Year Of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi

Year Of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi is a compelling book written in a style which truly conveys the feelings of the author and the main character. This novel is set in World War II, in North Korea, around Pyongyang. The main character and her family lives in a fairly small house, which is near a sock factory, which makes socks and other clothing for the Japanese soldiers who are fighting the "White Devils". Korea has been taken over by the Japanese and Sookan's (the main character) mother must get by by making socks. Their house has a large pine tree, under which Sookan's grandfather often meditates. They live in small village. Later, the setting changes to a settlement south of Pyongyang, when Sookan's family tries to escape to South Korea.

The main character of this book is a girl named Sookan. She lives with her mother, her seven-year-old brother, Inchun, and her grandfather, who later dies in the book. Sookan's father and three older brothers are in Manchuria, and are part of the resisitance against the Japanese. She deeply loves and respects her mother and grandfather and greives deeply when her grandfather dies. She also hates the Japanese and later, the Communist Russians. She is strong minded and is willing to take charge as she must do when she is seperated from her mother and has to care for her brother. She changes greatly throughout the novel, beginning as a little dull and clueless, to brave and fearless.

The author writes in first person, focusing on the character's feelings and occasionally filling us in on the outside world. It is also very descriptive. The style is serious and sophisticated. The author also uses few long words,preferring to use simpler words to paint a picture. She is so good at this that it appears that you are really there. Sook Nyul Choi also describes the character's feelings extremely well.

The story starts out with Japan occupied Korea, where Officer Narita is harassing Sookan and her family. Later, the story moves on to when Sookan's grandfather dies. Then, Sookan has to go to a Japanese school and is punished when she speaks Korean. Next, the war ends and all Korea rejoices. The Korean flag is flown, and everyone feasts. However, the Russians come in and bring Communism to Korea. In addition, South Korea is occupied by the Americans. First Sookan's family is oppressed by the Japanese and is now oppressed by the Russians. They hate the Russians and formulate a plan to cross the North Korea/South Korea border. The rest of the story is about how Sookan and her brother get seperated from their mother and manage to get to North Korea.

The theme of this book is that the love you have for family can outlast even the hardest times. Sookan loves her mom and stays strong throughout the whole ordeal of getting to South Korea, just becauseof her love for her mom and brother. Instances of this are portrated multiple times throughout the book.