All I can say is WOW!
This is an emotional story following three generations of Korean women - a story filled with trauma, grief and compassion.
I thought it was beautifully written, moving from the past in 1980s to 2008 and capturing a very complicated time in Korean history. I thought the characters were written well and I liked being able to feel the emotion from each one of them - even those characters who only had a minor role.
I was hooked from the start and had to fight back tears at some points! I'm so glad I had the chance to read it.

Thank you Random House UK, Vintage & NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Minbak by Ela Lee is a moving multigenerational novel about family, displacement, and the weight of unspoken history. Set between South Korea in the 1980s and London decades later, it follows three generations of women whose lives are shaped by political upheaval, migration, and difficult choices. I found the novel emotionally resonant and grounded, with a strong sense of place and a thoughtful exploration of how personal and national histories intertwine.

This a beautiful multi-generational story of grief and displacement, compassion and forgiveness. I have purchased Ela Lee’s earlier book, ‘Jaded’, last year and haven’t managed to read that, but as soon as I finished her second book, I knew I would love to read that one straightaway.

The plot moves back and forth between Incheon, South Korea in 1985 and London in 2008. The main character is Hana, a South Korean woman living in London, who finds her life drastically changed upon the sudden passing of her husband, Tim. With piling debts, a teenage daughter Ada and an ailing mother Youngja, she is forced to find ways to make a living, so she converts their family home into a ‘minbak’ — a guesthouse hosting temporary housing to travellers. It’s slowly revealed that her mother Youngja used to run a similar minbak in Incheon, where Hana experienced some great losses.

I love the author’s ability to write across about different time and cross continents seamlessly, and I love the deep characterisation and stunning prose. I kept on thinking what the book is really about - at the core of it, it feels like it’s a book about choices, memory, and ultimately, love.

“…Home wasn’t a place. It was your people. It was where your spirit was last whole. It was the locus that lay central to everything. From which you came and to which you returned.”

I think it’ll stay with me for a while.