White Mulberry is the debut novel of Rosa Kwon Easton. It tells the story of Miyoung, a young Korean woman born in the 1920’s who lived under Japanese occupation. Starting when she was a child it covers her move to adulthood and the challenges she faces in doing so. At the same time it also covers her challenges in the form of being a woman in Korea and later in Japan and the discrimination the Koreans often faced from the Japanese. Discrimination that was so fierce many tried to hide and pretend they were Japanese instead. Along with that Miyoung was also a Christian convert at a time when being Christian was frowned upon, at best. At each crossroads or challenge Miyoung faces she has to decide what is best for her both physically and mentally. She also faces the torn loyalties of being true to herself and her Korean heritage while trying to stay safe and working in a place where being Korean is enough to get hate and discrimination piled on her.
This story, while technically historical fiction, is loosely based on the true story of the author’s grandmother. Reading what Miyoung and people like her went through was illuminating as I honestly hadn’t thought too much about that aspect of the time period. I have studied the Second World War in great detail, both fronts actually, but I hadn’t thought about the reality of living on the eastern front both prior to and during the war. Especially for those who were originally from there. Because of this extreme difference in circumstance I had difficulty relating to much of what Miyoung went through, until I realized something as I was finishing up the novel. Miyoung may have lived in a difficult and harsh environment where she felt like she had to hide who she was if she wanted to be able to survive. The specifics may have been relatively unique to her and her generation in Korea but the general environment is something that more people are familiar with than they think. My family is a proud part of the pride community and most of us fly under different flags. As such at different times in our lives we have felt like we had to hide who we were in order to survive, either mentally, physically or both. That is such a universal challenge that people face that this allowed me to identify with Miyoung anyway despite the superficial differences. It was this ability to connect with Miyoung and empathize with what she was going through that really allowed me to enjoy the book. Seeing what Miyoung, and countless others, went through at a time that was obviously difficult for most people who were involved was moving. This book was as moving as any of a number of books about similar events of the western front during the same war. I give this book four out of five stars.
Yes, I would definitely recommend this book to others. I know it has only just come out as I received my copy as a prime early reading pick from Amazon but it is well worth the read. In all honesty, I may not have come across this on my own if it wasn’t for my prime benefits giving me an early copy but I am glad that I did find it. This is obviously historical fiction, and while not necessarily a true story, I do think it would appeal to anybody interested in history. Especially those interested in WWII history or Asian history. If anyone wants a more complete picture of what the Eastern Front was like before and during the war this is something to consider reading. It provides more nuance to the events that occurred by painting a more human picture. Instead of it being abstract it is more concrete. We don’t just have numbers and statistics and facts, we have a complete story told from the perspective of someone who actually lived through it. Even if you are not interested in history or historical fiction this book is definitely something I would recommend you try reading. It is a fast book that won’t take very long to read but is definitely worth it. If you happen to read this let me know what you think. Reading this also got me more than a little intrigued about the time period and events it covered so if you happen to know any similar books, I would love recommendations for something else to read. Let me know your thoughts in the comments and I look forward to hearing them.