Can't I go instead
Two women's lives and identities are intertwined-through World War II and the Korean War--revealing the harsh realities of class division in the early part of the 20th century. Can't I Go Instead follows the lives of the daughter of a Korean nobleman and her maidservant in the early 20th century. When the daughter's suitor is arrested as a Korean Independence activist, and she is implicated during the investigation, she is quickly forced into marriage to one of her father's Japanese employees and shipped off to the United States. At the same time, her maidservant is sent in her mistress's place to be a comfort woman to the Japanese Imperial army. Years of hardship, survival, and even happiness follows. In the aftermath of WWII, the women make their way home, where they must reckon with the tangled lives they've led, in an attempt to reclaim their identities, and find their place in an independent Korea
Available Copies by Location
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Community Centre | Available |
Browse Related Items
| Subject |
| Women > Korea > Fiction. Household employees > Fiction. Nobility > Korea > Fiction. |
| Genre |
| Historical fiction. |
- ISBN: 9781250859556
- Physical Description 369 pages ; 22 cm
- Edition First edition.
- Publisher [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 2023.
Content descriptions
| Language Note: | Translated from the Korean. |
Additional Information
BookList Review
Can't I Go Instead
Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Lee's latest (after The Picture Bride, 2022) is a moving tale of two women whose futures entwine during World War II and the Korean War. Chaeryeong grows up the privileged daughter of a Viscount, while Sunam is bought as a maidservant for Chaeryeong. As a young woman, Chaeryeong finds herself connected to a Korean independent activist and is sentenced to a term with the Japanese army. Having similar looks, the girls trade places and Chaeryeong is sent off to marriage in the United States while Sunam is sent to be a comfort woman for the Japanese army. Chaeryeong learns to live a poor life with little happiness, while Sunam escapes the Japanese army and uses her identity as Chaeryeong to gain an impressive education. Both women suffer through obstacles and find love, only to find tragedy when they finally return home. War has ravaged their Korean family and home, and they must lead their lives as the real Chaeryeong and Sunam once again. Compelling and inspiring, this story speaks of resilience and determination to make the best out of the situation one has been dealt
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