The Shock of the Light

Tessa and Theo are twins and thus have always experienced a close relationship. They live in Cambridge, England, but as their mother is French the twins, especially Tessa, have learned to speak French and have visited that country. Their father is a professor at the university. When the twins complete their secondary education the plan is that they should both study at Cambridge. Although the university accepts female students they are not entitled to graduate with a degree so Tessa decides to go to France and study for a degree at the Sorbonne. This is the first time that their lives take separate paths.

While in Paris Tessa becomes friends with an artist named Luc. Then something happens to break that friendship which Luc does not understand. Tessa returns home. When war breaks out Theo enlists in the RAF. Tessa has a secretarial job but is then told to go for an interview allowing her to help in the war effort. Her family is not to be told what she is doing.

After training Tessa ends up working for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and is parachuted into France to assist members of the Resistance and to report  secret messages back to London. It soon become obvious that someone is attempting to sabotage the mission.

The first part of The Shock of the Light by Lori Inglis Hall is Tessa's story. Part two is told from Theo's perspective. Part three is set in London in 2003 where a PhD student, Edie is writing a thesis on the SOE and she makes contact with Theo to find out what happened to Tessa. Edie also wants to know why Tessa's story was never made public.

This novel provides a study of the women who worked in the SOE but also examines the effect of war on members of families, especially when a family member disappears without a trace. This book provides a compassionate study of the effects of war on families, especially when they are attempting, without success, to discover what happened to their loved ones.

The Secret Society of Librarians

After completing their library studies in 1936, Jo, Joyce, Grace, Beth, Evelyn, Clara, Annie and Dorotha decided to form the Secret Society of Librarians (SSL) and produce a newsletter Libertatem per Lectio.  Most of the women worked in libraries in various parts of England while Dorotha returned to her home country, Poland. Then in 1939 Hitler's army invaded Poland and England was at war with Germany. The last that the SSL hear from Dorotha is a letter Joyce receives requesting that the SSL assist Adela, her young sister, when she escapes Poland to travel to England. Adela initially works with a family that has left London for a house in the country.

The Secret Society of Librarians by Kate Thompson tells the story of life in England during the Blitz and in a Jewish ghetto in occupied Poland through the eyes of Joyce in London and Dorotha in Poland. Members of the Secret Society of Librarians resolve that if people cannot come to their libraries then the role of the librarians is to get the books to the people. Many of the libraries are bombed along with homes, shops and factories. However the women strive, when possible, to make reading material available to those who need to read books as a distraction from the devastation occurring around them.

In some cases parts of libraries can still be used but library staff carry books to people who cannot visit a library. Joyce makes it her mission to establish a mobile library. Libraries are also established in underground shelters. Library staff also conduct reading sessions for young children.

The story is revealed via Joyce's life in London during the Blitz and Dorotha's struggle for survival in Poland, especially when family members disappear. In London Joyce takes responsibility for looking after Adela who helps her with the library projects. When the war ends the SSL hear no news from Dorotha.

Once again Kate Thompson has written an important account of the effects of war on ordinary people and the resilience of people in their attempts to survive. The novel is also about the importance of books and reading in the lives of ordinary people, particularly in times of stress, and how libraries and librarians are an important part of communities.

At the end of the novel the author includes extensive historical notes relevant to events in the story plus excerpts of oral histories from people who experienced the Blitz in London. 

Son of Nobody

When Canadian scholar, Harlow Donne, has the opportunity to continue his studies at Oxford University he grabs the chance though it means leaving his wife and eight year old daughter, Helen, at home in Canada. When carrying out his research in the library he discovers an excerpt from an Ancient Greek manuscript which appears to be part of an account of the Trojan Wars that differs from Homer's account in The Odyssey and The Iliad. This account appears to be provided from the viewpoint of an ordinary soldier -  Psoas, Son of Nobody. Donne spends the rest of his time in England looking for other clues in order to investigate this alternative version of the story.

 In Son of Nobody, Yann Martel has structured his novel so that the excerpts of the story that Donne discovers are gradually revealed to the reader on the top of some of the pages of the book. A horizontal line divides each page and, in the section below the line, Donne adds footnotes providing explanations and additional information to some of the content. Notes in this section also reveal the deteriorating relationship between Donne and his wife as well as his relationship with his daughter to whom he dedicates the Greek poem he is discovering.

Son of Nobody is a story of parallels illustrating the effects of separation due to war and work plus family relationships as Donne investigates a new telling of a mythical world.

