BOOK REVIEW: White Mulberry by Rosa Kwon Easton

For me, one of the pleasures of historical fiction is learning something new. White Mulberry by Rosa Kwon Easton takes readers to Korea and Japan in the years 1928 to 1943, places I know very little about.

The protagonist, Miyoung, is a young Korean girl, living in poverty, whose future is bleak. Although she excels in primary school, it’s very unusual for girls to move on even to middle school. Instead, they are given in arranged marriages with little to no say in the matter. However, with the encouragement of her teacher and a small Christian community in her town, Miyoung dares to dream of more. And when her mother arranges to send her to live with her sister (who was married to a Korean man in Japan, where presumably there is more economic opportunity), Miyoung has the chance to continue her education.

It doesn’t take long for Miyoung to understand that her Korean heritage is a disadvantage in Japan. Koreans are looked down upon, live in ghettos, and are denied good jobs with decent wages. Miyoung learns to “pass” as Japanese. However, she doesn’t stop missing her home and she has a lot of mixed feelings about living a lie.

Again, Miyoung reaches out to a Christian community for friendship and support. There, she meets a young Korean activist who is studying to be a lawyer to help his people. Her relationship with this man changes her life.

I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I’ll stop my summary there.

Based on the author’s family history, White Mulberry is an interesting look into Korea and Japan in the years leading up to WWII. It explores issues of prejudice as well as being true to oneself, as seen through the eyes of a caring, resilient young woman.