keoko - book review
written on: 171227, published: 180502
Keoko is a book that teaches you both history and emotional empathy. written by Linda Sue Keoko is a book that teaches you both history and emotional empathy. written by Linda Sue Park, an American-Korean author.
Keoko is a book that teaches you both history and emotional empathy. written by Linda Sue Keoko is a book that teaches you both history and emotional empathy. written by Linda Sue Park, an American-Korean author.
Keoko was published in 2002 and has sold over two million copies, worldwide.
it is the story of the Japanese invasion of Korea and how a 10 year old girl, Kim Sun-hee and her family and nation try their best to hold onto to their country and the fact that they are Korean, not Japanese.
as a reader who has always felt a special connection with fictional characters with conflicted pasts, i feel as if this book has really made me think deep.
it makes you really despise the Japanese, and though i wasn't actually there when it happened, i can feel a bit of burning hate for the ancestors of Japan, the ones who ruined every country they invaded.
don't know what i'm talking about?
well, let's take a little trip through our imaginative mind ; picture your life with your loved ones, all happy and smiling and doing well in every aspect of your life. suddenly, your country gets invaded and everything goes downhill. your rice and meat gets taken, your radio, your transportations (bicycles, etc.), your family members, your nation's language and most importantly, your own names. you are forced to pretend as if you are not of your race but instead act as if you are Japanese people with Japanese names, speaking in Japanese only, learning Japanese history and culture.
the book title was named after her Japanese name, not her Korean name. this really struck me hard because she wasn't even allowed to use the name her parents had given her, but instead a foreign name.
i don't like how realistic and cruel this book is. i must admit that i went through a lot of emotional trauma that got worse as the pages towards the end grew thinner. and suddenly there's a happy ending. not to be rude or straightforward but dearest *authornim* you cannot do this to me.
you cannot make me think that Taeyul has succeeded in his suicide mission and put the Kim's in a very depressing situation, only for him to show up months later? unacceptable.
his personality captures one that grows from being a young and immature boy into a man who puts his whole family and nation before him.
he is just such an endearing person because of his courage and bravery, and the loyalty he serves towards his homeland.
the character development here is so obvious and makes you feel as though you grew up with Kim Sun-hee (the daughter) and Kim Tae-yul (the son).
it really shows you just how the relationship of siblings has been the same for centuries.
yes, Taeyul may be annoyed by his sister sometimes, but there are very subtle signs that show how much she really means to him, vice versa.
take for example this quote in the book, when Taeyul announced to his family (after being shouted at by his father for the first time in many years) that he was going for the military training in Seoul, voluntarily.
"You-you pig head! Don't you know that I'd rather have a thousand patches on my clothes than lose my own brother?" — Kim Sunhee.
the amount of affection and love, as well as obvious signs that show how much she thinks he's dumb for joining the military.
Sunhee would much rather live a life of misery and have her nationalism taken away from her than lose her family.
this part, especially, very inspiring. her family is her priority, not her clothing or prized possessions. compared to some girls in this current time period, who would rather save their iPhone X than their sibling or mom.
yes, we humans may have evolved but not necessarily for the best.
this should be a lesson for all of us that if Sunhee and the rest of her nation could give up their everyday luxuries to fight for their country then maybe we should show a little bit more gratitude for the subtle things we take for granted, such as our own names.Park, an American-Korean author.
Keoko was published in 2002 and has sold over two million copies, worldwide.
it is the story of the Japanese invasion of Korea and how a 10 year old girl, Kim Sun-hee and her family and nation try their best to hold onto to their country and the fact that they are Korean, not Japanese.
as a reader who has always felt a special connection with fictional characters with conflicted pasts, i feel as if this book has really made me think deep.
it makes you really despise the Japanese, and though i wasn't actually there when it happened, i can feel a bit of burning hate for the ancestors of Japan, the ones who ruined every country they invaded.
don't know what i'm talking about?
well, let's take a little trip through our imaginative mind ; picture your life with your loved ones, all happy and smiling and doing well in every aspect of your life. suddenly, your country gets invaded and everything goes downhill. your rice and meat gets taken, your radio, your transportations (bicycles, etc.), your family members, your nation's language and most importantly, your own names. you are forced to pretend as if you are not of your race but instead act as if you are Japanese people with Japanese names, speaking in Japanese only, learning Japanese history and culture.
the book title was named after her Japanese name, not her Korean name. this really struck me hard because she wasn't even allowed to use the name her parents had given her, but instead a foreign name.
i don't like how realistic and cruel this book is. i must admit that i went through a lot of emotional trauma that got worse as the pages towards the end grew thinner. and suddenly there's a happy ending. not to be rude or straightforward but dearest *authornim* you cannot do this to me.
you cannot make me think that Taeyul has succeeded in his suicide mission and put the Kim's in a very depressing situation, only for him to show up months later? unacceptable.
his personality captures one that grows from being a young and immature boy into a man who puts his whole family and nation before him.
he is just such an endearing person because of his courage and bravery, and the loyalty he serves towards his homeland.
the character development here is so obvious and makes you feel as though you grew up with Kim Sun-hee (the daughter) and Kim Tae-yul (the son).
it really shows you just how the relationship of siblings has been the same for centuries.
yes, Taeyul may be annoyed by his sister sometimes, but there are very subtle signs that show how much she really means to him, vice versa.
take for example this quote in the book, when Taeyul announced to his family (after being shouted at by his father for the first time in many years) that he was going for the military training in Seoul, voluntarily.
"You-you pig head! Don't you know that I'd rather have a thousand patches on my clothes than lose my own brother?" — Kim Sunhee.
the amount of affection and love, as well as obvious signs that show how much she thinks he's dumb for joining the military.
Sunhee would much rather live a life of misery and have her nationalism taken away from her than lose her family.
this part, especially, very inspiring. her family is her priority, not her clothing or prized possessions. compared to some girls in this current time period, who would rather save their iPhone X than their sibling or mom.
yes, we humans may have evolved but not necessarily for the best.
this should be a lesson for all of us that if Sunhee and the rest of her nation could give up their everyday luxuries to fight for their country then maybe we should show a little bit more gratitude for the subtle things we take for granted, such as our own names.
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