Honey in the Wound

by Jiyoung Han

A lyrical and suspenseful debut novel about a mysteriously gifted Korean family confronting the brutality of the Japanese empire, Honey in the Wound is an epic tale of survival and the reclamation of power.

A sister disappears and returns as a tiger. A mother’s voice compels the truth from any tongue. A granddaughter divines secrets in others’ dreams. These women are all of one lineage—a Korean family split across decades and borders by Japanese imperialism.

At this saga’s heart is Young-Ja, a girl who infuses food with her emotions. She revels in her gift for cooking, nourishing the people she loves with her cheerfulness. But her sunny childhood comes to an end in 1931 when Japanese soldiers crush her family’s defiance against the Empire. Young-Ja is cast adrift, her food turning increasingly bitter with grief. When a Korean rebel fighter notices her talents, however, she is whisked off to Manchuria to join a secretive sisterhood of beautiful teahouse spies. There, Young-Ja finds a new sense of belonging and starts using her abilities for the resistance. But the Imperial Army is not yet finished with her…

Decades later, Young-Ja lives alone in Seoul, withdrawn from the world until her Tokyo-born granddaughter Rinako bursts into her life with the ability to see into dreams. In cultivating a tentative bond, they confront the long-buried past in a stunning emotional climax.

As an unforgettable family perseveres in the long shadow of colonialism, Honey in the Wound transports readers to mountain forests where tiger-girls stalk, to Manchurian teahouses and opium dens where charming smiles veil secrets, and to the modern metropolises of Tokyo and Seoul where restless ghosts stir. This debut novel is a tender yet powerful multi-generational drama that shines light onto the twentieth century’s darkest corners and gives voice to those who bore witness.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Historical, Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 7, 2026

About the author

Jiyoung Han was born in Seoul, Korea and grew up in the American Midwest. She has lived and worked in four continents but now calls San Francisco home. When not writing, she conducts research in climate change and human behavior. Honey in the Wound is her first novel.

Reviews

[CKG · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Stunning” is overused for debuts, but there’s no better word to describe this book.

This is a beautiful, moving story that stands as a testament to the power of forging deep interpersonal connections and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

There’s so much to appreciate here. Clean sentences. Magical realism as a thread of hope and justice amid brutality. Skilled, evocative treatment of emotion. Layered and deep characters and development arcs. One of the best book endings I’ve read in years.

I’m so grateful to have read an advance copy. I can’t wait for others to read this soon - Honey in the Wound will foster really rich book club discussions!!!

[Evie Oliva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've seen several reviews for this book during my time reading this and after I'd finished the book. I needed to see what others have said, to feel like others have witnessed what I did by reading this book. I've seen the word stunning used to describe this and while I agree with the sentiment, there are other words I would use to describe this book. Haunting comes to mind, heartbreaking as well. I have always known that history is written in a way to keep certain things from coming to light and that has never been more apparent than it is with the subject matter of this book.

I had never heard the term "comfort women" before but I promise that now that I have, I will NEVER forget it. If anything comes of this book, I hope it opens more eyes to the things that have been hidden in history to preserve the images of the countries involved. I am in no way an authority on this subject, I have no right to speak about the atrocities that these people suffered. I'm a reader that managed to learn something by reading this book and as a result, I will continue to look into this and learn as much as I can as a sign of respect, so that these women are never forgotten.

Honey in the Wound is a story about several generations of a family in Korea and how their lives are forever changed when Japan begins to move in during the early 1900s. The book begins with Geum-Jin, a young man whose family is first affected by the Japanese when his sister flees into the mountains to avoid a horrible fate and his parents struggle to keep their family together with the changing circumstances of their nearby village. Geum-Jin's story leads into the story of his daughter, Song Young-Ja, which is where the majority of the story has its focus. The book focuses on Young-Ja's childhood and follows her into her adulthood. The final part of the story brings Young-Ja's granddaughter, Matsumoto Rinako, into the book, when she discovers the existence of her grandmother and learns about a past that has been kept hidden for too long.

A large part of this book focuses on magical realism. Geum-Jin's sister turns into a tiger to be able to escape into the mountains with other tigers and live a better life. Young-Ja's mother had an ability to make people tell her the truth just by speaking to them. Young-Ja had the ability to infuse the food she makes with the emotions she felt at the time of making her creations, which in turn forces the people that eat her food to be overwhelmed with those feelings. Rinako can see truth and secrets in her dreams about the people around her, from her family to classmates and even to people she bumps into on her commute to and from school and stores. The book follows several timelines, gradually moving forward with each character, with the largest amount of the book being focused on Young-Ja and the places she traveled and the trials she faced.

