The Picture Bride
A Novel
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ISBN10: 1250808677
ISBN13: 9781250808677
Trade Paperback
320 Pages
$18.99
CA$24.99
“Your husband is a landowner,” they told her.
“Food and clothing is so plentiful, it grows on trees.”
“You will be able to go to school.”
Of the three lies the matchmaker told Willow before she left home as a picture bride in 1918, the third hurt the most. Never one to be deterred, Willow does all that she can to make the best of her unexpected circumstance. But it isn't long before her dreams for this new life are shattered, first by a husband who never wanted to marry her in the first place, and then by the escalation of the Korean independence movements, unified in goal, but divergent in action, which threaten to split the Hawaiian Korean community and divide Willow's family and friends.
Braving the rough waters of these tumultuous years, Willow forges ahead, creating new dreams through her own blood, sweat, and tears; working tirelessly toward a better life for her family and loved ones.
Reviews
Praise for The Picture Bride
“This moving novel takes readers into the world of Korean 'picture brides' . . . [A] total must-read.”—Katie Couric Media
“The stories of these women’s lives in Hawai’i and the sugar industry there becomes, in Lee’s skilled hands, a vehicle for a narrative about the Korean struggle for independence from Japan and how it was refracted through the diaspora.”—Asian Review of Books
“The Picture Bride is an immigrant story, but it is moreover a love story.”—Asymptote Journal
“A fascinating journey into the world of Korean 'picture brides' whose lives take unexpected turns as they land on distant shores. A beautiful testimony to those women bold and determined enough to leave behind all that was familiar, seeking a better life.”—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours and The Book of Lost Friends
“A transporting and immersive story that will enthrall historical fiction readers. Poignant and moving, its unforgettable characters will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.”—Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba
“Lee Geum-yi has a gift for taking little-known embers of history and transforming them into moving, compelling, and uplifting stories. I loved Willow from the first page to the last. Loved her courage, and her tenacious, yet caring, beautiful soul. The Picture Bride is the ultimate story of the power of friendship—a must read!”—Heather Morris, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Three Sisters
“Written with great historical detail about Korean immigrants in Hawai'i, Geum-yi's beautiful novel weaves an extraordinary tale.”—Booklist
“Historical fiction buffs and readers interested in little-known history will enjoy.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“An engaging picture of a time and a place.”—Publishers Weekly
Reviews from Goodreads
BOOK EXCERPTS
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11917, OJIN VILLAGE
“Miss Willow,” the Pusan Ajimae said, “you’ll be eighteen next year, won’t you? What about going to Powa and getting married?”
At that, the eyes of Willow and her mother, Mrs. Yun, grew large....
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Lee Geum-yi; translated by An Seonjae
