"Drifting House", a debut book of short stories by Krys Lee
This new book of short stories is really a stunning and emotional read. While praised by a Pulitzer Prize winner, a National Book award finalist, and other notable writers on the back cover, the most queroluously strange comment precedes the neophyte Krys Lee's remarkably short biography. It compares this book to those of Chang-rae Lee and Jhumba Lahiri.
There is no comparison. This book is completely different. Chang-rae Lee's Korean characters are adjusting to America, often with some considerable success. Jhumba Lahiri's characters are so familiar as I have worked with many Indian nationals in financial services, one woman worked for me for over five years, and there are two Indian restaurants, one out here on Long Island and one at Lex and 27th in Manhattan where I am almost treated like family when I show up. The stories of Lee and Lahiri are glorious in their own way but they are not completely foreign.
Krys Lee's characters and stories are completely foreign. The writing is fluid and simple in the right way. The stories are about escapees from North Korea or families in South Korea after the Korean war that had relatives in North Korea and were treated as second class citizens under a U.S. sponsored dictatorship in South Korea at the time. Were it not for the gentle and agile writing, these stories would be too depressing to read.
As the short stories develop, there is always hope in the picture. Endings to many of the stories offer no conclusion and leave it to the reader to contemplate. Children are often the most astute observers of events as adults struggle to adapt, often unsuccessfully. Awful sacrifices are made. Some shared shreds of help are there as well.
Calling this book enjoyable may seem cynical, but it was. I have never knowingly had any experience with Koreans who have been through the cycle of events that these stories highlight. This is not "M*a* s*h" These stories feel real but necessary.
They are also not so distant from the dislocation going on in our own country and others today. The stress of financial difficulties, second class status or worse, domestic violence, and raising children in a hostile environment has unfortunately achieved a universal reality for many. There is more to this book than just a recanting of the tragedy of Korea in the 50's and even in North Korea today.
There is no comparison. This book is completely different. Chang-rae Lee's Korean characters are adjusting to America, often with some considerable success. Jhumba Lahiri's characters are so familiar as I have worked with many Indian nationals in financial services, one woman worked for me for over five years, and there are two Indian restaurants, one out here on Long Island and one at Lex and 27th in Manhattan where I am almost treated like family when I show up. The stories of Lee and Lahiri are glorious in their own way but they are not completely foreign.
Krys Lee's characters and stories are completely foreign. The writing is fluid and simple in the right way. The stories are about escapees from North Korea or families in South Korea after the Korean war that had relatives in North Korea and were treated as second class citizens under a U.S. sponsored dictatorship in South Korea at the time. Were it not for the gentle and agile writing, these stories would be too depressing to read.
As the short stories develop, there is always hope in the picture. Endings to many of the stories offer no conclusion and leave it to the reader to contemplate. Children are often the most astute observers of events as adults struggle to adapt, often unsuccessfully. Awful sacrifices are made. Some shared shreds of help are there as well.
Calling this book enjoyable may seem cynical, but it was. I have never knowingly had any experience with Koreans who have been through the cycle of events that these stories highlight. This is not "M*a* s*h" These stories feel real but necessary.
They are also not so distant from the dislocation going on in our own country and others today. The stress of financial difficulties, second class status or worse, domestic violence, and raising children in a hostile environment has unfortunately achieved a universal reality for many. There is more to this book than just a recanting of the tragedy of Korea in the 50's and even in North Korea today.
posted by John Borden at 8:59 PM
3 Comments:
Thanks for the recommendation!
Definitely unusual stuff.
Pristine writing - shows what a new writer can do - an example for a person close to me.
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