Eleven year old Miyoung leaves Korea to live in Japan with her old sister. To survive and thrive in the anti-Korean territory, she passed as Japanese but fears her true identity slipping every day.

I didn’t realize until the author’s note at the end that this was a true story of her grandmother! It was a fascinating tale and shed light on the Japanese occupation of Korea, something I knew little about. If you enjoy stories about women ahead of their times, and introductions to new cultures, this is a great one. Definitely read the author’s note at the end because it is very informative and brings the story to true life.

White Mulberry came out 12/1 and is available now.

White Mulberry by Rosa Kwon Easton was a captivating historical fiction.
Very well written it makes you feel all the emotions and turmoil of this characters time period and the people living through such times.
I was left wanting more. Inspired but true events this story is full of experience, emotion and resilience.

This girl called Mayo. U. NG was amazing how she had to survive in this book.. I can't believe all the hardship.This woman went through as a woman and as a young girl. She was very smart and people really didn't understand her. They had a lot of customs and stuff as well. Her sister went to japan to marry a man who thought was very wealthy but he wasn't. She had to go to japan because she did not have money to go to school in korea. She went to Japan to be with her sister.But she faced many obstacles because they do not want them there. She learned to have a new identity as being in Japan.But she felt lost because she had to give up her korean way of thinking. She will also want to church which was very dangerous because the japanese army do not want them to be there. Her heart was Broken many times B y two men. One of them she ended up marrying because she became pregnant but he soon died after they were married. This woman had a lot of courage because she had to leave her son behind 22 become a nurse because she had to support him and send money back to his family. We're close to our sister. This woman had a lot of courage because she had to go through a lot of hardships but things seemed to come out in the end. I could not imagine living under one name and then another name because you had to just work. Just during the thirties when japan was at war with a lot of countries. This is.
A really good book. I think it should be read in history and english because it can tide into things which were going on and create as will.. Korea was under Japan rule until afterward too.And it was like thirty years and they went through a lot of hardships because the K, o, R, e.N.
Do not want the japanese to be there. This is like a love story.History book all rolled into one

Following in the path of White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht, MiJa by Mark Atkinson and Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, we have another novel set during Japan’s occupation of Korea in the 1930s and 1940s. And this is a period where there’s plenty of drama to sustain many more historical novels. Our story here follows Miyoung, a Korean girl, who’s clever and wants an education - her father disagrees and wants her married off. Her mother arranges for her to go to Japan and stay with her elder sister who’s married a Japanese man. There, she encounters severe racism by the Japanese towards the Koreans. She decides to adopt a Japanese name and pass as Japanese which means always speaking Japanese in public, taking a different name, wearing different clothes and eating different food. Having discounted love, she then meets Hojoon and things begin to change in her life.

Like other reviewers, there were a few places with too much repetition but the period is evoked and the use of lots of Korean terms is a good way to highlight the differences between the Japanese and Korean cultures.

Worth reading and I look forward to the sequel. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book observes the issues of racist discrimination, colonialism and the patriarchy. It is a story about a Korean woman who moves to Japan.

If you have read or watched 'Pachinko,' 'White Mulberry' is another novel that explores the same themes but with different characters.

This book highlights the prejudice faced by Koreans in pre war Japan. It is a very personal story based on the experience of a relative of the author and portrays the resilience in the face of grief of a young mother. I would have liked a broader sweep of information about Korea and Japan. Instead this book was focused heavily on h9me life and the feelings of the lead character. The ending in particular details a remarkable experience and made for a tension filled ending.

**SPOILERS**

Rosa Kwon Easton’s debut novel, White Mulberry, is a deeply moving tale of resilience, identity, and survival set in Japan-occupied Korea. It follows Mi Young, a young Korean girl whose name “beauty” and “brave” in translation, perfectly embodies her character.

Mi Young grows up in a fractured family, with an absentee father who has another family and a half sister, Bohbeh, who is married off at the young age of 15. Her sister’s arranged marriage, orchestrated to a supposedly wealthy man in Kyoto, ends with Bohbeh disappearing from Mi Young’s life.

