Customer Reviews

Forever Alien: A Korean Memoir, 1930-1951

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is her personal story about life as a young Korean girl growing up in Japan,the struggle for survival in Korea (during WWII & the Korean War), and how she ultimately came to America.

Forever Alien is stunning in its straightforward storytelling. It's matter-of-fact - there's not alot of flowery language to soften the story or distract the reader. This is a "less is more" memoir. You will not get the "warm fuzzies" reading this book or need a box of tissues sitting by while you read and weep. Sunny's story hits beyond the gut level, beyond tears. It doesn't overwhelm the reader with emotional angst, like "Angela's Ashes". Rather, it unexpectedly hits you with overlapping events and tragedies, told with uncommon bluntness. Her description of events is so simplistic, almost cold and clinical, yet that's exactly what makes this such a beautiful book. That very brevity and detachment leaves room for the readers to "feel" for themselves.

Helpful tip: read it slowly - Forever Alien is not a book to be devoured in one sitting.