Some reviews: 

Son of Nobody (review) - The Guardian  (20 April 2026)

Ancient texts and marital breakdown: Yann Martel's Son of Nobody descends into implausibility (review) - The Conversation 

 Son of Nobody (review) - Open Letters Review

Two Islands

Niko and his family experienced many horrific experiences during the Balkan wars including the death of his father. His mother approached the Australian Embassy in Zagreb hoping to gain approval for the family to move to Australia. Shortly afterwards Niko was approached to see if he was prepared to tell his story as war crimes were being investigated. This led to Niko meeting Anita, an Australian working for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. As Niko was prepared to identify in court one of the Serbian leaders he was granted protection and moved to England until the trial. Then he disappeared.

On the west coast of Scotland are many islands including two small isolated islands, Skarnsey and Thorkil's Isle, and it is to these islands that Niko fled to try and find safety. Niko is not the only damaged soul seeking refuge on the islands. Fergus had served in the British army in Ireland as well as in a peacekeeping regiment in the former Yugoslavia. Incidents that he witnessed continue to torment him. Ronnie returned to the islands after service in the Second World War and well understands the traumas affecting the new arrivals.

Two Islands by Ian Kemish is a work of historical fiction that, as well as providing information about recent conflicts in the twentieth century, examines the long-term trauma of those involved in such conflicts. The novel contains the stories of Anita who is searching for Niko, Niko himself, Fergus and Ronnie. This is a story of relationships as the villagers come to understand the strangers who have arrived on their shores. Everyone has a past but everyone should also have a future. It is therefore also a story of hope.

Two Islands is definitely one of the best books that I have read so far this year.

Balkans war: a brief guide - BBC 

The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, published in 2003, is the story of a young boy, Amir, the son of a wealthy Pashtun family in Kabul, Afghanistan, and his close friend, Hassan, the son of his father's servant. Coming from different backgrounds, the two boys to some extent experience different lives but still enjoy the opportunity to spend time together. The highlight of each year is the annual kite running competition. But Afghanistan is about to enter turbulent times and the lives of the boys are to drastically change.

The Kite Runner is a story about friendship, betrayal, attempting to seek forgiveness, father-son relationships, seeking truth, trust as well as an account of the lives of those living in Afghanistan during a series of revolutions. Amir and his father went to live in America but, after his father's death, Amir received communication from a family friend asking him to visit him in Pakistan where he was now living. This visit led Amir to return to Afghanistan to try and right a mistake from his past.

Having read this book immediately after reading Ian McEwan's book, Atonement,  I noticed similar themes where a mistake made by young people results in the perpetrators experiencing feelings of guilt throughout their life and the need to atone for their past behaviour. 

This is not necessarily an easy book to read but I found that I was compelled to keep reading to the end of the book.

Timeline: Afghanistan's turbulent history - ABC  

Burial Rites

 

Last year I read the memoir of Hannah Kent, Always Home, Always Homesick, in which she mentions visiting the location where her novel Burial Rites was set. Burial Rites is a novel of historical fiction about Agnes Magnúsdóttir, who with two others was accused of murdering two men. Agnes was executed on 12 January 1830 for her alleged part in the crime.

 

In Burial Rites by Hannah Kent we first meet Agnes when she is in prison awaiting her execution. To say that she is being mistreated in prison would be an understatement. Then one day she is taken from prison to a farm where she is to spend the rest of her life. The farm is a property where she once lived as a young child. Most of the family is not welcoming to the new arrival. 

 

A minister is sent to prepare Agnes for her impending death but it is sometime before she feels that she can begin to confide in him. Eventually the reader learns about Agnes' early life as well as the events that led to the murder of her employer. We gradually come to know more about Agnes as a person.

 

This novel of historical fiction is based on historical records relating to the crime plus life in Iceland at the time. This first novel by Hannah Kent won a number of awards in 2014 including the Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian Novelist, ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year, Indie Awards Debut Fiction Book of the Year, Victorian Premier's People's Choice Award, Booksellers Association Booksellers Choice Award and shortlisted for a number of other prizes.

Ghost Stories on the Trail of Agnes Magnúsdóttir - Stuck in Iceland 

Agnes Magnúsdóttir - Find a Grave

The Place of the Last Execution in Iceland - Total Iceland

True Story of the Kelly Gang

Peter Carey, the author of True Story of the Kelly Gang, once remarked that anyone who puts the word 'true' in a work of fiction is indicating that this is definitely not a true story. In this work of historical fiction the Australian bushranger, Ned Kelly, writes an account of his life to his young daughter. It is the story of his family - an Irish Catholic family - living in country Victoria in the nineteenth century. The struggling family is under surveillance by the local police with family members often in gaol. Eventually some family members, including Ned Kelly, turn to bushranging.

Ned Kelly and his gang have become part of the folklore of Australia. There have been many books, television series and films based on the life of Ned Kelly. Peter Carey tells this version of the story from Ned's viewpoint while he is in prison in Melbourne. There are conflicting views about the life of Ned Kelly - a person struggling to survive in an antagonistic environment or a criminal.