As Mi Young approaches adolescence, she finds herself facing a similar fate. The same “matchmaker” suggests she marry the school bully. Mi Young is horrified by this idea and dreams of a different path for her life. She becomes inspired by her unmarried Christian english teacher, seeing that life has more paths than marriage. So she begins secretly attending church. There, she encounters ideas of gender equality and a new vision of the world, one where she might escape the rigid expectations of marriage. However, her mother soon catches her and forbids her from attending, closing off this glimmer of hope.

Fate intervenes when Mi Young’s engagement is called off. The bully’s family needs him to work in a coal factory to support their finances. Mi Young is relieved and moves to Kyoto, where she reunites with Bohbeh. However, the reunion is bittersweet. Bohbeh’s husband, who lied about his wealth and status, is a terrible and abusive man.

Mi Young’s life in Kyoto isn’t much easier. Facing relentless bullying and prejudice for being Korean, she adopts a Japanese identity, renaming herself Miyoko to blend in and survive. This erasure of her true self weighs heavily on her. As anti-Korean sentiment intensifies, Miyoko secretly resumes attending church, where she falls in love with an activist. Their love brings her joy and a baby, but tragedy strikes when he dies of health complications.

Despite the hardships, Mi Young finds purpose as a nurse and eventually as a midwife. Her life as a mother, however, is far from ideal, as her son spends much of his childhood with her mother-in-law. The story takes a dramatic turn when Miyoko is conscripted as a war nurse, a likely death sentence. Determined to protect her son and reclaim her life, she bravely plans a daring escape from Japan back to Korea.

I truly loved White Mulberry because I deeply empathized with Mi Young’s character. As the youngest in my family, I related to her experience of watching her sisters leave one by one and losing touch with them once they were gone. Like Mi Young, I also believe marriage isn’t the only path in life. Reading this book on my flight to Japan and train ride to Kyoto made me feel even more connected to her journey. It was as if I was right there with her!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction that explores themes of identity, resilience, and cultural conflict. It’s a beautifully written story that captures the struggles and strength of a young woman navigating a turbulent time in history. I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I think it ended too abruptly. Thank you netgalley and publishers for the e-copy of the book.

White Mulberry
Rosa Kwon Easton

I am such a K-drama fan, even before Kdramas became a worldwide thing. I was one of those who stayed up all night and collected DVDs just to binge-watch Korean dramas and movies. This was way way pre-Covid! One of my favorite genres is the Sageuk (historical/traditional drama). In fact, my all time favorite is the Mr. Sunshine and I love Jewel in the Palace too! So when I saw White Mulberry and read the description on Netgalley, I immediately hit the request button. I just needed to read this!

The story, set during the Japanese occupation in Korea, is about Miyoung, a smart Korean girl who loves to study and dreamed of becoming a teacher one day. Unfortunately during this period in Korea, women were only expected to marry and take care of the family, thus their education was not a priority. In order for her to continue her studies, she had to leave her family in Korea behind and move to Japan with her older sister. The life that greeted her in Japan was not what she thought it would be, and she had to face the harsh reality of living there as a Korean woman.

I really love this book! I like every bit of it. Every detail was well delivered. It's as if I was watching a K-drama. There are a lot of things I love about this book, but I will highlight the following:

1. Role of Christianity during this period - I appreciate that this aspect was included in the book as religious groups particularly, Christianity,really did play a role during this period in Korea.
2. Changing names and passing off as Japanese - totally understandable as one has got to do whatever it takes to survive.
3. Nursing!!! - This was an unexpected part, but I was so glad to learn about how Koreans worked as nurses during the occupation. The part where Miyoung delivered health care services was also a favorite of mine. It brought me back to the time when I was still working as a nurse.

The best thing about this book though was the reason why the author wrote it. This book was inpired by the real-life experiences of the author's grandmother! I was deeply touched by the Author's Note.

I highly recommend this book. If you love Pachinko, I think you will like this book more. It's easy to read and the pacing is just right. White Mulberry is set to be released on December 1st so be sure to grab a copy! I got the ARC from Netgalley and the Kindle version from Amazon already, but I for sure will get the printed one once it's out in the market!

WHITE MULBERRY - ROSA KWON EASTON

When this book first popped up on my radar, it was being likened to Pachinko, which is one of my all-time favourite books. I couldn't wait to start reading White Mulberry; here's a quick synopsis:

1928, Japan-occupied Korea. Eleven-year-old Miyoung has dreams too big for her tiny farming village: to become a teacher, to avoid an arranged marriage, to write her own future. When she is offered the chance to live with her older sister in Japan and continue her education, she is elated, even though it means leaving her sick mother - and her very name - behind.