Han has a wonderful use of words. There is a lyrical quality to the sentences, where they are able to evoke emotions and draw the reader into a world that feels real from the mountains that were part of Geum-Jin's childhood to the various locations in Japan that Young-Ja travels to over the course of her life. The words are able to draw up images of small town life with vendors and people trying to remain anonymous with soldiers following their every move before moving on to a small city in the Empire of Japan and a life working in a tea house. Through it all, Han is able to insert the ways people tried to fight back and the ways they were forced to keep themselves small. All together, it's powerful and beautiful despite the horrors hidden in the spaces around the leads of the book.

The use of magical realism is a key part of helping the story, allowing for the horrors shown in the story to be expanded on in ways that make the story more than a simple account of events from the past. It gives power to the characters where power would have been a way to change their fates, where history shows that things were not only filled with pain and shame and loss but were also hidden away and lost to time until those involved slowly began to come forward and speak their truths. It built the characters into forces that were able to withstand their fates, to face their evils head on and to find the strength they needed to finally fight back when they could and make the decisions to continue to fight back and make a difference.

This is a powerful debut. It sheds a light on a subject matter that continues to be brushed aside. It also shows the beginnings of the survivors coming forward to reclaim their past and shed light on what they were forced to endure. These women should not be ignored. They should never be forgotten. It is my hope that this book reaches an audience that can appreciate the light it shines on history and use this as an opportunity to continue to research the subject matter. That way in can continue to exist in the present instead of being lost and forgotten in the past. In a way, it seems like those in charge of this thought they'd get away with it because not only did they not keep records of what they were doing but they thought their victims, either because of a lack of education or just because the way were raised, meant they'd stay quiet rather than speak of this. Now, many of them have come forward and continue to speak out about what they witnessed and suffered which just proves the authorities made a mistake underestimating these people. It proves that when given the chance, the victims became what they always were, a force to be reckoned with and respected. They will not fade into the past no matter how many times they are ignored and that is everything in the end.

Rating on my scale: 10 STARS! I don't know what else I can say to convey what I think about this book. I love the writing and I respect the subject matter. I mourn for the characters and I have hope for their future. Read this and I hope you learn something about the resilience of people. I'll continue to follow Jiyoung Han's writing for as long as she is willing to write.

[Bloss ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books that I've read in 2025, Honey in the Wound is... exceptional. It's not an easy read, detailing generational trauma in all its horror; the section at the comfort station was especially harrowing, but it's not gratuitous, illustrating the point of the novel further: when history is colonized, edited, and suppressed, who gets to look away when the truth comes out? It's a timely, urgent message about listening.

I loved how magic was weaved into each woman's story, and echoes of magic could be felt across generations. I particularly liked the part sparrows played. Our characters felt so real, so human. As much pain as there was in this book, there was also strength and love.

It feels like it took me ages to read this; I did have to be gentle with myself regarding the subject matter. But, it was a book worth taking my time over too.

My request to review this was approved by Manilla Press via NetGalley.

[Ming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


I enjoyed this sweeping, multi-generational book set during the occupation of Korea by Japan in WWII. It depicts the oppression, violence and rape of Korean people. I was especially intrigued by the use of magical realism here; it’s a mechanism that reveals the creative ways the oppressed would have liked (in real life) to overcome or to endure various miseries.

The earlier generations were the most compelling in their abilities, i.e., forcing people to tell the truth, communicating with animals, and foretelling the future through dreams. Once the setting shifts to the sex camps, what the Japanese called “comfort” stations, the book’s tone turns much darker, and the magic seems to be featured less (although it does lead to a pivotal event).

As a result, the latter part of the book, with the elderly Young-Ja and her granddaughter, Rinako, feels markedly different from the early part. The most contemporary sections focus on the need to reveal the atrocities of the Japanese. The rationale has a psychoanalytical angle which is a bit forced or underdeveloped.

I appreciated the writing and its evocative impact; it’s affecting. Han further brings the reader into this world and this time by her storycrafting. The plotting was smart. I was heart-broken each time she killed off a Korean character, especially in the earlier part of the book. I wanted to learn more about them; I wanted to see more of their lives.

Han’s debut is more than promising. It signals several engaging, richly imagined books in the future. I will look for her future titles and readily recommend this one.


Quotes:

Myoung-Ok cultivated her children’s love for the earth so that the earth would love them in return. Every day the soil crooned under the twins’ eager attention, relaying to Myoung-Ok what their tender hands achieved through her lessons of the natural world. The pleasure of watching her children learn helped her to forget about the knots of foreign boot prints creeping up the mountain.

Concern creased into Myoung-Ok’s face as she heard a new timbre of sigh escape her daughter.

[Elena Enns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this novel.