True Story of the Kelly Gang, published in 2000, won many awards including the Booker Prize (2001), Commonwealth Writers Prize (2001) two awards, Courier Mail Book of the Year (2001), The Age Book of the Year (2001) two awards,Queensland Premier's Literary Awards (2001) fiction award, Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Vance Palmer Award for Fiction (2001), Festival Awards for Literature (SA), The Premier's Award (2002) two awards, One Book One, Brisbane (2002) winner, Centre for Australian Cultural Studies Award (2000) winner, Colin Roderick Award Best Australian Book (2000) winner, Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger (France) (2003) winner, Booksellers Choice Award (2000) shortlisted, Miles Franklin Award (2001) shortlisted, International Dublin Literary Award (2002) shortlisted.

True History of the Kelly Gang - ANZ LitLovers 

True History of the Kelly Gang - The Guardian 

Question 7

In Question 7 Richard Flanagan weaves biography, history, memoir and historical fiction in one book. Some of the topics covered include the experiences of the author's father as a prisoner of war in Japan, Leo Szilard and the bombing of Hiroshima, relationship between H G Wells and Rebecca West, a look at the little known futuristic books by H G Wells including one on an atomic bomb, treatment of Indigenous peoples in Tasmania, rivers and near death experiences - snippets of his family story and observations on world events and life are all interwoven in one short book.

The title of the book, Question 7, is based on a question asked by Anton Chekhov in his story, Questions Posed by a Mad Mathematician.

This title was one of the books considered for possible discussion by the Monash Alumni Book Club in March 2026. 

Richard Flanagan Question 7 - Whispering Gums March 2024

Question 7 - ANZ LitLovers Lit Blog January 2024

Question 7 review - The Guardian November 2023

The atomic bomb and a near death experience ... - The Conversation November 2023

A Gentleman in Moscow

It is 1922 and Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest at the Hotel Metropol where he lives. However instead of returning to his large apartment he is relegated to a small room on the sixth floor. For the next thirty plus years the Count readjusts his life to the changing circumstances, not just personal changes but also evolving changes in Russian politics.

In A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles we observe the Count's interaction with the hotel staff and some of the guests. As the hotel is opposite the Kremlin we also encounter through hearsay, if not in person, some of the movers and shakers of the time. But it is the Count's observations about life in Russia that hold our attention. The Count also forms special friendships with other guests and staff, particularly nine year old Nina who becomes a special friend. 

Amor Towles, in this work of historical fiction, has created a memorial character in the Count as he adjusts to the many changes occurring in Russia during the first half of the twentieth century. In 2026 the book was made into a television series.

The House of Wolf

The House of Wolf by Tony Robinson is the first volume in a trilogy about events in the life of Alfred the Great who was king of the West Saxons from 871 to 886 and then king of the Anglo Saxons from 886 to 899. This is a work of historical fiction loosely based on a biography, The Life of King Alfred written in 893 by Asser, a Welsh monk. Throughout the novel chapters alternate with an account of life in Wessex, events occurring in Rome and Viking invasions of England. In this volume the story begins in 857.

King Aethelwolf (Aethelwulf) ruled Wessex but it was a divided country. His power in the kingdom was challenged by most of his children, Aethelbard (Bear), Aethelberht (Hawk), Aethelswith (Swift), Aethelred (Red), and Aethelfraud (Alfred) who was exiled from his family and spending time in Rome. There was also an older son who is not mentioned in the book. Vikings made occasional invasions along the coast and Aethelwulf travelled to Rome to obtain military assistance in defending his territory. However authority in Rome, particularly in the church is divided, and although an agreement is devised it is not concluded. 

Much of the story in the novel involves the differences between the older children as they vie for power, ignoring the threat to their country from outside forces. The older sons are particularly determined that their sister, Swift, should not have too much territory. Meanwhile in Rome, Alfred is works with some of the clergy to establish a school for impoverished students and generally help the poor. This view of Christianity is not approved by all sections of the church in Rome. As the threat of Viking invasion increases in many parts of Europe, division grows in the church hierarchy.

In The House of Wolf, Tony Robinson has commenced a readable fictional account of  life in Anglo Saxon times. I look forward to reading the next installment. Tony Robinson is visiting Melbourne in February 2026 to talk about his life including participation in the television series Blackadder, Time Team and other history related documentaries plus the writing of The House of Wolf.

All the Light We Cannot See

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is a novel set in France and Germany during the Second World War. Although most of the story is set during the war there are also sections set in the 1930s and more recently. The novel largely consists of alternating chapters telling the experiences of Marie-Laure in France and Werner in Germany. There is also the story of a German Army Officer who is determined to find a special stone that he believes will cure him.

