Korean American Books

Summaries and reviews of fiction and nonfiction books by Korean American authors,
books about Korean Americans and Korea, and Korean literature in English translation,
including some academic works and a sampling on the Korean War

Friday, September 19, 2008

The Long Season of Rain, by Helen Kim


A young adult novel about four daughters in the mid--to-late 1960s in Korea. It is primarily the second daughter’s, Junehee, story of family life and her parents’ complex relationship seen through her eyes. An orphaned poor boy comes to live with them and his presence exposes the father’s infidelity, a secret of lost twin premature boys, and the mother’s longing for a son and for happiness with her circumstance with philandering husband and domineering mother-in-law who lives with them. Well written, clean sharp details on daily home life in postwar Korea, including lots of food references and cultural nuances. Family order, confucian structure well drawn in scenes and in expressiveness. YA National Book Award Finalist.

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