A Gift of the Emperor

By Therese Park

Book Overview

A Gift of the Emperor is the poignant fictional account of real-life atrocities inflicted upon more than 200,000 Asian women by the Japanese military during World War II. This haunting story is narrated by Soon-ah, a Korean schoolgirl whose life is shattered when Emperor Hirohito's soldiers abduct her from her village and ship her and her schoolmates to a "house of relaxation" in the South Pacific. Here, on an island with surreal beauty, Soon-ah is forced into prostitution as a "comfort woman" to the Japanese military. This scorching account of one woman's endurance of sexual degradation and the unspeakable horror of war provides compelling testimony to the strength of the human spirit, the power of love over hate, and the ultimate triumph of hope over despair.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1504036247
• ISBN13: 9781504036245
• Release Date: August 2016
• Publisher: Open Road Distribution
• Length: 250 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Compelling Description of Man's Inhumanity to Man

As a woman and an avid student of Asian culture and history, the tragedy of Korea's so-called Comfort Women of WWII is a subject about which I read everything I possibly can.Therese Park did an outstanding job of compiling the stories of many of these sad souls into a novel which, I believe, accurately depicts the conditions under which these women were forced to live.I have lived in Korea for 10 years. I have read some documentary-type information about the later lives of the surviving Comfort Women. This novel would have been even better if the author had included some of the types of experiences the Comfort Women faced upon return to their Homeland.I highly recommend this novel for those who desire to read fiction based strongly on historical fact.

Strong, vivid account of war atrocities

I read "A Gift for the Emporer" in one sitting last night. I couldn't put it down! Compelling storyline and an authentic narrative voice! I found the main character of Soon-ah to be quite real and three-dimensional. The graphic and horrifying descriptions of what the Korean "comfort women" endured is a testimony and reminder of the horrors of war. Yet, there were several poignant scenes that made me hope Soon-ah would survive. I've read a number of novels inspired by the "comfort woman" history (Nora Okja Keller's "Comfort Woman" and Chang-rae Lee's "A Gesture Life"). Although those books contain lyrical and beautiful prose, I find that "A Gift of the Emporer" is the only novel that truly shows in great detail what atrocities these women suffered, and the strength and grace they showed in the face of the enemy. I enjoy literary fiction and beautiful poetic prose, but I think Ms. Park's clean and clear language, along with her ability to blend historical fact with fiction, makes "A Gift of the Emporer" one of the better fiction books on this topic. I highly recommend this book, especially for students. I also met Therese Park when she was on a book tour in California, and was very impressed with her passion and dedication towards creating more awareness for victims and survivors of war crimes. She is a gifted writer who shows great promise. I look forward to her next book.

An excellent debut!

This is apparently Therese Park's initial foray into writing, and this first attempt is very satisfying. Soon-ah, the book's protagonist, is presented with warmth, tenderness, and with a passion that is very tangible, but that never actually descends into being overly melo-dramatic. The horrors of Soon-ah's captivity as a "comfort woman" by the Japanese are graphically described, not for the sake of gratuitousness, but to allow the reader to understand the circumstances. This is a moving fictional account of the horrible reality of war.

Horrifying account of a little-known wartime atrocity.

I couldn't stop crying as I read this book. The voices of its main character Soon-ah and of comfort women everywhere demand to be heard at last. Ms. Park has a unique style of writing and I look forward to reading her future works.

Excellent fictional account of real-life atrocities

Therese Park writes a gripping fictional account of real-life atrocities inflicted upon 200,000 Asian women (mostly Korean) during World War II. The novel tells the story of Soon-ah, a young Korean virgin, kidnapped from her village and forced into prostitution as a "comfort woman" to Japanese soldiers in a military brothel. This searing account of one woman's endurance of perhaps the most appalling horror of war -- the callous brutality with which human beings can treat one another -- provides compelling testimony to the strength of the human spirit, the power of love over hate, and the ultimate triumph of hope over despair. This book is especially recommended for college professors interested in teaching the impact of war upon non-combatants, especially women -- an especially topical issue.