A gorgeous and devastating debut novel about the trauma inflicted and passed down through family. This novel made me feel so many emotions, and opened my eyes to horrific acts that had been committed in China and Korea (and the other countries surrounding them) during the Second World War.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible debut!

This follows several generations of Korean women through the 20th century in Korea, Japan occupied China, and Japan, with a great thread of magical realism throughout. Beautifully told with great and varied pacing. I found the book very sensitively written and well researched. It doesn’t feel like a history lesson and yet I learned quite a bit about a part of history that is overlooked here in the US.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Definitely recommend you pick up a copy when it releases on 4/7/26.

[Ifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Simon and Schuster for an advanced reader copy of this book!

4.5 stars - what an incredible debut! first, this was so well written and I was impressed how impactful and haunting it could be in only 300 pages. this book delves into the horrors of war and imperialism across multiple generations and it truly made me feel sick to my stomach seeing what the characters had to experience, especially young-ja.

this left me stunned and haunted, but it was absolutely worth the read. it shines light on the explicit horrors of Japan colonizing Korea, and left me speechless from all that I had read. a truly stunning yet tragic debut!

[Chelsea Legner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honey in the Wound left me gutted and grateful at once. Grateful for the privilege of knowing even a glimpse of the truth endured by the Korean and Chinese women forced into sexual slavery as “comfort women” under the Japanese Imperial Army. Their pain feels endless, woven through generations of silence and survival.

The magical realism is beautiful and feels almost too real at times, as the inexplicable magic of life’s moments sometimes does.

Generational trauma is real. But so too must be the generational demand for truth, for reckoning, for light. This story doesn’t let you look away — and that’s what makes it unforgettable.

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book as I always enjoy books set in Asia. This book is set in the context of the rise of the Japanese empire and with the invasion and subsequent occupation of Korea and Manchuria in China by Japan. It also deals with the "comfort stations" established by the Japanese Army using girls from other countries who are forced into sex work. This book has multiple layers which are reflected in the family tree at the start of the book. However the stories often seem disparate and not connected; other than by family. The themes of discrimination and exploitation are clear throughout though. There are elements of mystery and magic which I found hard to understand other than that these also appeared at several points in the stories. I liked these and they added a sense of magic to an otherwise brutal and dark book however I wasn't sure what the intent was.

When I finished the book, I was left with a sense of confusion and not entirely sure how I would begin articulating the book to others. You may get a sense of this from my review. However I do feel that the author was brave to deal with many of the issues (the Japanese/Korean relationship as an example) which are still relatively sensitive. She is also brave enough to write some really terrifying and explicit scenes which made me reflect more on the terrors of conflicts and their wider impact. I enjoyed the book as I read but there are some characters and stories who I felt could have benefited from further development and more space for their stories.

I was gifted this book for free in return for an objective review.

[Shannon A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A epic multi-generational novel that weaves family, female friendship, brutal history of 1930’s Japan. The mythical elements and the narrative are stunning. The historical context is at times hard to face, but should have never been forgotten. A haunting beautiful and unique debut

[Abby D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this might be one of the most well-written books I’ve ever read. Han managed to cover such a heavy topic with grace and perfection.

Young-ja comes from a line of gifted, strong women. As a girl, she’d spend her time cooking and infusing her food with her emotions. One morning, though, Japanese soldiers come to her house and destroy her family in the name of the Empire, leaving her alone. She soon finds her way to Manchuria, where she secretly works with rebel fighters. However, she soon learns that she is not done dealing with the Imperial Japanese Army. “Honey in the Wound” follows generations of the women in Young-ja’s family and their own stories before, during, and after the Greater East Asia War, which took part during World War II.