Taking readers from Korea to Japan, we follow Miyoung as she faces a harsh reality in Japan, where her Korean heritage means that she's bullied and has far fewer opportunities available to her. She takes the brave choice to adopt a Japanese name and finds that more doors open to her - but at a cost.

That's because White Mulberry is a novel about identity, showing Miyoung feeling increasingly uncomfortable as she's forced to hide her Korean origins, and what that means the longer she stays in Japan.

But there's much more to this historical fiction; the writing is beautiful and sensory, bringing Miyoung's surroundings to life in such a vivid way. Her story is an emotional one - how can it not be - so be prepared to feel happy, heartbroken and frustrated as you watch her grow into a young woman who has to make very difficult decisions.

I won't forget this book for a long time, and neither will you. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Release date: 1 December 2024

Review score: 4/5

TWs: d*ath, illness, bullying, discrimination

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read White Mulberry. This was a beautiful story about a woman who faces many heartbreaking events with resiliency. This was a part of history that I know little about, I was saddened by Miyoung's plight and for each circumstance that she had to overcome.

white mulberry, a tragic yet hopeful story set in pre-ww2 korea and japan, about a young girl learning to dream and to love in a cruel, unaccepting place, and her journey of coming home. the tragedy of minyoung's life and her resilience against all odds made this book feel like a kristin hannah novel, though the writing wasn't quite as enchanting as hannah's to me.

thank you so much to netgalley, lake union, and the author for the advanced copy!

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

White Mulberry by Rosa Kwon Easton is a third person-POV historical taking place during the Japanese occupation of the Koreas in the early twentieth century. Miyoung’s older sister is arranged to marry a Korean man in Japan, foreshadowing her own future in Japan in just a few years to further her education. She meets Hojoon, a young Korean-Japanese man who is passionate about politics and the treatment of Koreans in Japan.

One thing I really appreciated was that Miyoung is North Korean and highlighting a few differences between her culture and language and those of South Koreans even before the two split into separate countries. Very often, when we talk about North Korea, we’re talking about the Korean War and the modern situation, so I liked seeing a viewpoint from before then. What makes this even more special is that Rosa Kwon Easton essentially fictionalized her grandmother’s history and tried to stay as true to her grandmother’s story as possible, which helps add the life of North Korean women forced into impossible situations in WWII to the growing stable of literature coming out of the Korean diaspora.

I loved how the book opens with Miyoung so afraid of marriage and so determined to become a teacher and how her plans changed over time but she also never loses sight of her ultimate goal which is to help others and be happy. A lot of people have that very goal but how it is shaped changes as new interests and knowledge and experiences enter their lives. Miyoung’s emotional journey feels so real and layered and we get to see her go on this journey over less than a decade as the world around her only gets more and more hostile, but she still refuses to completely give in even if she makes some concessions.

I’ve done a lot of research into WWII, particularly in the Pacific (fun fact: in Japan, it’s not called WWII, it’s called The Pacific War because that’s where they focused their attention) and this felt so incredibly well-researched. Usually, if I know a lot about a subject, I can find something that isn’t accurate but helps make for a better story, but I didn’t find that here. Churches being shut down because they felt too closely tied to Americans, distrust of Christians, Koreans carrying around cards identifying themselves in Japan but still taking Japanese names to hide in plain sight, and more all either matched research I have done, what I have heard from people who have more knowledge than I do on the subject, or in-line with what I know of the time period and setting and the history of Christianity in Japan (which, there is a long one).

Content warning for anti-Korean sentiments

I would recommend this to fans of historical fiction set in WWII in East Asia, readers looking for a book focusing on a North Korean woman during WWII, and those who are interested in the more recent history of the relationship between Japan and the Koreas

I've been watching the second season of Pachinko lately and so when I read White Mulberry, I noticed the overlap between the two. Like in Pachinko, the main character, Miyoung, leaves her mother behind in Japan-occupied Korea in order to pursue different opportunities in Japan. There, she encounters anti-Korean sentiment, but also finds community within the church. Her tenacity keeps her moving forward and I wish the book had not ended when it had because I would have liked to learn what was in store for her and her son.

