Title: The Calligrapher’s Daughter
Author: Eugenia Kim
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Publication Date: March 30, 2010
Paperback: 416 pages
ISBN: 978-0805092264
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction

From the Publisher:

In early-twentieth-century Korea, Najin Han, the privileged daughter of a calligrapher, longs to choose her own destiny, though her country—newly occupied by Japan—is crumbling, and her family, led by her stern father, is facing difficulties that seem insurmountable. Narrowly escaping an arranged marriage, Najin takes up a new role as a companion to a young princess. But the king is soon assassinated, and the centuries-old dynastic culture comes to its end.

Najin pursues a coveted education and is surprised to find love. After one day of marriage a denied passport separates her from her new husband, who continues alone to America. As a decade passes and the world descends into war, Najin loses touch with her husband. Will the love they share be enough to sustain her through the deprivation her country continues to endure? The Calligrapher’s Daughter is a richly drawn novel about a nation torn between ancient customs and modern possibilities, and is a “vivid, heartfelt portrait of faith, love and life for one family during a pivotal time in history” (Bookpage).

My Review:

The Calligrapher’s Daughter by Eugenia Kim is a beautiful tale told primarily by Najin Han, however several sections are told through her father Han, the calligrapher as well as through her mother. The story begins in 1915 when at age of five, Najin learns she was not given a name. Her mother was referred to as “the woman from Nah-jin” and a missionary thought Najin would be a beautiful name and thus she became known as Najin Han. The story takes the reader through the tumultuous times of Korea fighting for its own identity while under Japanese influence as well a lot of missionaries, both of which are prominent in the novel and Najin’s life. Kim weaves together a beautiful tale broken down into smaller sections of time, a certain year or several years that prove important to the story. Each section is a self-contained short story but smoothly transforms into a fascinating story of a young Korean girl coming of age, of family, traditions both old and new, and the struggle of identity and faith. Kim is quite descriptive in her writing allowing the reader a glimpse into the first half of the 20th century in Korea. Beautiful prose accompanies well-developed characters and the reader would be hard pressed to not find Najin a charming character. The Calligrapher’s Daughter was Kim’s debut novel and proves to be a brilliant debut; I am looking forward to reading more of her works. I highly recommend The Calligrapher’s Daughter to all readers and think this would make a wonderful discussion group choice.

About the Author:

Eugenia Kim, an MFA graduate of Bennington College, has published short stories and essays in journals and anthologies, including Echoes Upon Echoes: New Korean American Writings. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and son. The Calligrapher’s Daughter is her first novel.

I received a complimentary copy of The Calligrapher’s Daughter by Eugenia Kim from HarperPerennial to review. Receiving a copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.