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December 1, 2024
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From Lake Union Publishing
Inspired by the life of Easton’s grandmother, White Mulberry is a rich, deeply moving portrait of a young Korean woman in 1930s Japan who is torn between two worlds and must reclaim her true identity to provide a future for her family.
Rave Reviews
“A beautiful and deeply researched novel…How does a woman protect her family, honor her heritage, and save herself? If you loved Pachinko, you’ll love White Mulberry.”
“In straightforward prose, Easton novelizes events that will compel readers seeking themes of identity, “passing” in a different culture, immigration, and occupation.”
“Easton eloquently reimagines her grandmother’s past—a brave young woman caught between two worlds. A story inspired and inspirational, White Mulberry exposes the forgotten history of Koreans in Japan.”
“White Mulberry is a beautiful and poignant novel of a young Korean woman’s coming of age amidst the turbulence of colonization and World War II. The resilience and self-determination of her heroine vividly mirrors the astonishing trajectory of her nation.”
“A radiant debut not only about survival but about choosing one’s own destiny. With lively details and taut suspense, Easton delivers a moving journey.”
“A tautly paced novel that has something for everyone…[Miyoung’s] epic journey to live life on her own terms will keep you at the edge of your seat. An impressive debut.”
“Miyoung’s story is one of endurance. When all is lost and lost again, Miyoung keeps going, keeps bolstering herself as the world crumbles around her. With beautiful detail, Easton paints a picture of strength, of a woman willing to do whatever it takes to protect her family.”
Easton weaves an unforgettable tale of resistance, resilience, and redemption … I can’t remember the last time I was so captivated by a debut work.
“A scintillating debut. White Mulberry lives at the intersection of love, sacrifice, and deep secrets. With puissant prose, Easton captures the era, the struggle, and most certainly our hearts.”
“A true page-turner…[Miyoung’s] irrepressible spirit shines through in this richly detailed and compelling historical novel.”
“I was rapt as I followed Miyoung on her journey from Korea to pursue the life she dreamed of in Japan, becoming Miyoko, and as she lost and then found herself. White Mulberry is historical fiction at its finest, a beautiful, searching epic about what it means to be home.”
“Rosa Kwon Easton’s debut, White Mulberry, is a rich and deeply researched historical saga that spans nations, decades, religions, and wars. Miyoung’s harrowing and picaresque journey from poverty in Korea to Japan, where she eventually serves the empire that colonized her home country, is gripping and impressively rendered. I can’t wait to read what Easton writes next.”
About White Mulberry
1928, Japan-occupied Korea. Eleven-year-old Miyoung has dreams too big for her tiny farming village near Pyongyang: to become a teacher, to avoid an arranged marriage, to write her own future. When she is offered the chance to live with her older sister in Japan and continue her education, she is elated, even though it means leaving her sick mother—and her very name—behind.
In Kyoto, anti-Korean sentiment is rising every day, and Miyoung quickly realizes she must pass as Japanese if she expects to survive. Her Japanese name, Miyoko, helps her find a new calling as a nurse, but as the years go by, she fears that her true self is slipping away. She seeks solace in a Korean church group and, within it, finds something she never expected: a romance with an activist that reignites her sense of purpose and gives her a cherished son.
As war looms on a new front and Miyoung feels the constraints of her adopted home tighten, she is faced with a choice that will change her life—and the lives of those she loves—forever.
