The Picture Bride by Lee Geum-yi, translated by An Seonjae, is the first book by this author to be translated into English. It follows the story of Willow Kang, a picture bride, who goes to Hawaii in 1918, following her dreams of being able to go to school. Once she arrives, she realizes that the matchmaker had told her lies. Willow decides to grab this new opportunity and does her best to make the most of this new life. She then forges a new dream and works towards a better future for herself and her family.
I honestly had no idea that picture brides existed, so this novel was eye-opening for me. I admire these women that just took a chance and left behind everything they knew in order to try to find a better life for themselves and their families. Willow is such a strong woman, and this story really illustrates the struggles of being an immigrant woman, as well as dividing political ties within the Korean community.
I highly recommend this if you like historical fiction and want to learn another piece of Hawaiian and Korean history.
I honestly had no idea that picture brides existed, so this novel was eye-opening for me. I admire these women that just took a chance and left behind everything they knew in order to try to find a better life for themselves and their families. Willow is such a strong woman, and this story really illustrates the struggles of being an immigrant woman, as well as dividing political ties within the Korean community.
I highly recommend this if you like historical fiction and want to learn another piece of Hawaiian and Korean history.