Words cannot accurately describe how I felt while reading this book. I simply could not put this book down because the writing just kept me engaged the entire time. The writing was so lyrical and moving that I always felt connected to the characters regardless of their situation. Relationships between characters felt so genuine and it didn’t feel like characters were being thrown in at random; they all meant something and all contributed to the story in their own ways. For anyone that has read ‘Babel’ or ‘The Poppy War’ by R.F. Kuang but felt disappointed after reading it, this book is for you. The message wasn’t hitting you over the head like you were stupid, but instead became an intrinsic part of the story that slowly more and more integral to the plot. Han did such a good job communicating what she wanted and she did so in such an effective manner that I don’t think I’ll ever forget this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book from the beginning--it's magical realism, it taught me something new about a culture I don't know anything about, it has a really interesting plot, very well-developed characters, and a strong conflict. But, then, I started to wonder where it was going because characters that I thought were important seem less important as the novel moves very swiftly with quick pacing in the beginning. When the novel seems to settle on a main character, atrocities pile up, and it just doesn't seem realistic. And then, we get to the center of the novel, and I felt really overwhelmed with what was going on. I finally looked up comfort women, and I started crying. I tried to control it but couldn't. Then, it all fell into place, and I fully understood what Han was doing, and I couldn't stop reading. The book is really suspenseful, but it's so emotional and complex. It's very well-written and intriguing. Like I said, I learned a lot from it. Looking back now that I'm done, I wish I could start again brand new but also appreciating what Han was doing. I did read the foreword but read it so long before I started the book that I forgot about it, so I wish I hadn't done that and could really connect to everything from the start. Despite my own lapse, I fell in love with this book and with these characters, and it was still hard not to cry at the thought of the comfort women. I don't know why I used past tense--it IS still hard not to cry at the thought of these women who deserve acknowledgement and an apology, at least. My worry is that they'll get it once they're all gone, and they won't ever get to hear it. I hope the Wednesday Protests keep happening, but I wish they didn't have to. It's all so heartbreaking.
That being said, Han stated in her foreword that she loved learning about the history not in the books through novels, and I've been the same. Her book was that to me, and I really appreciate the love and care she put into her first novel. I wish it all the success in the world, and I hope that many others learn about the comfort women who didn't already know about them, and I really hope deeply that the Japanese government finally and officially acknowledges what was done to these girls and also apologizes. It's literally the least they could do.
I strongly recommend this novel to people interested in magical realism, human stories, Korean history, the Japanese Empire, World War II, and other historical topics. Side note: I did NOT know that George Bush Sr. threw up on the Japanese emperor in 1992!!! How did I never hear about that? I was 6 at the time, but it never came up in any way until this book Anyway, the book is valuable for many reasons.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this cherished book.

Trigger warnings: details of rape, molestation, sexual and physical abuse; fire; war; danger; fright; murder; suicide; violence

[Holly Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a way to start 2026 off. I was honoured to receive this proof through Ink and Ember as a historical fiction ambassador.

I am so so happy that I had the chance to read this book because it is one of the most hauntingly beautiful and emotional reads I’ve ever had. I’m never ever going to forget Young-ja and her story. It has had the most profound impact on me and I am aching, crying with Young-ja along her journey.

We follow a story of a family where they each seem to posses certain gifts. There are three main POVs.

The first is much more mystical and magical, almost like it was legend. We see the world of Joseon (Korea) being colonised by the Japanese. We see the initial impact they have with Geum-ji and Geum-ja. This section was a little strange, but once you got into it, I was hooked! Geum-ji marries a lady called Jong-Soon and she is presented as a strong, intelligent lady. She actively helps and protects her fellow countrymen and raises her children to be fierce and loyal. This first POV essentially sets the scene.

The second POV is where we meet Young-ja, the star of the story. We follow her through life, through the challenges she faces and happiness she finds through the bonds of female friendship. We follow her through unimaginable times of hardship as one of the Japanese comfort women and experience her emotions and trauma in this. It’s a heartbreaking read, but so so important and impactful.

The last POV really drives it home. Young-ja’s granddaughter is gifted with the ability to see people’s dreams, and when she meets her grandma, she realises the truth and is overcome with a fierce need to love her. To love her when the world failed her. In doing so, this reconnects Young-jas family and she finally speaks her truth. Honestly by this part I was sobbing. I was a mess. It was such an emotional feeling of resistance and power. It takes so much bravery to stand up and face the world who hurt you so and shout for justice.

I am so hopeful that this book gets all the hype it deserves. Every single person on this earth should read this book- its message is so important. To remember is awareness. To remember is pay respects. To remember is to prevent these things ever happening again.

[Lyn Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honey in the Wound is probably one of the most powerful reads I’ve ever stumbled upon. If you have enjoyed reading Pachinko, you might enjoy this book as well. Despite a little confusion on the first few pages (it takes some time to understand) and confusing sentences here and there, the overall story it tells is impactful. The book brings out the emotions readers may not know they could feel so strongly from reading.

This historical fiction infuses magical elements as we find that the characters have special talents - a talent to understand the forest, a girl who turns into a tiger, a voice that makes people speak the truth it seeks, patience that calms every situation, hands that create food with emotions, and dreams revealing truths. I appreciate these elements as it made the heartbreaking story bearable, giving the characters means to survive their ordeal.

Spans over four generations, the author had kindly included a family tree to ease our reading. We begin the story from the simple love story between Dahn and Myoung Ok, and continue to be part of the family’s unfortunate experience with the cruelty of Japanese occupation. The stories affected me deeply, making me wonder how was it possible for humans to be so cruel?

While Young-ja’s story made up the main story, I was most invested emotionally with Geum Jin’s unfortunate events. Having lost his family prior, I was genuinely happy for him when he finally found happiness and contentment with his wife and three beautiful children. But that happiness was short-lived as the Japanese invaded their home. I felt anger and sadness, wishing this never happens even to my worst enemy.

