May 31, 2024
Koh's multifaceted fiction debut (following her memoir, The Magical Language of Others) centers on a young South Korean couple who emigrate to California in the 1980s. Although the novel is relatively short, the audiobook's ensemble of narrators, including Janet Song, Intae Kim, Greta Jung, and Raymond J. Lee, allows listeners to connect deeply with each of the characters. Each of the voice actors isn't necessarily tied to a particular character--as there are many--but to a generation. The story is not told linearly but bounces from country to country and event to event before returning to its central characters. The use of multiple narrators connects history to personal plot points, enhancing Koh's exploration of the characters' interconnected experiences. The narrators' joined voices mirror Koh's often beautiful prose, even when characters are experiencing terrible pain and shared traumas, including Korea's division into north and south and the MV Sewol ferry disaster, as well as individual pains like the loss of a father, a homeland, and trust. VERDICT Though clocking in at just over five hours, Koh's lyrical debut brims with insight and observation.--Matthew Galloway
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