It not only reaffirms the unbreakable ties that bind all families but also lays bare the boundaries and pitfalls of the American dream."
Mia Yun, whose first novel was hailed by "Kirkus Reviews" as a "superlative" debut, maps the relationship of twin sisters Inah and Yunah from their early childhood in South Korea to growing up in Queens, New York. At the center of "Translations of Beauty" is the terrible childhood accident that disfigured Inah for life, and the overwhelming sadness and guilt Yunah feels at having been spared. It opens with Yunah, now twenty-eight, flying out to Italy to "rescue" Inah who, in her struggle to find her way, has drifted away from her family. Thrown together again after so much time, long-ago joys and heartaches are stirred, and the twins find their relationship tested as they are forced to confront unresolved issues.
It is the account of growing up in America as immigrant children, dealing with the painful reality of Inah's disfigured face and trying to find their individual identities while negotiating their relationship with each other; of their family's struggle to stay whole as years of collective struggles and colliding dreams and values take a toll on each of them and of its effort to find dignity amid the constant jockeying for respect, acceptance, and loyalty.
Peppered throughout this darkly poignant novel are colorful, vividly drawn, ethnically and socially diverse secondary characters: Uncle Shin, the loyal family man and avariciousbusinessman; Cousin Ki-hong, a rebellious KISS fan in his youth who gloats in domestic bliss as a married man; Auntie Minnie, an irrepressible, loud, and bawdy beautician; and, finally, Uncle Wilson, Aunt Minnie's African-American husband who divorces her to marry a woman of his own race.
Thought-provoking and uncommonly honest, this story of one Korean family's heartbreaking journey in America will resonate powerfully with every reader.