As a Malaysian, I am no stranger to stories of the cruelty during the Japanese occupation. My grandmother would tell me stories, and we learnt about the World War II in History classes. About a decade ago, I came across the term “comfort women” and it shudders me to know there is something beyond the cruelty I heard of.

While reading this book, I finally understood the Chinese saying “生不如死.” This is especially true for the comfort women. We should never forget them and their stories.

Even though this book is heavy on the topic, I urge you to read it. Author Jiyoung Han made a great debut with this book, it is well-researched and this book tells us a history nobody wants to repeat. The book comes out on April 7, 2026 — please give it a chance and read it.

[Jessica Tengco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honey in the Wound traces a Korean family across decades and borders by Japanese imperialism. As past and present collide, buried truths demand to be seen with the help of a little magic.

I’m feeling guilty that I didn’t know what a comfort woman was prior to reading this book. The fact it isn’t widely recognized is heartbreaking and says everything about how unseen they are.

Han mentions in her authors note that there were only nine known comfort women still alive in Korea at the time she wrote this book. Angered by the knowledge that the women would likely never receive sincere apology or justice, she channels that urgency into the storytelling and magical realism in this novel. I am in awe that this is Han’s debut novel.

Also, who knew honey could be used to help heal a wound?

Thank you so much to Avid Reader Press / Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for this amazing ARC.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated by this compelling and powerful historical novel. Set in East Asia (Korea, China, Japan) and spanning much of the 20th century, the novel follows a couple of generations of a rural Korean family. The novel incorporates elements of magical realism, a genre I generally dislike, but here the magical realism is very effective and enhances the story. The writing is quite good--really impressive as a debut novel. The primary characters were multi-dimensional, and their personalities were compelling. Although the first few pages of the book are a bit confusing, you are soon rewarded with a terrific, well-researched historical novel that addresses the Japanese invasion of Korea, relations between China, Japan and Korea in the 20th century, and offers a haunting portrayal of the dark history and experiences of comfort women (the young women forced into sexual slavery for Japanese troops in the WWII era). The primary anchoring character is a rural young Korean girl who loses her family at a young age at the hands of Japanese occupying troops. Abducted to China as a young teen, she becomes an indentured servant/server in a celebrated Japanese tea house. I won't say more about her saga here, as I don't want to reveal spoilers. Reading this book made me want to learn more about this period of Korean history. I also look forward to reading this author's next book!

[Anjali · Rating 5 out of 5]

won this book in a giveaway, went into it blind. the story is compelling and well written with enough truth to leave you horrified and prose beautiful enough to temper it

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers for sending me an ARC copy!

Honey in the Wound is a profoundly sad but ultimately hopeful novel following a multigenerational family based in Korea during the Japanese occupation and following the events during and after world war 2. Overall I really enjoyed this book and the deep emotions it invoked with a few caveats.

My main complaint is with some of the narration style in the first 30% of the book. The main characters we were following often changed with time jumps happening in the same chapter. It felt a bit disorienting and it wasn’t clear to me when the main plot to the book would begin. Some of the characters also felt redundant to the overall story, and more time could have been spent on others. That being said, there are a multitude of characters I quite enjoy and I think from the 50% mark onwards I was completely gripped.

What ultimately made this a 4 star read for me was how deeply you were made to feel for the characters and the situations they were forced into, as well as the impactful use of magical realism. Often magic realism can feel like a gimmick but here it brought extra depth to the characters as well as had a real impact on the plot.

Beautiful debut novel! Jiyoung Han took history I was only aware of from an academic standpoint and made me feel the real emotional impact for these characters.

[Lou Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before notes
Thank you Netgallery for the free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[ROLLAND Florence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel swept me off my feet.

First of all, the writing style is incredible. Short chapters that are easy to read follow each other with an addictive pace. Together, they form a giant puzzle - not one story, but many stories echoing each other. We follow the adventures of a Korean family across a whole century. Several generations succeed each other, passing over a legacy of immense trauma and genuine love.

Then, there is the magical elements. A woman turning into a tiger, another one who can make you tell your deepest secrets, a teenager whose dreams reveal the truth. I am not sure if this novel qualifies as magical realism. Here, we accept the magic, because it makes the stories bearable. Magic provides the characters with the means to fight back against all the pain and unfairness. Those characters are deep. They are anything but victims. They conspire against the invaders. They refuse to submit to the rule of the empire. And by doing so, they change the course of history. Korea was definitely dealt a rough hand in the XXth century. And yet, the country went through an "economic miracle" after the Korean war. Far from being an underdog, Korea is a tiger. This is also beautifully described in the novel. Generations born before and after the war cannot really understand each other.

