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Honey in the Wound
A lyrical and suspenseful debut novel about a mysteriously gifted Korean family confronting the brutality of the Japanese empire.
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.
Spanning ninety years as one family is displaced across Asia, this novel follows Young-Ja, who finds herself struggling to survive after her family is killed by Japanese soldiers. The magical gift that once brought her joy - the ability to infuse her cooking with her love, peace, delight - transforms into something more powerful as her sorrow and anger seeps into her confections.
When her talent is noticed by a Korean resistance fighter, she's taken to Manchuria where she becomes enmeshed in a network of spies at a teahouse favoured by Japanese officials. Haunted at every turn by the spectre of Japanese soldiers, she endures horrors and brutality at the hands of the Imperial Army.
With spellbinding inter-generational sweep and atmospheric magical realism, Honey in the Wound explores the ways colonialism forces one family to transform, and ultimately survive.
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.
Spanning ninety years as one family is displaced across Asia, this novel follows Young-Ja, who finds herself struggling to survive after her family is killed by Japanese soldiers. The magical gift that once brought her joy - the ability to infuse her cooking with her love, peace, delight - transforms into something more powerful as her sorrow and anger seeps into her confections.
When her talent is noticed by a Korean resistance fighter, she's taken to Manchuria where she becomes enmeshed in a network of spies at a teahouse favoured by Japanese officials. Haunted at every turn by the spectre of Japanese soldiers, she endures horrors and brutality at the hands of the Imperial Army.
With spellbinding inter-generational sweep and atmospheric magical realism, Honey in the Wound explores the ways colonialism forces one family to transform, and ultimately survive.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2026
About the author
Jiyoung Han
1 book102 followersJiyoung 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. Honey in the Wound is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews
August 29, 2025
“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!!!
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!!!
March 6, 2026
I genuinely can’t quite express how beautiful this book is. It is tragic. It’s not a book for the faint of heart, it is brutal and at times the violence is unrelenting in a way that overwhelms your emotions.
However the amount I’ve cried at this book is a testament to the beauty of the writing, its tapestry so deftly weaves together the most detailed ensemble of characters I’ve encountered in a long time, I feel lucky to have lived in their world for a short time and bereft everytime one of them left me. Characters mentioned in a single chapter or paragraph has such vivid detail that I still think about them.
I’m a sucker for magical realism and it is used in such a special way that at times the book truly feels like a fairy tale or a fable, complete with animal companions and evil matriarchs, though even the sparrows have so much more emotional nuance than that. The book evolves into a corruption of youth, the destruction of one’s homeland, language, and of the natural space. As we move towards modernity, that connection to the abstract and the wild, and to their grief, are subdued, suppressed and forgotten, until, finally, the characters return to them in their greatest moments of strength. For we can never forget our past, nor should we ever allow someone to take charge over our histories.
However the amount I’ve cried at this book is a testament to the beauty of the writing, its tapestry so deftly weaves together the most detailed ensemble of characters I’ve encountered in a long time, I feel lucky to have lived in their world for a short time and bereft everytime one of them left me. Characters mentioned in a single chapter or paragraph has such vivid detail that I still think about them.
I’m a sucker for magical realism and it is used in such a special way that at times the book truly feels like a fairy tale or a fable, complete with animal companions and evil matriarchs, though even the sparrows have so much more emotional nuance than that. The book evolves into a corruption of youth, the destruction of one’s homeland, language, and of the natural space. As we move towards modernity, that connection to the abstract and the wild, and to their grief, are subdued, suppressed and forgotten, until, finally, the characters return to them in their greatest moments of strength. For we can never forget our past, nor should we ever allow someone to take charge over our histories.
May 4, 2026
Harrowing
April 7, 2026
4.5 stars.
A time in history that should never be forgotten, that continually needs to be retold. The tragic history of comfort woman during the Japanese, Chinese, Korean war is complex, but undeniably no amount of human torture ever seems to be forgiven or forgotten.
I’ll admit, I had been avoiding Honey in the Wound for a while. Even though it’s a debut novel, the subject matter is incredibly heavy. It tackles the history of comfort women, the thousands of women across Asia who were abducted or coerced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army during the early 20th century and WWII. It’s a dark chapter of history, and I knew it wouldn't be an easy read.
