The Color of Heaven

Color Trilogy #3

by Kim Dong Hwa, Lauren Na (Translator)

A celebration of the triumph of true love

As Ehwa grew from a girl to a young woman in The Color of Earth and The Color of Water, she began to understand and experience love and relationships, with her mother as a model and confidante. Now, in the heartwarming conclusion to this lyrically written and delicately drawn trilogy, Ehwa's true love comes at last, and as her mother looks on, she takes the final steps towards becoming an adult.

In the tradition of My Antonia and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, from the pen of the renowned Korean manhwa creator Kim Dong Hwa, comes a girl's coming of age story, set in the vibrant pastoral landscape of Korea.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Manga, Romance, Comics, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Name (in native language): 김동화

Kim Dong-Hwa is a widely revered Korean comic artist. Since his debut (with My Sky, serialized in the Daily Hanguk, one of the most prestigious Korean newspapers) in 1975, he has become a mainstay of the Korean manhwa (comics) landscape. He is best known for his tender stories and uncanny ability to write from a profoundly feminine perspective.

The three books that make up The Color Trilogy – The Color of Earth, The Color of Water, and The Color of Heaven – are his first manhwa to be translated into English and published in the United States.

“Since I was very young, I’ve been interested in writing and drawing stories about girls growing up, both mentally and physically. I think that the process of a girl becoming a woman is one of the biggest mysteries and wonders of life. And when my mother was sleeping in her sickbed, I looked down her wrinkled face and suddenly realized that she must had been young and beautiful once. Then I started imagining her childhood. What would she have looked like in her 60s, 50s, 40s, and so on? Ehwa, the protagonist of The Color Trilogy, is the result of my tracing back to my mother’s youth.”

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This series should've been called "How Many Times Can We Talk About Flowers and Butterflies in One Book" or "How to Use Way Too Many Metaphors and Bore Your Audience" or maybe "Weird Facial Expressions, Random Corporal Punishment, Misandry AND Misogyny, plus Bonus: Surprise Floppy Boobs."

This trilogy quickly degraded in quality in terms of the story, though the artwork was always nice. I don't ever want to hear about flowers and butterflies ever again though.

[Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, so this series was beautifully illustrated and all that, but it was just so...precious? predictable? essentialist? You've got a mother and a daughter. And all they do is talk about how much it sucks to be a woman, always waiting and longing. It's pretty hard for me to get into something like this. I would much rather see the women finding happiness on their own terms rather than through the validation of a man. The fact that the entire series is written by a man doesn't help matters any. The feminist in me found it grating in the extreme to watch Ehwa completely buy into the idea that her life would be incomplete without a husband and to see her mother always waiting for a man who seldom appears. While the men both appear to be respectful and kind, they have very little personality, which makes one wonder if they're really worth all this pining.

[Vishy · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The Color of Heaven' is the third and final part of Kim Dong Hwa's Colors trilogy.

This part continues the story of Ehwa and her mother as we follow the happenings in their lives. We also follow their love stories which follow different paths and move in different ways. There is yearning, longing, heartbreak, lots of mother-daughter conversations, allusions to images and metaphors from classical poetry, descriptions of flowers and nature and how they are metaphors to happenings in a person's life according to Korean tradition and culture – all these and more are there in the book. There is one scene in the book that is different from the norm. Ehwa disappears one night from home and gets back the next morning. When her mother asks her where she was, Ehwa refuses to reply, but tells her mother that she would like to be punished. What happens after that for the next couple of pages in heartbreaking. I can't tell you what happens though. You should read the book to find out. I really want to tell you how the book ended – happy or sad or open-ended – but it not for me to tell, it is for you to find out.

