Synopses & Reviews
A sweeping debut novel, inspired by the life of the authors mother, about a young woman who dares to fight for a brighter future in occupied KoreaIn early-twentieth-century Korea, Najin Han, the privileged daughter of a calligrapher, longs to choose her own destiny. Smart and headstrong, she is encouraged by her mother—but her stern father is determined to maintain tradition, especially as the Japanese steadily gain control of his beloved country. When he seeks to marry Najin into an aristocratic family, her mother defies generations of obedient wives and instead sends her to serve in the kings court as a companion to a young princess. But the king is soon assassinated, and the centuries-old dynastic culture comes to its end.
In the shadow of the dying monarchy, Najin begins a journey through increasing oppression that will forever change her world. As she desperately seeks to continue her education, will the unexpected love she finds along the way be enough to sustain her through the violence and subjugation her country continues to face? Spanning thirty years, The Calligraphers Daughter is a richly drawn novel in the tradition of Lisa See and Amy Tan 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.
Review
“
The Calligraphers Daughter fascinated me, as much for its characters as for its engrossing story of Korea under the Japanese occupation. Najins father is admirable for exactly the traits that make him difficult, and her apparently passive mother is heroic. I cant stop thinking about them and their honest, brave, and very human daughter.”Alice Mattison, author of
Nothing is Quite Forgotten in Brooklyn and
The Book Borrower"In The Calligrapher's Daughter Eugenia Kim beautifully chronicles both the lost world of a traditional Korea and the lost childhood of her remarkable heroine. A coming-of-age story that resonates with larger significance, the novel movingly depicts the emotional cost of transformation and the love and sacrifice that makes transformation possible. The Calligrapher's Daughter is at once the story of a single life as well as the changing life of a nation and, while the details are fascinatingly exotic, the narrative rings with the hard won truths of profound human experience. It is a note-worthy debut from a writer with great heart and real empathy."Sheridan Hay, author of The Secret of Lost Things
Review
“The Calligraphers Daughter fascinated me, as much for its characters as for its engrossing story of Korea under the Japanese occupation. Najins father is admirable for exactly the traits that make him difficult, and her apparently passive mother is heroic. I cant stop thinking about them and their honest, brave, and very human daughter.”—Alice Mattison, author of Nothing is Quite Forgotten in Brooklyn and The Book Borrower
"In The Calligrapher's Daughter Eugenia Kim beautifully chronicles both the lost world of a traditional Korea and the lost childhood of her remarkable heroine. A coming-of-age story that resonates with larger significance, the novel movingly depicts the emotional cost of transformation and the love and sacrifice that makes transformation possible. The Calligrapher's Daughter is at once the story of a single life as well as the changing life of a nation and, while the details are fascinatingly exotic, the narrative rings with the hard won truths of profound human experience. It is a note-worthy debut from a writer with great heart and real empathy."—Sheridan Hay, author of The Secret of Lost Things
“Eugenia Kims sweeping debut, The Calligraphers Daughter, rises tall from a riveting scene that begs to be read and re-read—as does her entire novel. . . . Kim's prose is elegant, her eye compassionate, and her ability to effortlessly compress events over 30 years into a moving novel is admirable. But her greatest triumphs are her carefully calibrated and brave characters, who haunt you long after the novel is done.”— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“A rich debut.”—Good Housekeeping
“Gripping. . . . Kim creates a strong, sweet bond between mother and daughter that is maintained throughout the novel.”— Dallas Morning News
“Kim has excelled at portraying Najin as a spirited yet loyal daughter and wife while exposing a tragic time during Koreas sustained history as a nation.”—Library Journal
“Kim opens a window into a vanished world in this sensitively rendered homage to her mothers life. . . . Fans of Lisa Sees recently published Shanghai Girls will be drawn into this achingly beautiful tribute to female perseverance and survival.”—Booklist
Review
“The Calligraphers Daughter fascinated me, as much for its characters as for its engrossing story of Korea under the Japanese occupation. Najins father is admirable for exactly the traits that make him difficult, and her apparently passive mother is heroic. I cant stop thinking about them and their honest, brave, and very human daughter.”—Alice Mattison, author of Nothing is Quite Forgotten in Brooklyn and The Book Borrower
"In The Calligrapher's Daughter Eugenia Kim beautifully chronicles both the lost world of a traditional Korea and the lost childhood of her remarkable heroine. A coming-of-age story that resonates with larger significance, the novel movingly depicts the emotional cost of transformation and the love and sacrifice that makes transformation possible. The Calligrapher's Daughter is at once the story of a single life as well as the changing life of a nation and, while the details are fascinatingly exotic, the narrative rings with the hard won truths of profound human experience. It is a note-worthy debut from a writer with great heart and real empathy."—Sheridan Hay, author of The Secret of Lost Things
“Eugenia Kims sweeping debut, The Calligraphers Daughter, rises tall from a riveting scene that begs to be read and re-read—as does her entire novel. . . . Kim's prose is elegant, her eye compassionate, and her ability to effortlessly compress events over 30 years into a moving novel is admirable. But her greatest triumphs are her carefully calibrated and brave characters, who haunt you long after the novel is done.”— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“A rich debut.”—Good Housekeeping
“Gripping. . . . Kim creates a strong, sweet bond between mother and daughter that is maintained throughout the novel.”— Dallas Morning News
“Kim has excelled at portraying Najin as a spirited yet loyal daughter and wife while exposing a tragic time during Koreas sustained history as a nation.”—Library Journal
“Kim opens a window into a vanished world in this sensitively rendered homage to her mothers life. . . . Fans of Lisa Sees recently published Shanghai Girls will be drawn into this achingly beautiful tribute to female perseverance and survival.”—Booklist
Synopsis
"A beautiful, deliberate and satisfying story spanning 30 years of Korean history . . . Elegant."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)In early-twentieth-century Korea, Najin Han, the privileged daughter of a calligrapher, longs to choose her own destiny, though her country—newly occupied by Japan—is crumbling, and her family, led by her stern father, is facing difficulties that seem insurmountable. Narrowly escaping an arranged marriage, Najin takes up a new role as a companion to a young princess. But the king is soon assassinated, and the centuries-old dynastic culture comes to its end.
Najin pursues a coveted education and is surprised to find love. After one day of marriage a denied passport separates her from her new husband, who continues alone to America. As a decade passes and the world descends into war, Najin loses touch with her husband. Will the love they share be enough to sustain her through the deprivation her country continues to endure? The Calligrapher's Daughter is a richly drawn novel about a nation torn between ancient customs and modern possibilities, and is a "vivid, heartfelt portrait of faith, love and life for one family during a pivotal time in history" (Bookpage).
About the Author
Eugenia Kim, an MFA graduate of Bennington College, has published short stories and essays in journals and anthologies, including Echoes Upon Echoes: New Korean American Writings. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and son. The Calligrapher's Daughter is her first novel.