Could you marry a man you’ve never met? Three Korean women in 1918 make a life-changing journey to Hawaii, where they will marry, having seen only photographs of their intended husbands.
Different fates await each of these women. Hongju, who dreams of a marriage of ‘natural love’, meets a man who looks twenty years older than his photograph; Songhwa, who wants to escape from her life of ridicule as the granddaughter of a shaman, meets a lazy drunkard. And then there’s Willow, whose 26-year-old groom, Taewan, looks just like his image…
Real life doesn’t always resemble a picture, but there’s no going back. And while things don’t turn out quite as they’d hoped, even for Willow, they do find something that makes their journey worthwhile – each other.
Lee Geum-yi is a bestselling author of YA fiction in Korea, but The Picture Bride is both her first novel for adults and her first novel to be translated to English. Translated by An Seon Jae, the English publication of her novel allows this remarkable tale to reach new audiences outside of Korea.
The Picture Bride is an accessible and moving read, no matter your prior knowledge of Korean culture or history in the early 20th century. Lee provides plenty of background on the Japanese occupation of Korea, which continued till 1945. Protagonist Willow has grown up in a poor family. For her, the harsh effects of the occupation are matters of everyday life. Her journey to Hawaii to marry a man she has never met is therefore fraught with a foreboding sense of unknown, fear, excitement and a touch of adventure that is hard to imagine today. Her strength, tenacity and the bonds of sisterhood she forms with her fellow picture brides sit at the heart of this story. Though their tale is marred by hardship, The Picture Bride is ultimately an inspirational story that celebrates the enduring bonds of female friendship.
The Picture Bride is a deeply moving and evocative story that brings to life a little known period in history. Perfect for readers interested in historical and translated fiction.
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