I loved 'The Color of Heaven'. It is a beautiful finale to this wonderful trilogy. I loved the whole trilogy – every part and every page. The blurb to the trilogy reads – "A sweeping trilogy of first love and second chances". That is a perfect description of it. The whole story is lyrical, the artwork is brilliant, the depiction of traditional Korean culture is fascinating, the love stories are wonderful. But for me the best part of the book is the depiction of the relationship between Ehwa and mother. It is one of the most beautiful mother-daughter relationships that I have ever seen depicted in any book. Ehwa's mother is one of the most beautiful mothers ever portrayed in fiction. She is one of my favourite characters ever. This trilogy is one of my favourite graphic novels, ever.

Have you read 'The Color of Heaven'? What do you think about it?

[Lauren]

Disappointing an uncomfortable in many ways.
There are only so many vegetable and flower metaphors for genitalia I can take.

[Jessica-Robyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to say it, but this series ends on such a poor note. In this volume, the author got a little too caught up in his use of language. In the process he completely abandons his storytelling and character development to add more and more and more thoughts on flowers and butterflies.

This volume is all about conclusions and reflections, both about the past and about the future. But the way that the author has gone about it is just unfortunate. Although the beautiful art continues in this volume, the text is just mind-numbingly boring. I had to push myself through all the long monologues and asides that just never seem to end.

Although I appreciated the use of metaphor in the first book, and accepted its presence in the second, this book goes completely overboard. I don't think a single character says anything that isn't about flowers or butterflies. You just want to tell the characters that it's enough already. We get it! Stop, for the love of all of nature, stoooop!!

In the first book the use of metaphor and similes was explored as a way to have frank discussions about sensitive topics which would otherwise be frowned upon. It was used in an interesting and informative nature. But with this book it is used to talk about absolutely everything. Everything relates back to either a flower or a butterfly or a butterfly landing on a flower in the snow! It's really unfortunate how the intent changes with this final book.

Also, don't even get me started on that final scene. It was like, and everyone lived happily ever after as they all fucked into the night spewing metaphors for the rest of their lives. Because that's what we were all waiting for, this whole time what we were waiting to see was our little Ehwa finally getting laid. While were at it let's intersplice that with an older couple also getting laid, and lets put this right after we see her mother also get laid. Yay sex! ... It was awful.

If you're interested in this series. I would almost suggest you just stick with the first book. In a way it is a contained story that is very worth reading. This on the other hand, not so much.

[Sarah B · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I had finished this one this morning but Goodreads had been down so I am writing my review now. This obviously is the final book in this series. So, what did I think?

I can honestly say that towards the end of this book my interest was waning very fast. It had started to get very dull and boring. Mind you I am not really interested in romance at all so Ehwa's marriage to Duksam does not grab my attention whatsoever. And I basically flipped over the wedding night scenes in the book as I don't care about that stuff. I suppose most women are supposed to be interested in that but I couldn't care less. I didn't care about the wedding either. I just noted that the Korean wedding was very different so I was curious about that (the cultural difference) but not in the romantic aspect of it.

A lot of this story is about Ehwa and her mother waiting and waiting and waiting with love sickness for their men to return. Of course I cannot relate to that. And I think that is one reason why I like this book less than the previous two.

One character who had greatly improved these book is Bongsoon. She is kind of naughty but without her often driving Ehwa to do stuff (not to mention their conversations) the story would be more boring. We often learn stuff about Korea from them talking.

But some things in here didn't make sense. They include:

1. The sound of falling snow. Umm...snow doesn't make sound when it is falling from the sky? You can hear the wind during a snowstorm but the snow itself is silent?

2. The sound of flower petals opening. Once again I don't think this makes any sound?

3. A woman should live like a mandarin duck and only have one mate in a lifetime. Well if that is true than why is Ehwa's mother dating that salesman?! She is contradicting the rules!

So I will rate this one only 3 stars as it was kind of dull. But the artwork is once again incredible.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

What seemed charming in The Color of Earth, like the overly poetic language, seemed overdone and unrealistic in The Color of Heaven. But most of all, there were parts that were downright offensive, that no amount of historical setting could correct. If I sat down with Kim Dong Hwa and told him my concerns, if he defended himself with the setting and difference in time period and culture, I would remind him that even if your setting isn’t modern, your readers are. There are certain things that are inappropriate, and honestly were probably inappropriate by any standard, not just modern ones. Also, there should be consistency. I don’t understand how Ehwa and her mother could be so forward thinking in many ways and yet so backwards in others. Ehwa, the main character, seems to understand sex and certainly how her body works, but then is mysteriously naive at other times.

[miaaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kerinduan seorang wanita adalah penyakit mengerikan karena hanya kematian yang dapat menyembuhkannya
- ibu Ehwa -

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehwa’s young man, Duksam, leaves her to make his fortune on a fishing vessel – promising to return to her in the spring. Ehwa (seventeen) spends the next months trying to distract herself with her normal chores and activities, but is always waiting, waiting for Duksam. Her mother, similarly, waits for the “picture man,” a traveling artist to whom she has a romantic attachment. Their patience is rewarded in the end. Duksam returns in the winter, unable to bear the separation any longer, and asks Ehwa’s mother for permission to marry her daughter. He builds them a home, they wed, and their union is consummated. The picture man also returns and Ehwa’s mother finds solace in his arms – although she has lost her daughter to Duksam, it seems she may have found a new partner in the picture man.

There are some really beautiful backdrops in this manwha. Even though it’s in black and white, Kim Dong Hwa does some amazing things with light areas that make the skies glow. Readers will also learn a fair amount about Korean culture and tradition (especially during the wedding ceremony), and life in the countryside in an unobtrusive way. There is a lot of imagery, particularly floral imagery (many references are made to Ehwa’s ‘blooming’ awakening womanhood), and flirtatious banter between the sexes. The consummation of Ehwa’s marriage, and the love scenes between her mother and the picture man (and an older couple), fill the final chapter. While the nudity of the characters is understated, and their most passionate thoughts/actions are cloaked in suggestive imagery, it’s still pretty obvious what’s going on - and because it’s a whole chapter rather than a panel or a scene, some parents may raise objections. The lovemaking is sweet, however, and tender (and, in the case of the older couple, humorous) – showing the stages of life, and how couples come to know everything about one another, and how their love changes over time. Altogether, this final volume is quite beautiful and romantic.

I meant to start this trilogy at the beginning, but messed up and read the final volume first. I still enjoyed it – even though I came in at the end – and I think it stands well alone, but readers would be better served to start at the beginning to get a sense of where the characters are coming from, and how their relationships formed and changed over time. I was a little put off by the way Ehwa and her mother spent so much of their time pining for the men that they loved. While they didn’t go into consumption, have suicidal thoughts, or engage in any tragic, desperate acts, each put a large part of her emotional self on hold – waiting for men who might or might not return. I’m not a waiter, and I’m not very patient, so this romantic interlude was rather frustrating.

[Sweetdhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Menunggu

Aku menunggumu
Walau entah bagaimana rupamu
Tapi aku yakin Tuhan memberikan rupa itu untuk menjagaku

Aku menunggumu
Walau entah siapa namamu
Tapi aku yakin Tuhan meniupkan nama itu dalam takdirku

Aku menunggumu
Walau entah bagaimana cara kita bertemu nanti
Tapi aku yakin Tuhan menyiapkan sejuta kejutan dalam hidup

Aku menunggumu
Walau entah sampai kapan
Tapi aku yakin Tuhan tahu saat yang tepat untuk kita bertemu

Aku menunggumu
Karena berarti aku percaya Tuhan pasti memberikan yang terbaik
Karena berarti aku masih harus mengisi hari dengan berkarya sebaik mungkin
Bukan hanya sekedar menunggu

****

Kali ini Ehwa dan Ibu nya bertutur tentang penantian
Penantian seorang wanita
Walau dituturkan dalam balutan kata-kata yang indah,
Aku tidak mau menanti seperti Ehwa dan Ibunya
Hanya menanti..
Sedangkan aku bisa berbuat banyak, bukan hanya sekedar menanti..

