RaveHistorical Novel Society... [a] beautiful book ... The writing has a dreamlike quality that immerses the reader in a fascinating world ... Not only is this a gorgeously written story, but Kim also gives us insight into a historical period with which many Westerners will be unfamiliar. The casual cruelty of the Japanese military, as they allow the Korean peasants to starve, and the indifference of the Americans and Europeans to their plight, provide a justifiable rationale for some Koreans, including JungHo, to turn to communism and the Soviet Union for help in achieving justice. The tiger—an elusive, majestic creature—is a fitting symbol for these courageous people as they face their doom.
Anne Sebba
RaveThe Historical Novel Society... gripping ... While there is no longer any doubt as to whether Julius Rosenberg gave U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union, Sebba makes a powerful case for Ethel’s relative innocence ... Although the subject matter is often complex, Sebba’s accessible style of writing enables the reader to grasp how two intelligent, good-hearted people could make decisions that led to their downfall. She also unequivocally exposes the malfeasance of the U.S. government with malevolent mischief-makers like Joseph McCarthy and Roy Cohn riding roughshod over the rights of American citizens. This superbly written facet of history is both outrageous and heartbreaking, and in the end, oddly uplifting.
Amy Stewart
RaveHistorical Novel SocietyEpistolary novels, perfected in an earlier century, can be daunting...But in Amy Stewart’s capable hands, the letter writers—three Kopp sisters and a nurse named Aggie—engage us so thoroughly and the real-time events are so compelling that the form works beautifully here ... One can’t help but root for these intrepid women and their birds as they do their part in the Great War. The historical revelations, especially, make for fascinating reading. I could barely wait to read the historical note at the end. Although this is the sixth book in the series, it’s the first one I’ve read. It won’t be the last.
