Interesting start to historical fiction

filled star filled star filled star star unfilled star unfilled
bookwormhomebody Avatar

By

The opening chapters of this novel do a nice job of introducing the circumstances of three young Korean women embarking on the journey to Hawai’i as picture brides. The central character is introduced as naive and brave, setting off for a chance at education and a better future. As a reader who doesn’t have any knowledge of picture brides, the set up is interesting. I like the possibility that the friendships of these women may carry over into the bigger story. For me, there wasn’t a moment where I felt emotionally connected to the characters particularly since several characters were introduced who felt as though they may not carry through the rest of the story. The naïveté of the main character made it harder for me to connect to her.