[Susan Devy · Rating 3 out of 5]

usually I never get into a graphic novel, but the color trilogy has something different, like it showed so many korean tradition that i never knew before. and the thing that I really like most is the relationship of Ehwa and her mother.

Maybe for some of you, a kind of relationship of mother and daughter is nothing special, but I like the way her mother and ehwa when they had conversation, it was like between friends, they just said what they want to say or feel, without having afraid of showing it....I wish I could have a conversation like that between me and my children.

So I think that the main point of this trilogy, a beautiful relationship between mother and daughter....that would never ended, even if the daughter was already married and move away with husband....the relationship between them will always stay there.

[Marilyne S. Veilleux · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You can hide things from the world, but you can never hide things from time."

Cette trilogie est en quelque sorte un plaisir coupable. J'ai adoré la relation mère-fille qui est à mon sens ce que j'ai vu/lu de plus beau sur le sujet depuis longtemps. Vraiment magnifique et touchant. De même, j'ai apprécié m'imprégner de la réalité des femmes Coréennes de cette époque, et de leurs multiples combats, ce qui en fait une série « feminist friendly » d'un certain sens. Par contre, je n'ai pu mettre de côté le fait que la trilogie a été créée par un homme, qui semble croire que le quotidien des femmes n'était finalement tourné qu'autour des hommes. Le côté très essentialiste de plusieurs conversations entre la mère et sa fille m'a aussi assez dérangée. Mais sommes toutes, une série très douce, remplie de fleurs et d'amour maternel.

[Vicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I found this last one of the series to be a little boring. There was no question of what would happen. It just kind of plodded along toward the innevitable ending. There were also some rather graphic illustrations in this one, which I wasn't expecting and didn't seem necessary. Still, I liked the mother-daughter bond that continued strong through all three books.

One last thing. At this point, I am so done with people being compared to flowers or butterflies. These metaphors were effective for a while, but they just got old as the trilogy went on. I almost felt like yelling a the book that I am not a flower, but I refrained.

[Winna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lebih suka sama Warna Tanah.

Walau adegan dan dialog yang lebih dewasa memang perlu untuk menunjukkan perjalan Ehwa dari gadis kecil ke wanita dewasa, beberapa terkesan cukup vulgar. Wajar dan cocok jika buku ini dibaca oleh target audience-nya.

Cerita terakhir ini adalah tentang penantian. Seperti biasa, prosanya indah dan intinya bagus. Kisah antara ibu anak juga tergambarkan dengan baik. Hingga sekarang karakter favorit saya tetap ibu Ehwa, yang telah mengalami begitu banyak pahit manis yang membuatnya bijaksana.

:)

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has a shows the life of a daughter and mother’s tales of love and womanhood in the late nineteenth century, Korea. I found this graphic novel touching with its simplistic yet elegant drawings and poetic literature. Ehwa goes from a mere child to an elegant bride. The story of her mother is just as symbolic of love than her daughter. In this book, it is clear that Ehwa’s mother has shown a lot of affection towards her daughter as well as her lover. Although the storyline is a little cliché, this series is one of my favorite reads.

[Pixel Queer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw some negative reviews about this series and I just have to say this is one of the nicest, coming of age story about Women tradition in Korea. Keeping the open mind of what time and where this story is taking place is heart warming and nice, to understand and learn new ways of culture.
I really enjoyed this series and the art, and I would read it again.

[BeckyisBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were stunning. I'm dying to get my hands on a set to treasure forever. I could read this story over and over again. Beautiful relatable delve into love and sex during a young girls life. Perfect

[Jacki · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Please note, this is my review for the entire series. If I review each volume separately, I will just say a lot of the same things three times.*

Summary: A girl comes of age in rural Korea. Ehwa, the daughter of a single mother who owns a tavern, learns about all things intimate as she grows from a little girl of seven to a young bride of seventeen. Her mother guides her into the confusing world of becoming a grown woman with love and compassion, all while fending off well-intentioned but lewd comments and managing her own romance with a traveling artist.

