The Calligrapher's Daughter

A interesting read by Eugenia Kim. I usually picks book of easy read, normally with some romantic flicks and dramas in between. Despite being out of my usual league, this book is quite excellent. On wars, and the people who fought for the country's independence, as well as the rocky journey for the country-men, together with culture and traditions - it all just lump into a roller-coaster storyline, and at some point makes me gasps, realizing how near the truth it is (especially the traditions where women who spoke little and graceful, were known as the best wife and such... really unacceptable to a feminist like me).

A good read.

Some reviews:

'Eugenia Kim's sensitive first novel recounts a poignant family history, much of it based on her own mother's life ... The narrative is keenly and often lyrically observed'
Washington Post

'The Calligrapher's Daughter fascinated me, as much for its characters as for its engrossing story of Korea under the Japanese occupation'
Alice Mattison, author of The Book Borrower

Synopsis:

Najin Han, the privileged daughter of a calligrapher, longs to choose her own destiny. When her traditional father seeks to marry her into an aristocratic family, her mother defies generations of obedient wives and instead sends Najin to serve in the King's court as a companion to a young princess. But the King is soon assassinated, and the centuries-old dynastic culture comes to its end. Spanning thirty years, The Calligrapher's Daughter is an exquisite novel about a country torn between ancient customs and modern possibilities, a family ultimately united by love, and a woman who never gives up her search for freedom.

Eugenia Kim