I loved how Miyoung's journey is captured. Her feelings of love, sadness, longing and desperation jumped out in every page. I would definitely recommend this book to people who like to read about strong female characters.

I fully expected this book to be similar to Pachinko. But apart from being set during the Japanese occupation of Korea, and having brave female characters, these two are very distinct works. White Mulberry isn't as thrilling as Pachinko but it's much more hopeful, in my opinion.

This novel is based on the real life story of the author's grandmother. The writing is straightforward. Rosela Kwon Easton wasted no breath on unnecessary details. Despite not being an edge-of-your-seat piece, it made me curious enough to keep on reading the next chapters. I did think that apart from Miyoung, the other characters aren't fleshed out. But her resilience really stood out through the novel and it reminded me once again why I like women-centric historical fiction.

Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is a beautiful story. When I was at about the 50% point, I planned to only read for a little while. I became so engrossed in Miyoung's story that I read all the way to the end. This is the story of a Korean woman that takes place in 1930's Japan. She goes to Japan for the chance of a better life. She faces prejudice and hard times. She does become a nurse and finds love with a young activist. I loved Miyoung. Even though her life was so hard, she never gave up. I highly recommend this book!

Set in the historical backdrop of Japan's occupation of Korea and the migration of many Koreans to Japan, White Mulberry tells the story of Miyoung.

As a teenager, Miyoung is sent from a small village in Korea to Kyoto, Japan to live with her elder sister to gain an education. Life isn't smooth sailing for Miyoung. She changes her name to Miyoko - a Japanese name in order to avoid racial discrimination.

The story is told over several years. Miyoko becomes a nurse's aide, falls in love and also discovers Christianity - a religion that has to be practiced in secret. She faces many trials and hardships. I rooted for her throughout; a character so determined, fierce and resilient.

If you've read Pachinko, you can't help but compare but in her notes, the author mentions that Miyoung's character is based on her own Halmeoni, which made Miyoung's character even more inspiring. However, the ending was very abrupt and I hope that there is a sequel planned. Overall, White Mulberry is an insightful read.

White Mulberry is the story of a Korean woman who moves to Japan for a (better?) life.
The writing is easy with a definite flow that makes the reading process effortless. The characters are dealt with in an appropriate manner, not leaving much to be desired. The author pays significant attention to both Korean and Japanese cultures with due respect while also tackling issues of racism, colonialism & patriarchy. The mission statement, though very broad, delivers justice to what it set out to achieve easily. The initial budding romance sub plot was supercute as well!
The only thing this book lacked was good editing. In some places, it tends to repeat itself & drag on.
Overall, the experience with this one was actually pretty good!

This book is a beautiful story that that completely drew me in from the beginning. Miyoung’s journey from a small farming village in Korea to war-torn Japan is one that’s stayed with me long after finishing. Her dreams of becoming more than what her village expected—a teacher, someone with a future of her own—hit close to home for me. I couldn’t help but feel connected to her struggle to carve out a life that felt authentic in a world that constantly demanded she change to survive.

Watching her transform into Miyoko to fit into Japanese society was both fascinating and heartbreaking. I felt her fear of losing her true self as she embraced a new identity, and I admired her resilience. Her relationship with her older sister stood out for me too—it was touching how their bond remained strong despite the distance and the turmoil around them.

What I loved most were the small, vivid details—Miyoung’s longing for the taste of familiar Korean food and the way the author brought the culture alive through these sensory moments. There were a few repetitive parts in the writing, but it didn’t stop me from being fully invested.

I’ve found myself thinking about Miyoung often, and I hope to read the sequel to see where her journey takes her next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rosa Kwon Easton's White Mulberry is a beautifully crafted tale that intertwines themes of heritage, family, and personal growth. Set against a rich cultural backdrop, the novel follows its protagonist on a journey of self-discovery, grappling with the complexities of identity and the pull between tradition and modernity. Easton's prose is evocative and tender, bringing the characters and their struggles to life in a way that is both relatable and deeply moving. The story is as much about finding one’s place in the world as it is about the strength and resilience drawn from family ties. White Mulberry is a poignant, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page.