Plot: The plot is mainly a vehicle to facilitate the author's poetic musings on human growth and relationships. The series opens with a picture of two beetles mating and never lets up. Ehwa falls in love the first time, and we have musings on puberty. Ehwa falls in love again quickly (the first one was a monk...it didn't work out), and we have musings on unrequited love. Ehwa falls in love the third and final time, and we have musings on marriage. When she's not falling in love, Ehwa is asking questions about her developing body and how babies are made, accidentally happening across naked boys, and learning to masturbate. We even get a couple of cutaways to Ehwa's first love becoming a man (nocturnal emission alert), as well as a brief plot twist involving an old man with erectile dysfunction.

A couple of major events do occur, such as Ehwa's fiancee going to sea at one point, but for the most part, Ehwa and her mother respond to everything by having another long talk. This series is very short on action.

Characters: The characterization may seem, how do I put this, culturally objectionable to some American readers. In Ehwa's world, a girl is raised to be a wife and mother, period. She has no other choices, and finding a good husband is her highest priority. Add the fact that this series is primarily a musing on love and sex, and the outcome is a female cast completely obsessed with men. If you absolutely must have a female lead who exhibits feminist tendencies, you will struggle with Ehwa's constant obsession with falling in love and her mother's years-long yearning for her often-absent lover.

The characters do have their own personalities, though. Ehwa is curious but a little shy and snobbish, while her unkempt best friend is more freewheeling and a bit vulgar. Ehwa's mother is dreamy and wistful, always musing on the bittersweet nature of being a woman. The most frequently recurring side characters are a pair of old men in the tavern who provide lewd comic relief.

Art: Beautiful! While sometimes the incessant talking weighed on me, the drawings in this series were stunning. For the most part, the talking panels are quite spare, but occasionally the author slips in a full to two-page scene of pastoral Korea, exquisitely detailed and evocative. While the characters' features are kept simple, each is distinct. I especially enjoyed how Ehwa looked exactly the same, yet completely different as she grew up, just as a real child changes. She also resembled her mother strongly but not enough to create confusion.

At times, the sexual imagery and symbolism is very well done. Shoes are used to symbolize relationships often. At other times, the imagery is a bit over-the-top, such as Ehwa's new husband romping in a small pool surrounded by rushes with two curving hills behind it, and a mortar plunging into a pestle. Those choices took the love scene in the end from romantic to corny.

Writing/Dialogue: The writing has strong poetic elements, especially when Ehwa's mother goes on a tangent about the heart of a woman. It is dense for comic/manga writing, but flowing and pleasant. Readers who prefer graphic novels because of the usual fast pace may find this series painfully slow going. Much discussion centers around flowers, which symbolize the different phases of Ehwa's life and loves.

While the writing is beautiful, there is much waxing on about the beauty and wonder of becoming a woman and nothing about the awkwardness and suffering of it. I and many other women I know would not relate to this version of growing up at all. Of course, the author is male and hasn't directly experienced menstruation, so I will give him some slack there, but the scene where the teenage girls learn about masturbation together seemed too much like a male fantasy.

Ending: Surprise! Ehwa gets married! Actually, it isn't a surprise, to the point that my mentioning it here isn't even a spoiler. The reader always knows Ehwa is going to finish the series as a bride. The only missing element is the name of the groom. The wrap-up of the romance between Ehwa's mother and the paintbrush man is slightly more satisfying because it didn't feel as predestined. However, the reader may feel that this wrap-up is contrived and could have happened much sooner, rather than spending ten years in the making.

What more did I want?: I wanted the author to acknowledge that puberty is hard, awkward, and often painful, and at times, I wished the mother would stop talking about the secret mysteries of a woman's heart. Other than that, this series was very artsy and enjoyable.

[BookishStitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice end to the trilogy, although a bit odd in parts.

[Petitpois · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5. Climax final, y orgasmal, la nostalgia y la ilusión, la tradición.
Me incomodó y sorprendió una escena de violencia.