The saga begins in 1902 and spans over a century. We start with Geum-Jin, whose life in his forest home is upended by the arrival of Japanese forces, and follow the lineage down to his daughter, Young-Ja, and eventually her granddaughter.
There is a distinct thread of magical realism woven through the book. While there were moments where I struggled to see how the magic fit into the the plot, it eventually reveals itself as something subtle and atmospheric. It’s deeply tied to how these women express truths they were never allowed to say out loud. Han recently shared on Instagram that she was inspired by authors like Toni Morrison and Elif Shafak, and you can see that influence in how she uses the supernatural to move the story forward in unpredictable ways.
The book does not shy away from the horrors of colonialism or the suffering of these women. It is heavy, and there are moments where I had to stop reading because the atrocities were as despicable as you can imagine.
The writing is truly immersive. Han uses vivid imagery to pull you into this world, and for a debut novel, the way she handles shifts in time and perspective is remarkably seamless.
I am so glad I finally picked this up. It is a powerful way to honor the women who fought a silent war for decades, women whose suffering and bravery are only recently getting the recognition they deserve.
Thank you Avid Reader Press for the advanced copy!
A time in history that should never be forgotten, that continually needs to be retold. The tragic history of comfort woman during the Japanese, Chinese, Korean war is complex, but undeniably no amount of human torture ever seems to be forgiven or forgotten.
I’ll admit, I had been avoiding Honey in the Wound for a while. Even though it’s a debut novel, the subject matter is incredibly heavy. It tackles the history of comfort women, the thousands of women across Asia who were abducted or coerced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army during the early 20th century and WWII. It’s a dark chapter of history, and I knew it wouldn't be an easy read.
The saga begins in 1902 and spans over a century. We start with Geum-Jin, whose life in his forest home is upended by the arrival of Japanese forces, and follow the lineage down to his daughter, Young-Ja, and eventually her granddaughter.
There is a distinct thread of magical realism woven through the book. While there were moments where I struggled to see how the magic fit into the the plot, it eventually reveals itself as something subtle and atmospheric. It’s deeply tied to how these women express truths they were never allowed to say out loud. Han recently shared on Instagram that she was inspired by authors like Toni Morrison and Elif Shafak, and you can see that influence in how she uses the supernatural to move the story forward in unpredictable ways.
The book does not shy away from the horrors of colonialism or the suffering of these women. It is heavy, and there are moments where I had to stop reading because the atrocities were as despicable as you can imagine.
The writing is truly immersive. Han uses vivid imagery to pull you into this world, and for a debut novel, the way she handles shifts in time and perspective is remarkably seamless.
I am so glad I finally picked this up. It is a powerful way to honor the women who fought a silent war for decades, women whose suffering and bravery are only recently getting the recognition they deserve.
Thank you Avid Reader Press for the advanced copy!
October 8, 2025
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.
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.
May 22, 2026
This debut-novel of historical fiction laced with magical realism is beautifully written. The storytelling is stellar and the magical elements help to soften the harsh depictions of the just how evil the period of Japanese Imperialism was. The author takes us on heartbreaking multi-generational journey, with much of the story focused on Young-Ja, a resilient survivor of so many atrocities.
I know so little about the history of other countries and this wonderful story was a fantastic, eye-opening read. One thing I was shocked to learn about was a Japanese sponsored war crime of sexual slavery that they termed "comfort women", where they abducted women from occupied territories then housed them in camps to be repeatedly raped by solders. While Japan has expressed remorse for these actions they have never taken full legal responsibility for committing this reprehensible war crime, so shame, shame, shame on them.
I know so little about the history of other countries and this wonderful story was a fantastic, eye-opening read. One thing I was shocked to learn about was a Japanese sponsored war crime of sexual slavery that they termed "comfort women", where they abducted women from occupied territories then housed them in camps to be repeatedly raped by solders. While Japan has expressed remorse for these actions they have never taken full legal responsibility for committing this reprehensible war crime, so shame, shame, shame on them.
