Publisher: Yearling (A)
199 pages
| Important! Please read before you order! |
| >>>This book is written in ENGLISH. |
About This Book
From Publishers Weekly
A brother and sister alternate as narrators in Newbery Medalist Park's
(A Single Shard) well-constructed novel, which takes place from
1940-1945 in Japanese-occupied Korea. The Japanese government forbids
the Korean language to be spoken and the country's flag to be flown, and
even forces Korean families like Tae-yul and Sun-hee's to change their
names (Sun-hee becomes Keoko). Through the use of the shifting
narrators, Park subtly points up the differences between male and female
roles in Korean society; and the father's process of choosing the
family's Japanese name speaks volumes about his strength and
intelligence. As the war intensifies, each family member asserts his or
her individuality, from Sun-hee, who continues to keep a journal after a
soldier calls it "a crime against our Divine Emperor," to her uncle, who
prints a revolutionary newspaper in hiding, to Tae-yul, who joins the
Japanese army to avoid helping the military police capture his uncle
only to be chosen as a kamikaze pilot. The son comes to an understanding
of his father rather abruptly at the novel's close, and some readers may
wonder why Tae-yul was not labeled a chin-il-pa ("lover of Japan" ).
But, in the end, telling details provide a clear picture of Sun-hee and
Tae-yul and their world. Readers will come away with an appreciation of
this period of history and likely a greater interest in learning more
about it.
Availability: Usually ships in 5~10 business days.
 | |||||||||
 |
| ||||||||
Can't
find what you're looking for?