Young-Ja is an extremely well-written character. She evolves all through the novel, from a terrified child to an elderly woman who finally rebels and refuses to remain silent. And yet. And yet! Jiyoung Han explores the legacy of trauma with deep knowledge, and poetic elegance. What does not kill you does not make you stronger - it changes you. Resilience means that you can survive... It does not mean that you can move on. Honey in the Wound features incredible violence, and explores the deep scars, both physical and psychological, that they leave on a whole country. This is not a novel for the faint of heart. But the author does not dwell in it. It never feels like voyeurism. Violence is a necessary element to tell the story and connect to the characters. It is a way to make sure that what really happened to way too many Korean women under Japanese rule is not buried in silence.

Thank you NetGalley, Jiyoung Han and Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
I will buy the book when it comes out, and hide it from my children until they are old enough to understand.

[SVL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear god this debut novel is truly haunting. Spanning multiple generations of one family tree, Jinyoung Han has achieved a remarkable feat, marrying elements of magical realism with some of the darkest moments in human history. Finishing this book, I feel speechless at the reality that hundreds of THOUSANDS of Asian and specifically Korean women were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese imperial army during the 1930s and 1940s. These women were raped tens of times a day, for years on end, to satisfy the will of evil men. The story, these characters, and this truth will stay with me forever.

The story begins in the mountains of Korea with a family that lives in the woods and possess magical powers. When one of the twin siblings turns into a tiger and warns of impending grave danger, the twin brother becomes caretaker for their aging parents before starting a family of his own, with magically gifted children as well. Soon after though, tragedy strikes though his youngest daughter manages to escape. She then is whisked to the mountains of Manchuria and employed in a tea house where her skills in the kitchen are weaponized against the Japanese army in secret. After years of coming of age in tea house, tragedy strikes again for this daughter and she’s shipped off to a Japanese ‘comfort camp’ to experience a truly horrific unimaginable reality.

Finally after surviving this experience this daughter escapes into China and has a family of her own who struggles to understand why she is the way she is. The story finishes in the 1990s as this original daughter reckons with her past.

The writing is just brilliant in this book, along with the storytelling and the author’s ability to weave together so many compelling narratives and perspectives. From the tea man to the opium den owner, every single character brought something interesting to the story. One of my only critiques is that I didn’t love the exchange of italics folk stories sprinkled in during the final pages of the novel between the characters’ final unification. I think it distracted from the powerful conclusion of our protagonist facing her past and sharing her truths without shame.

I’m struggling to get the rest of my thoughts out because I feel profoundly impacted by this story. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough, it publishes on 4/7/26. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweeping multi-generational novel that follows a family across four generations through South Korea, Manchuria, Japan, and China - Jiyoung Han's debut novel is one that left me reeling.

Beginning in the early 20th century in Korea, the novel opens with a young wife Myoung-Ok who gives birth to two twins, but the daughter disappears, transformed into a tiger unbeknownst to her parents, and young Geum Jin soon becomes the only child in the family. As he grows older and falls in love, he eventually becomes a father - but the family is soon destroyed by the encroachment Japanese forces and his young daughter Young Ja becomes the sole survivor of the family. It's her journey that the novel spends the most time on, and we follow her as she attempts to survive in the midst of the approaching World War II and the devastation that ensues.

The most harrowing part of this novel are the graphic and sharp depictions of the treatment of comfort women - the hundreds of thousands of Korean women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during this time. For those that are particularly sensitive to this type of content, I think it's imperative to note in advance of reading. I think the specificity and brutality of some of the scenes are necessary to drive home the author's message however, and are a testament to Young Ja's bravery and will to survive in spite of such experiences. The remainder of the novel jumps to Young Ja as an older woman, watching from afar as her son works a demanding corporate job in Japan far away from her, and her eventual meeting of her granddaughter Rinako who slowly comes to learn the truth of her grandmother's past.

"Honey in the Wound" is by no means a light read, and speaks to the many women whose stories have never been brought to light. While I had some previous knowledge of this part of history, I didn't realize the sheer brutality and cruelty that these women were subject to; it makes it clearer why the weak acknowledgement and apology from the Japanese government is even more unjust and insulting. I thought the author's use of magical realism was done well as it was woven in seamlessly across the novel and served to elevate the generational bonds across the family over the years.

An eye-opening read that I think many readers will appreciate when "Honey in the Wound" is published in April 2026!