[MasterSal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parts of this were lovely - especially the last panel where the mother looks out in the rain waiting for her daughter.

Though this last volume is ostensibly about Ehwa’s wedding the theme is more properly that of waiting. Both women waiting for their lovers. Young girls waiting to grow up. And as time progress people age and things change.

Despite the wedding and a few cute scenes the books has a melancholy feeling running through it. Each beginning is accompanied by and ending - in this case the end of the mother and daughter duo. Maybe I found this book sadder than it was meant to me as the mother was a stronger character. Ehwa faded into the background a little.

I did only rate this three stars as some of the metaphor lagged. I get the flower and butterflies motif but I would have edited some of it out. It’s loses the poignancy after being repeated a dozen time.

Overall still worth reading but not as strong as the first entry. Still lovely and the depiction of the women is great. Not many graphic novels which come across as so respectful to older women. The author has a great love for the mother character which shines through.

[Rhea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pada hari seperti ini, bukankah menyenangkan jika hujan tercurah dari langit? Kau dapat menangis sepuasmu di tengah hujan, dan tak seorang pun akan tahu bahwa kau sedang bersedih.


I Will Be Right Here Waiting For You

Oceans apart, day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice, on the line
But it doesn't stop the pain
If I see you next to never
how can we say forever

Wherever you go, whatever you do
I will be right here, waiting for you
Whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I took for granted, all The times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now
Oh can't you see it baby,
You've got me going crazy

I wonder how we can survive, this romance
But in the end if I'm with you, I'll take the chance

Oh you can't see it baby
You've got me going crazy

Kurang suka dengan endingnya. Berasa kurang saja gituh. Sekian.
Yuk lanjut nyanyi lagi.

[e.c.h.a · Rating 3 out of 5]

Waiting For Your Love

How can I explain
The sorrow and my pain
I believe that you
and I should be
Together once again

Every night I pray
That you'll come back to me
But the tears keep
falling down my face
When you're not around

But now you're gone
Gone away
All I do is wait for you
Each and every day

Oh,
I'm waiting for your love
I'm wondering where you are
Are you with another guy
Are you showing him your world

I'm waiting for your love
I wanna see your smile
Brighten up my day
Yes I'm waiting for your love
Yes I'm waiting for your love

Many sleepless nights
I've waited by the phone
I'm wondering where
you are tonight
If you're all alone

If I had another chance
I'd never let you go
My heart's been broken in two
And it's all because of you

Oh,
I'm waiting for your love
I'm wondering where you are
Are you with another guy
Are you showing him your world

I'm waiting for your love
I wanna see your smile
Brighten up my day
Yes I'm waiting for your love
Yes I'm waiting for your love

***

[Mitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel so calm & peaceful looking at these pencil drawings. I can stare at them and study them. They are intriguing and also relaxing. The story is engaging and interesting, yet also progresses with a calm rhythm. This is a book I could read again & again. Getting something from it's quiet wisdom, each time.

Update: Finished the series. This series, and especially this book, brought me wisdom and peace. All delivered in poetic words and satisfying, beautiful pencil drawings. The drawings made me want to learn to draw better. I found myself spending much time reflecting on certain pages - the words & intricate drawings. Really loved it.

[Meaghan Steeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing this trilogy I shall sum it up in one word- beautiful. It encompasses the art work, the characters, and the dialogue. I loved the brief glimpse I got into Korea country life from once upon a time, and the near-constant comparisons between people and the natural world (specifically plants and butterflies) really made me think. I was also a huge fan of the way the mother-daughter relationship was portrayed, and found it to be both enrapturing and enchanting. Their closeness and personal development over a ten-plus year period was a gift to observe.

[Nenya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a loooot of waiting for men and a lot of aphorisms about how the female heart is like a flower or whatever, but I liked it well enough. It managed to convince me that the boyfriend (now fiancé) was actually a decent guy and cared about Ehwa, which was a nice chance from him being so presumptuous last book. The wedding was visually lovely and I'm glad the mother got her happy ending as well. I'd probably rate the books in order of quality as the first one, third one, second one. The art continues gorgeous.