June 6, 2026
3.5 stars
Three generations of women have unique gifts, one becomes a tiger, the other can force truth from anyone with her voice and the granddaughter can infuse food with her emotions.
At its center is Young-Ja, how she is shipped to an orphanage and ends up in a comfort camp for Japanese soldiers. The scenes during her time at these “camps” were not easy to read.
I liked the magical realism angle but felt like it muddled the story initially. But I also had the feeling of standing outside the story, looking in. This says more about my tastes as a reader than any criticism of the book.
This book highlights the treatment of Korean women and the existence of these comfort camps, during the height of Japanese imperialism. These camps were by and large ignored and refuted by the Japanese government for many years.
I have not come across many books that deal with this part of history so I appreciate having had the opportunity to learn more.
Three generations of women have unique gifts, one becomes a tiger, the other can force truth from anyone with her voice and the granddaughter can infuse food with her emotions.
At its center is Young-Ja, how she is shipped to an orphanage and ends up in a comfort camp for Japanese soldiers. The scenes during her time at these “camps” were not easy to read.
I liked the magical realism angle but felt like it muddled the story initially. But I also had the feeling of standing outside the story, looking in. This says more about my tastes as a reader than any criticism of the book.
This book highlights the treatment of Korean women and the existence of these comfort camps, during the height of Japanese imperialism. These camps were by and large ignored and refuted by the Japanese government for many years.
I have not come across many books that deal with this part of history so I appreciate having had the opportunity to learn more.
April 7, 2026
5⭐️
Honey in the Wound is a sweeping family saga moving across Korea, China and Japan, starting with the Japanese occupation of Korea in the early 20th century. The book follows the women of the family through each generation who discover and use powerful abilities to survive extreme events.
In this work, Han treats the era’s complicated issues of colonization, gendered violence, military aggression, espionage, opium use, and resistance with a deft, sensitive hand. Especially touching - and sharp - is her exploration of the Japanese military’s sexual enslavement, torture and murder of hundreds of thousands of “comfort women” before and during WWII.
This is highly recommended for readers who enjoy literary and history fiction, LGBTQ rep, west Asian 20th century culture, magical realism, feminism, and stories of underground opposition. Truly a masterpiece of craft illuminating the indomitable human spirit under extreme duress - and a most timely release.
Greatest thanks to the author, Avid Reader Press/Simon and Schuster, and NetGalley for the early copy. A haunting tale that is staying with me.
Honey in the Wound is a sweeping family saga moving across Korea, China and Japan, starting with the Japanese occupation of Korea in the early 20th century. The book follows the women of the family through each generation who discover and use powerful abilities to survive extreme events.
In this work, Han treats the era’s complicated issues of colonization, gendered violence, military aggression, espionage, opium use, and resistance with a deft, sensitive hand. Especially touching - and sharp - is her exploration of the Japanese military’s sexual enslavement, torture and murder of hundreds of thousands of “comfort women” before and during WWII.
This is highly recommended for readers who enjoy literary and history fiction, LGBTQ rep, west Asian 20th century culture, magical realism, feminism, and stories of underground opposition. Truly a masterpiece of craft illuminating the indomitable human spirit under extreme duress - and a most timely release.
Greatest thanks to the author, Avid Reader Press/Simon and Schuster, and NetGalley for the early copy. A haunting tale that is staying with me.
May 21, 2026
I’ve never seen magical realism threaded with historical tragedy in such a profound way. this was such a delight to read but it truly broke my heart by the end. highly recommend.
May 11, 2026
This book is an absolutely breathtaking debut that blends historical fiction with magical realism to tell a devastating and deeply human story about survival under Japanese imperialism. Spanning generations of Korean women, it explores displacement, grief, resistance, and the scars left by colonial violence.
What makes this story so powerful is how unflinchingly it portrays the brutality of the Japanese occupation, including the sexual enslavement of Korean women forced into Comfort Houses for the Imperial Army. These moments are heartbreaking and difficult to read, but they are handled with care and emotional depth, never feeling exploitative. The story highlights the women whose suffering is too often erased or overlooked in history.
