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Book Review
Book Review
Year of Impossible
goodbyes
Author-SOOK NYUL CHOI
This novel Year of Impossible Goodbyes is magnificently written
by Soon Nyul Choi. She has depicted the vivid images through this
novel during the time of freedom struggle in Korean Peninsula.
There is no doubt to say as a writer of this novel Soon Nyul Choi
has successfully drawn the dilemma of a common man in the time
of social, political and economic trifle of a country. While it is just
a war between the two opposite ideologies yet it is common man
who suffers a lot. In other words it is more appropriate to say that
the gun of two politically opposite people is shot from the
shoulder of an innocent man.
The story of this novel opens up when the World War II was at the
end. Sookan and her family members live outside of Pyongyang
where Japanese Soldiers are ruling them. Since the beginning till
almost middle of the story states the constant terror of Captain
Narita, the Japanese officer who represents the Japanese Empire
and Our Heavenly Emperor.
On the top of that they are given the Japanese name as well.
During this period no one could speak in Korean in public places
and if they dare to do so they were punished even a child too.
The last third of the book chronicles how the family faces the
decisions about whether or not to try to flee. The resolution gives
a solid account of what happens to every character, a decision by
the author that would endear her to middle school students who
are not fond of ambiguous endings.
Thanks!