Publication Date: December 1, 2024
“A beautiful and deeply researched novel…If you loved Pachinko, you’ll love White Mulberry.” —Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women
Inspired by the life of Easton’s grandmother, White Mulberry is a rich, deeply moving portrait of a young Korean woman in 1930s Japan who is torn between two worlds and must reclaim her true identity to provide a future for her family.
1928, Japan-occupied Korea. Eleven-year-old Miyoung has dreams too big for her tiny farming village near Pyongyang: 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.
In Kyoto, anti-Korean sentiment is rising every day, and Miyoung quickly realizes she must pass as Japanese if she expects to survive. Her Japanese name, Miyoko, helps her find a new calling as a nurse, but as the years go by, she fears that her true self is slipping away. She seeks solace in a Korean church group and, within it, finds something she never expected: a romance with an activist that reignites her sense of purpose and gives her a cherished son.
As war looms on a new front and Miyoung feels the constraints of her adopted home tighten, she is faced with a choice that will change her life—and the lives of those she loves—forever.
A young Korean girl finds herself leaving behind her heritage and country to continue her education in Japan.
Author Rosa Kwon Easton delivers a page-turning story in White Mulberry. Set in the early years of the 20th century, the book introduces 11-year-old Miyoung, who lives with her mother and older sister on a small plot of land. Her life is one of poverty, with an arranged marriage looming.
However, Miyoung wants more out of life and must sacrifice her identity to become a Japanese girl named Miyoko. While this enables her to achieve her goals, she longs for her true identity. She finds herself forced to make gut-wrenching choices.
Her experiences unfold in an authentic fashion, inspired by the true story of the author’s Korean grandmother. Not only is the time period well presented, but the author delves into the racial challenges within the Asian community.
White Mulberry serves up a beautiful cultural tale of resilience set amid a troubled time in the world.
Rosa Kwon Easton was born in Seoul, Korea, and grew up with her extended family in Los Angeles. Easton holds a bachelor’s degree in government from Smith College, a master’s in international and public affairs from Columbia University, and a JD from Boston College Law School. She is a lawyer and an elected trustee of the Palos Verdes Library District. She is an Anaphora Writing Residency Fellow, and her work has been published in CRAFT Literary, StoryCenter.org, Writer’s Digest, and elsewhere. She has two adult children and lives with her husband and Maltipoo in sunny Southern California.