Young-Ja was an unforgettable protagonist. Her magical ability to infuse emotion into food begins as something warm and nurturing, but transforms alongside her grief and rage after unimaginable loss. The magical realism adds another layer to the story without ever taking away from the real historical horrors at its centre.
The writing is lyrical, immersive, and emotionally devastating. Even across its sweeping timeline, the novel never loses its intimacy or emotional impact.
A stunning, haunting, and unforgettable book about resilience, womanhood, and survival in the face of unimaginable cruelty. This is the kind of book that completely consumes you while reading and one that will definitely stays me.
What makes this story so powerful is how unflinchingly it portrays the brutality of the Japanese occupation, including the sexual enslavement of Korean women forced into Comfort Houses for the Imperial Army. These moments are heartbreaking and difficult to read, but they are handled with care and emotional depth, never feeling exploitative. The story highlights the women whose suffering is too often erased or overlooked in history.
Young-Ja was an unforgettable protagonist. Her magical ability to infuse emotion into food begins as something warm and nurturing, but transforms alongside her grief and rage after unimaginable loss. The magical realism adds another layer to the story without ever taking away from the real historical horrors at its centre.
The writing is lyrical, immersive, and emotionally devastating. Even across its sweeping timeline, the novel never loses its intimacy or emotional impact.
A stunning, haunting, and unforgettable book about resilience, womanhood, and survival in the face of unimaginable cruelty. This is the kind of book that completely consumes you while reading and one that will definitely stays me.
April 23, 2026
One of the most painful books I’ve ever read, but I wouldn’t trade for the world that I read it
April 17, 2026
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.
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.
June 5, 2026
honey in the wound is historical fiction done right. heartbreakingly beautiful, this story centers a korean family while examining the brutality of the japanese empire and the lasting impact that violence has across generations. this is a story about survival, resilience, sisterhood, and the ways trauma can shape identities, relationships, and futures.
September 29, 2025
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.
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.
December 16, 2025
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.
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.
April 13, 2026
this was captivating from the first chapter. you felt transported to Korea.
the writing was compelling & the emotions were palpable.
you felt the characters’ experiences so starkly and achingly.
this was heartbreaking & eloquently depicts how the violence women face in colonisation & war is often downplayed, brushed off and overlooked.
this is a book that will stay with me for a long time.
thank you to Netgalley, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster & Jiyoung Han for the ARC of this book! i will read more by this author in the future.
the writing was compelling & the emotions were palpable.
you felt the characters’ experiences so starkly and achingly.
this was heartbreaking & eloquently depicts how the violence women face in colonisation & war is often downplayed, brushed off and overlooked.
this is a book that will stay with me for a long time.
thank you to Netgalley, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster & Jiyoung Han for the ARC of this book! i will read more by this author in the future.
May 4, 2026
4.5⭐️
June 16, 2026
This book was so incredibly well done. I learned a lot more about Japanese colonization throughout the 19th and 20th century (I knew literally nothing about it before) and felt oh so engaged through Han’s prose and the way she wove folkloric elements into the narrative.
This book is both sobering and heartwarming and I would recommend it to anyone who looking for an intellectually stimulating yet entertaining read. Not to mention the strong and wonderful female lead #youngjaslay
Someone please read this so we can talk about it!
This book is both sobering and heartwarming and I would recommend it to anyone who looking for an intellectually stimulating yet entertaining read. Not to mention the strong and wonderful female lead #youngjaslay
Someone please read this so we can talk about it!
May 16, 2026
I find this hard to review. In terms of my personal subjective enjoyment, which is how I usually rate, it's probably 2 stars. But it's an objectively good work, telling an important story. I think it has a framing problem; the idea of infusing emotions into cooking, and some vaguely mystical other family skills, sounds like it'll present a cosy tale of survival in the face of difficult times.
It didn't prepare me for the vivid brutality of our main character being mutilated and raped a dozen times a day for years on end. And for this to be just one slice of the awful suffering experienced by this family lineage throughout the book.
In many ways, the inclusion of the mystical makes this book odd to me. At the start, it softened the impact of the horrors of being invaded, as there's something dream-like about a fantasy world where grass grows from tears and an evil empire invades. It doesn't seem real. As the book progresses, though, the truth of the story becomes impossible to ignore, and the fantastical elements really do take a back seat.