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-1/2 stars. The publisher's blurb did not prepare me for the power and pain embedded in this story, set in Korea, China, and Japan and spanning over a century of history. While it did not always flow smoothly, and at times I was tempted to put it aside and move on, I'm glad now that I persisted, because it gave me access to historical events that should be more widely known, and that had only been vaguely familiar to me. Over the years, I've read the phrase "comfort women" but only in passing references to the practice of the Japanese army of providing women in "comfort stations" to meet their soldier's sexual needs and boost morale during combat. Never did I give a thought to who these women were, where and how they were "enlisted", or how they lived and were treated in this role. Honey in the Wound provides a detailed and horrific account that answers all those questions. For that reason, I can only recommend this novel to readers prepared to stomach the incredible cruelty they will encounter here.

The novel centers on a family whose women are endowed with unusual gifts: a young woman transforms into a tiger; another has the ability to force those she feeds to share truths they would otherwise hide; another infuses the foods she prepared with her own emotions, causing those she feeds to be overwhelmed by those same feelings; and yet another has dreams that tell her about others' thoughts, feelings, desires, and fears. All these and other fantastical elements were sometimes off-putting to me, as I'm not generally a fan of magical realism, but were used effectively by the author to connect characters and events across generations.

The Japanese government has largely discounted any official role in the events described in this novel. Korean women (and some men) began protesting outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul on January 9, 1982 seeking "the restoration of dignity and human rights of comfort women." The protests have continued every Wednesday at noon even to this day, demanding a formal apology and acknowledgement from the Japanese government for the sexual slavery of women, often referred to as "comfort women".

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, publishers, and #NetGalley for providing a complimentary eARC in exchange for an objective review.

[✮ ~ soph ~ ✮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

my rating: ✦✦✦✦✦ — 4.80 stars, rounded up

–✧–

“In what she understood as an act of love, Young-Ja let him walk the paths he had chosen for himself. And while he enjoyed his hard-won prosperity, she would live out the remainder of her days quietly, causing him no additional worry or burden as a good parent should.”

–✧–

oh my god. this book DESTROYED me. this is the most disturbed, upset, and disgusted i've ever been with humans. my heart goes out to all the women who ever experienced the horribly traumatic events mentioned in this book.

Honey in the Wound follows a korean family���s magical lineage, as lives end and others begin. we begin with geum-jin and geum-ja, twins born in the early 1900s in korea, a time of relative tranquility and peace — that is, until the japanese seek to take over korea in increasingly hostile acts. when geum-jin, his wife, and two of his children are slaughtered, his last remaining daughter, young-ja, escapes and takes centre stage. the majority of the novel follows young-ja as she ages, surviving through atrocity after atrocity.

while reading this, i cried — for young-ja, for the assaulted “comfort-women” of japanese wartime, for each girl that took her own life in this novel, for how our school systems and teachers could possibly gloss over this heavy, horrible topic.

–✧–

this arc was provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. a huge thank you to netgalley, avid reader press, and simon & schuster canada, but most of all, jiyoung han, who brings these horrible events to light in this masterpiece of a novel.

–✧–

tw
before you get into this heart-wrenching novel, please be warned that although it starts as an almost-whimsical, fable-like story, the topics quickly get darker and darker. trigger warnings include graphic SA, suicide, self-harm, depression, drug use, ethnic-based violence, and more. please take care of your mental health, everyone, and talk to someone if you need to. sending love to you all ❤︎

–✧–

stats:
graphic content : 4.5/5
emotion 💧: 4/5
memorability 💭: 3.5/5
thought-provoking 🧠: 4/5

[Soro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawn in only by the magical realism aspect promised by this book, I was not expecting to be as invested in it as I turned out to be. Honey in the Wound was both beautiful and haunting, with moments of hope and joy leading the reader to care for these characters, only to discover their true fates in the despair brought by Japan. It was well-researched in its history, and it brought to light many things which are still not spoken about today.

Following a Korean family whose women all have small magic within them, this story begins in 1902, stretching all the way to the 90s as this family attempts to live their lives in the shadow of Japan's rule over Korea. The tale centers around Young-Ja, a girl who can give her emotions to others through her cooking. After a horrible tragedy, Young-Ja is brought to Manchuria by a resistance fighter, and she works in a tea shop gathering information to use against the Japanese. Young-Ja soon finds a home amongst the other spies, but, when the teahouse is raided, she is brought to a place that she refuses to speak about decades later. Her granddaughter, Rinako, can see truths through her dreams and discovers what really happened in Young-Ja's years in China, realizing that this dark part of history has gone unspoken in her home country of Japan.

