Advance Praise
“Rosa Kwon Easton’s Red Seal depicts the fraught, inspiring journey of a Korean mother and son as they navigate war, displacement, and identity during the aftermath of World War II. It is a heartfelt tribute to the endurance of family bonds and the hardiness it takes to find a new place to call home.”
“A gorgeous and moving historical narrative that is epic and intimate at the same time. At the heart of this riveting story is a mother’s love for her son as they navigate their way through the tumultuous history of Korea in modern times. A revelatory novel of history, family, and love.”
“Rosa Kwon Easton masterfully sweeps the reader along on a journey through countries and decades as mother and son each search for their true identities. Red Seal will touch you with the struggles they face and provide a valuable glimpse into the Asian countries torn apart by war.”
“I could not put this book down. Engrossing, suspenseful, and searing, Red Seal is a tale of reclamation and resilience in a turbulent time in Korean and Japanese history. In direct and powerful language, Rosa Kwon Easton has crafted an epic story of the lengths a mother will go to ensure the survival of her children as well as the identities we claim—privately and publicly—through sustained losses. You will be swept up by the twists of history and human fate and stay for Miyoung and Soonho—a story of how we become the people we always hoped.”
“A powerful exploration of the resilience of families—especially in times when identity, culture, and history are challenged. Poignant and immersive, Red Seal was hard to put down.”
“Profoundly compelling, wrenching, and illuminating, Red Seal brings to life the experience of displacement and the search for identity in war-torn Korea and Manchuria. Miyoung and Ko-chan are an uneasy family whose struggles and journey are enormously inspiring. With insight into cultural differences and world-changing forces, Rosa Kwon Easton shows how hope can stay alive even during times of alarming instability and danger, and how it can be possible to resist the need to conform in order to chart one’s own way.”
About Red Seal
In 1943 Japan, the Pacific War rages on. Miyoung, a Korean-born single mother and nurse, defies an order to serve in the Imperial Japanese Army and instead flees with her six-year-old son, Ko-chan, who is leaving everything familiar behind, including the grandparents he loves. Miyoung hopes Ko-chan will finally claim his heritage and that she can reclaim her own as well.
Miyoung promises her anxious son an adventure. Their life-changing trek to Miyoung’s homeland takes them first to Japan-occupied Manchuria, where Miyoung’s brother offers shelter and Ko-chan, coming of age, begins to question where his future lies. When Japan’s defeat in World War II forces them to escape again, it triggers a decades-long odyssey of survival, sacrifice, and—for the generations to follow—a search for identity across three nations.
A powerful tribute to the endurance of family bonds, Red Seal explores the struggle to define oneself when torn between multiple worlds and by cultural upheaval, and the resilience it takes to find a place to call home.
A Continuing Story
Readers of White Mulberry will recognize Miyoung, whose journey continues in Red Seal. Set against the backdrop of World War II and its aftermath, Red Seal expands the story across generations and borders, exploring the lasting impact of displacement, identity, and family legacy.