[Rayna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am definitely not the target audience of this book, but I know heterosexual women talk and think about something other than men all the time.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Color of Heaven is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Kim Dong Hwa and translated by Lauren Na. It is the final installment of manhwa artist Kim's moving trilogy chronicling the coming of age of a girl in pastoral Korea, based loosely on his mother's own youth.

As summer comes to a close, the strikingly cinematic opening finds Ehwa bidding a hurried farewell to the handsome wrestler who caught her eye in the previous installment. Her lover heads off to work as a fisherman, and Ehwa returns to her mother’s tavern and begins an autumn of discontent. She's testy to friends and fresh with her mother, but most of all, she’s frustrated by the distance between herself and Duksam.

Winter arrives, bringing with it not only Duksam's unexpected return and plans for a spring wedding but also the artist's stark, crisp winter landscapes. As Ehwa and her mother prepare for the traditional ceremony, the nuanced nature metaphors and fertile scenery evoke the melancholy of change.

The Color of Heaven is written and constructed rather well. The masterful landscapes blends achingly beautiful artwork with a well-paced story – as fully realized, finally, as the heroine the artist has created.

Over all, the Color Trilogy is written and constructed rather well with each installment better than the previous. The narrative is lyrical, the artwork is brilliant, the depiction of traditional Korean culture is fascinating, and the love stories are well done. However, the depiction of the relationship between Ehwa and mother is perhaps the most beautiful mother-daughter relationships depicted in recent memory.

All in all, The Color of Heaven wonderfully concludes the coming of age of a young girl in pastoral Korea falling in love and getting married.

[Dai Nhieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

a lot of hidden emotions surfaced as i skimmed through this book. i longed to have parents that i could openly talk to about sexuality and romance with and thought about how lucky Ehwa was to have a mom that could understand the pain of missing someone. at the same time, i was somewhat uncomfortable by how passive the women were. they seemed almost helpless. as if their whole life depended on their men coming back to swoop them away. Hwa's drawings are stunning and delicate, but it was not enough to hold my attention. i skipped several parts of the book and when i finally reached the end, i was amused by how unpassionate the sex scenes were portrayed. not kinky enough but that's not why i'm giving it 3 stars lol. why was Ehwa crying when she finally made love with Duksam? was she hurting? did it feel too good? was she saying goodbye to her childhood? did she miss her mom? it discomforted me out a bit that she was crying, but she saw the 100 lanterns so i knew she orgasmed. good job, Duksam.

the series was beautifully drawn, but the content was monotonous. i understand that Hwa wanted to portray love through nature metaphors but i mostly interpreted the mother & daughter as helpless romantics who daydreamed only about their lovers. a change of scenarios to show their everyday life would've kept my interest better.

[Kami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series. The second book was my favorite I think. This one I would give a 4.5.
I feel that the author told the story of not only Ehwa growing into a young woman and dreaming of finding her love, but also her mothers story- grief, longing, loss, finding new love; all while trying her best to guide Ehwa through life and support their needs as a single mother. I feel we saw multiple perspectives of women in different stages of their love-lives intertwined together. I loved Ehwa's mom and her relationship with her daughter, their closeness was enviable. I liked the romance of the sweet words the characters said to each other after their long periods apart. I enjoyed the symbolism, even the flowers and butterflies that carried through every book. I liked that Ehwa was given the opportunity to close the doors to her past love interests and really move on with her heart, while also allowing other characters to move on and become who they needed to be for themselves.

POSSIBLE SPOILER (? )-
The end was a bit odd, but I feel like there was some symbolism in the old couple and the new couple doing *the deed* at the same time. I think it was a glance into a future for Ehwa and her lover, but hopefully full of more love and support for each other. I hope Ehwa lived a happy, fulfilling, and loved life.