By the end, looking back on the book, I feel like the magical elements were almost entirely inconsequential, except for the occasional potent visual metaphor, and that probably this would've been better (for me, at least) as straight historical fiction. Especially if it were a little more clear what you're getting into as a reader.
Ultimately, 3 stars is a compromise that I don't love, but it's where I've landed as writing this helps sort out my feelings about this burningly traumatic book. I'm grateful to have read it.
It didn't prepare me for the vivid brutality of our main character being mutilated and raped a dozen times a day for years on end. And for this to be just one slice of the awful suffering experienced by this family lineage throughout the book.
In many ways, the inclusion of the mystical makes this book odd to me. At the start, it softened the impact of the horrors of being invaded, as there's something dream-like about a fantasy world where grass grows from tears and an evil empire invades. It doesn't seem real. As the book progresses, though, the truth of the story becomes impossible to ignore, and the fantastical elements really do take a back seat.
By the end, looking back on the book, I feel like the magical elements were almost entirely inconsequential, except for the occasional potent visual metaphor, and that probably this would've been better (for me, at least) as straight historical fiction. Especially if it were a little more clear what you're getting into as a reader.
Ultimately, 3 stars is a compromise that I don't love, but it's where I've landed as writing this helps sort out my feelings about this burningly traumatic book. I'm grateful to have read it.
October 7, 2025
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.
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.
September 30, 2025
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.
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.
April 29, 2026
3.5/5
Another year, another avenue through which South Korea enters the public lexicon through the spotlight the US military installations have bred, a sustained and rabid rejection of socialist/communist mores, seeded well with Christianity and consumerism for what is the resurgence from two atomic bombs compared to the DMZ where capitalism can always equivocate around the latest atrocity. Cynicism aside, I was pleased to source this at my workplace, as I have not escaped the all of the Kpop jingles or most of (if any) of the Netflix cooking shoes, and if the interactions show previous obsessions in a baser light, such is the price paid for maturation, no?
I've never had much of a head for magical realism. Not uncommon amongst the denizens of power, as what is both magical and real often has inherent use amongst the antirationalism that spits on business and laughs at hegemony. Han grounds just enough of her narrative in it to flow (in America it would be a tortuous WWII riff on Pixar's 'The Incredibles') through a the matrilieneal of Korea, then Japan's occupation, then Japan's brain drain, which I know sounds devastating but truly is worth it. I will say, though, the first half was much more credible due to spreading out the pace of imperialism throughout a number of entities, while the second half piled on both the joys and the tragedies until the surviving character had to practically become Übermensch to sustain the narrative throughout the succession of (survivable) war crimes. Still, knowing what I do about Japanese imperialism and its "comfort" women, the fact that this book can be published on such a vocal platform says something about the decades of abject worth and spitting in the face of state violence, regardless of source.
I may drop this rating depending on whether my dislike of pathos wins out against my acknowledgement of the bigger picture. In any case, it is certainly South Korea's time to shine on the world stage, and this is one of the more vital creative works to come of it. So, I am glad to have contributed to its public visibility as early as was copyright permissible, and I can only hope I am not the only patron at my workplace that considers the subject material a worthy investment. For we don't all survive, but so long as the old are wiling to teach and the young are willing to learn, there may be some redemption for our species yet.
Another year, another avenue through which South Korea enters the public lexicon through the spotlight the US military installations have bred, a sustained and rabid rejection of socialist/communist mores, seeded well with Christianity and consumerism for what is the resurgence from two atomic bombs compared to the DMZ where capitalism can always equivocate around the latest atrocity. Cynicism aside, I was pleased to source this at my workplace, as I have not escaped the all of the Kpop jingles or most of (if any) of the Netflix cooking shoes, and if the interactions show previous obsessions in a baser light, such is the price paid for maturation, no?
