For fans of Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours and Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko, a deeply moving novel that follows two Korean sisters separated by World War II. Korea, 1943. Hana has lived her entire life under Japanese occupation. As a haenyeo, a female diver of the sea, she enjoys an independence that few other Koreans can still claim. Until the day Hana saves her younger sister from a Japanese … Hana saves her younger sister from a Japanese soldier and is herself captured and transported to Manchuria. There she is forced to become a “comfort woman” in a Japanese military brothel. But haenyeo are women of power and strength. She will find her way home.
South Korea, 2011. Emi has spent more than sixty years trying to forget the sacrifice her sister made, but she must confront the past to discover peace. Seeing the healing of her children and her country, can Emi move beyond the legacy of war to find forgiveness?
Suspenseful, hopeful, and ultimately redemptive, White Chrysanthemum tells a story of two sisters whose love for each other is strong enough to triumph over the grim evils of war.
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After reading I immediately looked for other books written by this author only to learn this was her first book. It was a moving story about the courage and love of family members in tragic times. I will definitely look for more of her books in the future.
Although some scenes in the book were horrific, they were necessary to depict the plight of Korea’s “comfort girls.” I was haunted by this book. Sad to say, I was not aware that the Japanese had dominated the Korean peninsula prior to the Korean War. This historical fiction book is a great tribute to the real comfort girls and the suffering they endured. An extensive bibliography is supplied so that you can learn more information about this topic.
A book about a nightmare of history – so very hard to read, and important.
I learned about a time in history that I knew nothing about. It was very sad to learn about the “comfort women” in Korea during WWII. Very well written and I recommended it to my book club.
I could not put this book down. I had no idea these types of things were happening in the 40s.
An excellent read about a place in a time of history I didn’t know about.
Two sisters who are separated at an early age during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Do they find their way back to each other? I have read so many novels regarding the German occupation and the holucast, first one that I read regarding Japan. If you liked Nightingale, you will like this one.
Historical fiction regarding the horrible treatment of Korean women during the occupation of the Japanese. The main character, Hana, is from Jeju Island, on the southern shore of Korea. She was captured and transported to Manchuris to become a “comfort girl” to the Japanese soldiers going into battle. It is a compelling story with memorable characters. Even though this is a novel, it weaves a believable account of the treatment of Korean women during the occupation. A fast and exciting read.
I wasn’t aware of “comfort girls” and this book really opened my eyes. It was interesting reading about this time in history
This book was very eye opening for me. I did not know what happened to the Korean women during the war. Very touching story!
I really enjoyed this book, despite the horrific things Hana had to go through. I learned a lot about the Japanese during war time and the way things were back then. Interesting, heart breaking and tragic but I’m glad I read it and it was a 5/5 rating for me. I will definitely read this author again.
Sandra Greathouse
The writing was absolutely beautiful even though it was a very difficult topic to portray. Very very moving story based on the real tragedy of Japan “using “Korean girls during the war. Flawless depiction of the terror and sadness these young women endured. Book should be on all reading list.
White Chrysanthemum is a heartbreaking tribute to the Korean women who were forced to be “comfort women” during the Japanese occupation. The story is told from the viewpoints of Hana and her younger sister, Emi. Hana and Emi come from a long line of Haenyeos, women who dive to the depths of the sea to support their families. One day while diving, Hana is kidnapped by a Japanese soldier and forced into slavery as a comfort woman. That was the last day Emi ever saw her older sister. This story is a hard one to read because of the subject but beautifully written. Although Hana is a fictional character, I am still amazed at the strength of the women that endured this brutal abuse in real life