'Lee Geum-yi has a gift for taking little-known embers of history and transforming them into moving, compelling, and uplifting stories. I loved Willow from the first page to the last. Loved her courage, and her tenacious, yet caring, beautiful soul. The Picture Bride is the ultimate story of the power of friendship - a must read!'
-- Heather Morris, #1 New York Times bestselling author of
The Tattooist of Auschwitz and
Three Sisters'It's a compelling story and Lee Geum-yi movingly describes the women's journeys.'
-- Eithne Farry * Daily Mail *
'A transporting and immersive story that will enthral historical fiction readers. Poignant and moving, its unforgettable characters will stay with you long after you've finished reading.'
-- Chanel Cleeton,
New York Times bestselling author of
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba'A fascinating journey into the world of Korean picture brides whose lives take unexpected turns as they land on distant shores. A beautiful testimony to those women bold and determined enough to leave behind all that was familiar, seeking a better life.'
-- Lisa Wingate, #1
New York Times bestselling author of
Before We Were Yours and
The Book of Lost Friends'The stories of these women's lives in Hawai'i and the sugar industry there becomes, in Lee's skilled hands, a vehicle for a narrative about the Korean struggle for independence from Japan and how it was refracted through the diaspora.'
* Asian Review of Books *
'This novel honours those powerful Korean women, who took a chance on a new life in a distant land ... Told in gentle, empathetic prose that sheds new light into a neglected corner of American history, The Picture Bride is an immigrant story, but it is moreover a love story.'
* Asymptote Journal *
'Heartfelt, beautiful, and immersive, The Picture Bride is a fascinating historical fiction book.'
* The Register-Herald *
'An engaging picture of a time and a place.'
* Publishers Weekly *
'Written with great historical detail about Korean immigrants in Hawai'i, Geum-yi's beautiful novel weaves an extraordinary tale.'
* Booklist *
'This work of historical fiction is Korean novelist Lee's first book to be translated into English ... Historical fiction buffs and readers interested in little-known history will enjoy.'
* Library Journal *
'This moving novel takes readers into the world of Korean picture brides ... [A] total must-read.'
* Katie Couric Media *
'The Picture Bride is an accessible and moving read, no matter your prior knowledge of Korean culture or history in the early 20th century. ... Though their tale is marred by hardship, [it] is ultimately an inspirational story that celebrates the enduring bonds of female friendship.'
* Better Reading *
'An impeccably written piece of historical fiction, The Picture Bride presents an exquisite portrait of womanhood and the bonds of friendship and family.'
-- Alastair Mabbott * The Herald *
'The Picture Bride shines ... illuminating crucial but obscure events along Korea's turbulent path to nationhood.'
-- Cameron Woodhead * The Sydney Morning Herald *