While this book was amazing, due to its subject matter and a reading slump I've been in recently, it was a bit hard to get through. However, I would still recommend to anyone looking to see more of the truths behind a part of World War II that is much less discussed. Jiyoung Han's prose had a lyrical feel to it, adding to the magical parts of the story, and she created characters whose lives I began to care about. I enjoyed how distinct each of them were, and the inclusion of queer identities that were also not talked about during this time period. A major part of this story focuses on Japan's comfort women, thousands of young girls forced into sexual slavery to avoid the outcry of the rape of Nanjing, and the country's refusal to acknowledge their existence. It's clear that a lot of research went into shedding light on this subject, and Han handles it well.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wound That Doesn’t Close

How did the book make me feel/think?

Honey in the Wound is a sprawling, essential, mythic tale of historical fiction that eviscerates the shackles of colonization.

How does one survive monsters?

Following Young-Ja from one unbearable tragedy to another, I found myself quietly cheering for her — hoping she might somehow transform the violence forced upon her into fury, redemption, maybe even hope.

The brutality is relentless, intimate. Not statistics. Not history-book distance. Family. Bodies. Memory.

As I read, I couldn’t stop thinking about what North American settlers did to Indigenous communities. Different geography. Same sickness. Colonization doesn’t just occupy land — it infects generations.

The horrors inflicted by Japanese imperialism on Koreans deserve to be brought into the light, not buried beneath denial or political convenience.

We’re often told to forgive and forget to move forward. But when the wound runs this deep, what does forgiveness even mean? How do you forget something etched into bloodlines?

Forgive? Never.

Forget? Never.

Healing can’t begin until the perpetrators admit the diagnosis.

Honey in the Wound isn’t just a novel — it’s testimony. A reckoning. A necessary act of remembering.

I’m better for having read it.

They say it takes seven generations to undo inherited trauma.

We’re only on generation three.

There’s still a long way to go.

WRITTEN: 5 February 2026

[Corporate Mum Loves Coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honey in the Wound is a beautifully written and deeply confronting work of historical fiction that traces the life of a Korean girl forced into adulthood far too soon because of the disease that is colonialism.

Han does not centre the battlefield, but instead exposes the quieter, devastating damage war inflicts on civilians, on homes, bodies, dignity, and memory. Through lyrical yet unflinching prose, the story shines a light on the horrors endured by the so-called “comfort women,” and the horrific abuse and violence inflicted upon them at the hands of men and empire.

There were many moments where I had to pause, step away, and breathe. The suffering depicted is harrowing, not because it is sensationalised, but because it is rendered with such restraint and humanity. The pain lingers long after the page is turned, particularly as the novel reminds us that this trauma does not end with survival, it ripples across generations.

What makes Honey in the Wound so powerful is its insistence on remembrance. It honours the ongoing fight for recognition, justice, and acknowledgement of the harm done, refusing to let these women be erased from history or reduced to footnotes.

This is not an easy read, but it is an important one. A devastating, compassionate novel that bears witness to suffering and to the quiet resilience of women whose stories deserve to be heard.

[Joyce Cacioppo stein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honey in the Wound by Jiyoung Han takes place in Korea, Japan and China. It follows the Geum & Song family through generations and the family’s survival through the Japanese invasion of China. We follow the life of Song Young-Ja during these times, giving us insight into what she had to endure.

I was happy to have the timeline in the beginning. It was helpful to look back on in order to keep the family members straight. It also would have been nice to have a map indicating location since I found it hard to figure out in which country events were taking place as well as who was living where at different times of the story.

War is brutal but the descriptions of the brutality that took place were very detailed. This was a good part of the book and I found this very upsetting and hard to read. I did, however, like the way the story was tied together in the end. I would like to thank Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Kirah M’Lyssa Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still processing my thoughts on this one. This debut novel is outstanding, and I can already tell I will be coming back to add more to this review. I can also see myself rereading it because there is so much layered into the story.

Quick thoughts: I think it captures historical fiction and women’s fiction perfectly. I am not very familiar with books that focus on Japan’s occupation of Korea, but I do feel this novel handles the topic with care and depth across multiple generations. The magical realism elements are especially strong in the first half of the book and add a beautiful texture to the story. As the themes grow heavier and the storyline becomes darker, that element becomes less prominent, but it still feels purposeful within the narrative.

More thoughts to come once I fully sit with this one.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy for an honest review**

[Tish · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5 stars
Haunting and painful historical fiction showing the oppression and brutality inflicted on the Korean people by the Japanese prior to and during WWII. The book is well written, with good descriptions of the settings and people and effective use of magical realism. Hard to believe this is a debut novel!

While this book tells the story of several generations of a family, most of the book is about Young-Ja, a young Korean girl who, due to a unique magical ability, is sent to Manchuria to work for the resistance. However, she is kidnapped and forced to work as a "comfort woman" in a Japanese military camp.

This is a real tribute to the strength of the human spirit, the will to survive, and the need for the truth to be known.

Thanks to Avid Reader Press | Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.