking history of Korea is brought to life in this deeply moving and redemptive debut that follows two sisters separated by World War II. Korea, 1943. Hana has lived her entire life under Japanese occupation. As a haenyeo, a female diver of the sea, she enjoys an independence that few other Koreans can still claim. Until the day Hana saves her younger sister from a Japanese soldier and is herself captured and transported to Manchuria. There she is forced to become a “comfort woman” in a Japanese military brothel. But haenyeo are women of power and strength. She will find her way home. South Korea, 2011. Emi has spent more than sixty years trying to forget the sacrifice her sister made, but she must confront the past to discover peace. Seeing the healing of her children and her country, can Emi move beyond the legacy of war to find forgiveness?
Suspenseful, hopeful, and ultimately redemptive, White Chrysanthemum tells a story of two sisters whose love for each other is strong enough to triumph over the grim evils of war.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mary Lynn Bracht completed an MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London. An American author of Korean descent living in London, she grew up in a large ex-pat community of women who came of age in post-war South Korea. In 2002 Bracht visited her mother’s childhood village, and it was during this trip she first learned of the “Comfort Women.” White Chrysanthemum is her first novel.
Mary Lynn Bracht completed an MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London. An American author of Korean descent living in London, she grew up in a large ex-pat community of women who came of age in post-war South Korea. In 2002 Bracht visited her mother’s childhood village, and it was during this trip she first learned of the “Comfort Women.” White Chrysanthemum is her first novel.
REVIEWS FROM THE AUTHORS WEBSITE:
“Elegantly written, emotionally shattering, and historically accurate, White Chrysanthemum
is a feat of literary alchemy. Mary Lynn Bracht reveals the
unfathomable cruelty of Japanese sex slavery during World War II through
the unbreakable love of Korean sisters.” –Blaine Harden, New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Camp 14
“A captivating, controlled and devastating book about the lives of two Korean sisters during the Second World War… Allows us to look at the immediate travesty of the so-called “comfort women” and the unresolved consequences of sexual slavery for the victims’ families. Brave, bold, important, this book is beautifully written with characters that will stay with you long after the final, unforgettable paragraph.” –Jackie Copleton, Bailey’s longlisted author of A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding
“White Chrysanthemum is a powerful account of a little discussed subject about the Second World War — comfort women enslaved by the Japanese army — but it’s also about the courage of the women involved who want to speak about their suffering and their cry for justice, peace and love. Hana’s tragic life is just one of an estimated 200,000 Korean comfort women’s stories. Beautifully written, it’s an impressive debut novel from a writer with a sensitive heart and gifted mind.” —Xiaolu Guo, author of A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers
“A captivating, controlled and devastating book about the lives of two Korean sisters during the Second World War… Allows us to look at the immediate travesty of the so-called “comfort women” and the unresolved consequences of sexual slavery for the victims’ families. Brave, bold, important, this book is beautifully written with characters that will stay with you long after the final, unforgettable paragraph.” –Jackie Copleton, Bailey’s longlisted author of A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding
“White Chrysanthemum is a powerful account of a little discussed subject about the Second World War — comfort women enslaved by the Japanese army — but it’s also about the courage of the women involved who want to speak about their suffering and their cry for justice, peace and love. Hana’s tragic life is just one of an estimated 200,000 Korean comfort women’s stories. Beautifully written, it’s an impressive debut novel from a writer with a sensitive heart and gifted mind.” —Xiaolu Guo, author of A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers
“A suspenseful and eye-opening historical work reminiscent of Christina Baker Kline’s Orphan Train, Jamie Ford’s Songs of Willow Frost, and Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours.” —Library Journal (starred)
“I read Hana and Emi’s story with my heart in my mouth. A bold,
devastating, important novel shot through with hope and beauty.” —Rachel Joyce, New York Times bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
“Masterfully crafted, Bracht’s mesmerizing debut novel is rich with
historical detail and depth of emotion. This is a memorable story about
the courage of Korean women during the Second World War.” —Publishers Weekly
“A debut novel about the Korean ‘comfort women’ prostituted by
Japanese soldiers in World War II—and the strong bond between two
sisters separated by the conflict. … The book’s author, an American of
Korean descent, writes well—the passages describing the sisters’ early
lives are quite lyrical—and she’s adept at weaving in historical
material about Korea and its fraught relationship with Japan.” — Kirkus Reviews
“This captivating and heartbreaking debut novel honors the many thousands of women who were enslaved through WWII.” —Booklist
“A timeless, heart wrenching, emotionally powerful tale that will
resonate with readers… Its message will not be easily forgotten.” —RT Book Reviews
2 comments:
Looks interesting. I actually just added Pachinko (one it says it is like) at goodreads. It kept popping up as something I would like, so I figured I better try to remember it.
I've read many novels about World War II so this one is on my list. Thanks for the post!
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