I've never had much of a head for magical realism. Not uncommon amongst the denizens of power, as what is both magical and real often has inherent use amongst the antirationalism that spits on business and laughs at hegemony. Han grounds just enough of her narrative in it to flow (in America it would be a tortuous WWII riff on Pixar's 'The Incredibles') through a the matrilieneal of Korea, then Japan's occupation, then Japan's brain drain, which I know sounds devastating but truly is worth it. I will say, though, the first half was much more credible due to spreading out the pace of imperialism throughout a number of entities, while the second half piled on both the joys and the tragedies until the surviving character had to practically become Übermensch to sustain the narrative throughout the succession of (survivable) war crimes. Still, knowing what I do about Japanese imperialism and its "comfort" women, the fact that this book can be published on such a vocal platform says something about the decades of abject worth and spitting in the face of state violence, regardless of source.
I may drop this rating depending on whether my dislike of pathos wins out against my acknowledgement of the bigger picture. In any case, it is certainly South Korea's time to shine on the world stage, and this is one of the more vital creative works to come of it. So, I am glad to have contributed to its public visibility as early as was copyright permissible, and I can only hope I am not the only patron at my workplace that considers the subject material a worthy investment. For we don't all survive, but so long as the old are wiling to teach and the young are willing to learn, there may be some redemption for our species yet.
Some of my neighbors have stopped leaving their homes to avoid getting notice. I heard they're taking old ladies and kids too. Even if they have no idea what they've done."
-Cheongju, Chōsen, Empire of Japan, 1931 (Or perhaps Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, 2026)
March 1, 2026
Although it’s only March, I can confidently say this is one of my favourite books of the year. I’ve seen the words “stunning debut” repeated and I can only echo the sentiment. WHAT a debut, WHAT a book. I am so pleased to have had a chance to read this before it’s out.
This is a book spanning across generations of one Korean family throughout the Japanese occupation across multiple countries and decades, exploring the trauma that was inflicted on them all throughout. There are also elements of magic realism weaved into the plot and their stories in a way that isn’t overpowering and flows very well.
It’s not an easy read. The book talks of “comfort women”, their experience and the aftermath, a term I was very unaware of the actual details of and have subsequently looked up. I’d heard of “comfort women” but, perhaps due to the absolute undermining of what it actually is due to the words used in the term, never understood the severity.
I cannot recommend this enough. Absolutely floored by how good this book was. This is out later in 2026 and I highly suggest giving it a read.
Arc/netgalley
This is a book spanning across generations of one Korean family throughout the Japanese occupation across multiple countries and decades, exploring the trauma that was inflicted on them all throughout. There are also elements of magic realism weaved into the plot and their stories in a way that isn’t overpowering and flows very well.
It’s not an easy read. The book talks of “comfort women”, their experience and the aftermath, a term I was very unaware of the actual details of and have subsequently looked up. I’d heard of “comfort women” but, perhaps due to the absolute undermining of what it actually is due to the words used in the term, never understood the severity.
I cannot recommend this enough. Absolutely floored by how good this book was. This is out later in 2026 and I highly suggest giving it a read.
Arc/netgalley
May 18, 2026
Oh. My. Gosh. What a complex and painfully beautiful this book is! I'm ashamed to say I was naive to the historical horror that occurred by the Japanese Imperial Army during WW2. But I am so glad to be fed the truth about it. This book broke me and moved me to tears. I'm filled with anguish for the young girls who were forced to endure such horror and pain, and kept silent all the way to their elder years for fear of judgment and social injustices. I thank this wonderful author for writing such a touching and important book that many may not even be aware of. Not to mention, there is such endearing magical realism that only enhance the brokenness and wave of complex emotions that this book brings. Truly. A wonderful, heartbreaking, emotional, and lovely novel on a family's legacy amongst the wars of colonialism. Please read this book!
July 1, 2026
Damn, this was dark. Yet at the same time, it's full of hope. It's one of those books that had me wanting to launch my kindle across the room on several occasions, but not because it's a bad book, but more because of the places the narrative was taking me. So angry.
What starts off as a happy, uplifting tale of a Korean family at the start of the 20th Century soon goes down some dark paths as we're exposed to the grim reality of the Japanese conquest of Asia, and the horrors of the comfort stations set up by the Imperial Japanese Army throughout their conquered Empire.
