By Min Jin Lee

I never had much understanding of the whole North Korea/South Korea genesis and the deep animosity towards Japan among Koreans. Well, this book educated me! It is the life story of Sunja, a Korean woman who gets pregnant out-of-wedlock, which sets in motion a whole line of dominoes that fall helter-skelter and cause so much challenge in her life. Sunja has commendable pride, and others in the story show incredible compassion and kindness amidst her life of hardship. You will be introduced to the difficulties endured by the Koreans in the tumultuous years before, during and after the war. It is sad that these people remain so painfully divided. This is a solid, moving, educational story.