I am not an own voices reviewer so please check out various Korean reviewers, bloggers and booktubers/bookstagrammers for a more comprehensive and honest review.

I gave this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

Wow, what can I say about this story. This story really put me through it with my emotions. I laughed, I cried, I was happy, I was everything.

Min Jin Lee’s writing is utterly beautiful and really easy to read through. The way she writes descriptions about people and places were great. This book and Min Jin Lee’s writing really read to me like a family saga movie as we were following Sunja and her family throughout decades. I can really see this as a wonderful movie and I’ve heard it is being adapted into a tv series for Apple TV which I hope does justice. The historical aspects to this story were so well researched and blended so well into the story about this family. I really learned so much and am so grateful to know about.

The characters in this book! The whole family was so nuanced and complex, ugh my heart broke for them at multiple points. It is crazy where life can take you, isn’t it? This family will forever be in my heart and I really wish so much didn’t have to happen to them but such is life. Hoonie, Yangjin, Sunja, Isak, Kyunghee, Yoseb, Noa, Mozasu, and Solomon. ❤️

Overall, this is such a heartbreaking story that I think everyone should read! Please do read it.