Part magical realism, part bitter indictment of the dehumanising nature of war, particularly to those caught in the crossfire, this is not an easy read, but it does end on a positive note, and that is what makes this book so worth reading. A good, strong four out of five stars.
What starts off as a happy, uplifting tale of a Korean family at the start of the 20th Century soon goes down some dark paths as we're exposed to the grim reality of the Japanese conquest of Asia, and the horrors of the comfort stations set up by the Imperial Japanese Army throughout their conquered Empire.
Part magical realism, part bitter indictment of the dehumanising nature of war, particularly to those caught in the crossfire, this is not an easy read, but it does end on a positive note, and that is what makes this book so worth reading. A good, strong four out of five stars.
December 19, 2025
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!
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!
March 29, 2026
Thank you to Simon and Shuster for the ARC!
Holy god. What a NOVEL. This book, deeply enriched in historical magical realism, was incredible, tragic, and something that is going to have me thinking for, I think months.
Much like her characters, Jiyoung has a gift. Young-ja is such a REMARKABLE character and every single character, story, and moment, I felt deep within my bones. I…I don’t have words to how much the writing is embedded in my soul. I want to cradle this book and need to have people read this.
Gosh the subtleness of this story, the emotions, the RAWNESS of this book is something that is so,,,oh my gosh. Nothing felt repetitive, or plot armor. This was, incredible.
Holy god. What a NOVEL. This book, deeply enriched in historical magical realism, was incredible, tragic, and something that is going to have me thinking for, I think months.
Much like her characters, Jiyoung has a gift. Young-ja is such a REMARKABLE character and every single character, story, and moment, I felt deep within my bones. I…I don’t have words to how much the writing is embedded in my soul. I want to cradle this book and need to have people read this.
Gosh the subtleness of this story, the emotions, the RAWNESS of this book is something that is so,,,oh my gosh. Nothing felt repetitive, or plot armor. This was, incredible.
October 4, 2025
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.
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.
April 27, 2026
Thank you Allen & Unwin for sending me a copy of this one. All thoughts are my own.
This is a tricky one to review. I feel like the synopsis is a bit misleading. The part of the book that the synopsis alludes to was actually fantastic, but only makes up around a third of the book. I was really drawn into Young-Ja’s story and her work at the tea house. Everything within that part of the narrative (which was sort of the middle third of this book) was captivating and interesting and full of great characters I was loving getting to know. I was sad we never really revisited them or found out what happened.
The first 90 pages with Young-Ja’s family history felt disjoined to me. Like I was being relayed a series of events rather than being told an interesting story. It would have worked better with a short prologue, in my opinion, showing the magic within the family without the unnecessary details.
I also found the last part with Young-Ja’s son and granddaughter lacked cohesion. It added to the story in some ways but didn’t in others and again, I think it would have worked better as a much shorter epilogue.
Overall I think this would have worked better as a novella with a more focussed narrative, but I still enjoyed reading it, and based on other reviews, it appears I’m very much in the minority.
This is a tricky one to review. I feel like the synopsis is a bit misleading. The part of the book that the synopsis alludes to was actually fantastic, but only makes up around a third of the book. I was really drawn into Young-Ja’s story and her work at the tea house. Everything within that part of the narrative (which was sort of the middle third of this book) was captivating and interesting and full of great characters I was loving getting to know. I was sad we never really revisited them or found out what happened.
The first 90 pages with Young-Ja’s family history felt disjoined to me. Like I was being relayed a series of events rather than being told an interesting story. It would have worked better with a short prologue, in my opinion, showing the magic within the family without the unnecessary details.
I also found the last part with Young-Ja’s son and granddaughter lacked cohesion. It added to the story in some ways but didn’t in others and again, I think it would have worked better as a much shorter epilogue.
Overall I think this would have worked better as a novella with a more focussed narrative, but I still enjoyed reading it, and based on other reviews, it appears I’m very much in the minority.
July 1, 2026
Beautiful and tragic. I’m new to the magical realism genre but liked how the subtle magical elements gave the story an almost fairytale-like quality while remaining grounded in a deeply real and painful historical setting. Always grateful for stories like this that honour and recognize the women who suffered and fought a silent war for much too long.
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