Marie-Laure and her father escape from Paris to Saint-Malo and move in with Marie-Laure's great uncle. Marie-Laure is blind but her father has made models of the streets where they live to assist her in navigating her local area. Werner is an orphan living in a children's home with his sister, Jutte. He is a very bright boy with the aptitude to use and repair short wave radios. This ability earns him a place in a military school where he can expand his knowledge but also learn to be a soldier. 

The novel describes the experiences of these young people from different countries as their lives are drastically altered by war. As the story progresses the effects of war on ordinary people becomes more obvious as the shortage of food increases and bombing intensifies. Still these two young people strive to keep alive and help others when they can. Throughout the novel both the characters have access to short wave radio which they use in different ways - the radio waves providing the light we cannot see. 

All the Light We Cannot See won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2015. 

The Circle of Days

Once again Ken Follett tackles a family saga set in ancient times. This time it is the rebuilding of part of Stonehenge [the Monument] in 2500 BCE. Several communities live close to each other in the valley, plains and nearby woods. A group of priestesses operates at the monument, conducting services which allow for the understanding of the seasons and time in general. Few people can count but the priestesses have devised a system for recording the weeks, months and seasons as the sun rises and set throughout the year. The biggest festival is midsummer.

The monument where the services are held is partly stone with an inner circle made of wood. When some of the locals wreck the wooden structure, it is suggested that the large stones from the quarry should be transported to the monument to replace the wooden structure. It is many years before this plan can be eventually undertaken, especially as some of the male members of local communities do not like the priestesses taking a key role in the endeavour.

The Circle of Stones by Ken Follett Provides an insight into what life may have been like living in the farming, herder, wood-lander and mining communities of the time. Life is made more difficult during years of drought and other natural disasters. For some of the leaders force is the only way to gain ascendancy over other groups and this can lead to tragic results. Meanwhile Joia and her followers are determined to complete their mission.

The Frozen River

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is a work of historical fiction set in Maine, USA. It is based on the life of Martha Ballard, a midwife in the settlement of Hallowell. The story occurs from November 1789 to April 1790, covering a long, cold winter when the river is frozen solid. At the end of each section there is a flashback to events that occurred earlier in Martha's life. The story is primarily told from Martha's viewpoint.

The story begins when a group of men try to navigate the river on a raft before the river finally freezes over. When one of the men falls into the river he discovers a body frozen in the ice. The men manage to get their companion out of the water and safely to shore but then questions arise as to who the man in the frozen river is and how and why he came to be there.

As one of the local midwives in the region Martha is called upon not just to assist women who are pregnant and to deliver their babies safely, but she also assists with other medical emergencies as required. Much of the book concerns the role and treatment of women in a male driven community. One challenge faced is the arrival of a young Harvard trained doctor who is reluctant to accept the knowledge collected by women over time. The courts also provide harsher sentences for women than for men and Martha spends much of her time trying to assist local women in a variety of ways.

When the body is removed from the river, Martha is the first to examine it and comes to the conclusion that the victim was hanged before he entered the river. The new doctor also investigates the body and concludes that the man died from injuries after he entered the river. Several court cases follow and Martha is also involved in defending the honour of a woman who accuses two men of raping her. Martha keeps a day-book recording events in the community and this provides important evidence used in the trials. 

 The Frozen River is the Monash University Alumni Book Club book for January-February 2026. 

 Reviews:

The Frozen River - Portobello Book Blog

The Frozen River - Marmalade and Mustardseed 

Information about Martha Ballard:

Martha Ballard 'Delivered' - marthaballard.com 

Who was Martha Ballard - DoHistory 

Martha Ballard - Historic Hallowell

Other novels about midwives:

Lisa Lee. Lady Tan's Circle of Women

Lauren Chater. Gulliver's Wife

Philippa Gregory. Tidelands 

Murder on North Terrace

Murder on the North Terrace is the sequel to the Death of Dora Black by Lainie Anderson. This novel is set in Adelaide in September 1917. Kate Cocks and Ethel Bromley continue to work in the Women's Police Branch of the South Australian Police Force. Their main role is to ensure the protection and well-being of local women but from time to time they also assist with general police enquiries. However when the body of a board governor of the Art Gallery is found beneath a controversial painting hanging in the gallery, Ethel Bromley is seconded to the Detective Branch as members of her family have connections to the gallery. This leaves Kate Cocks with the task of managing Women's Police Branch on her own. 

There is general unrest in the city as wounded soldiers return from overseas. Meanwhile there is a recruitment drive to find another 150 soldiers to serve overseas.  Hotels are popular locations for soldiers to congregate and, especially near closing time, many drunk soldiers can be found on the streets. This can result in increased danger to young girls passing by.

One of the cases that Kate Cocks encounters is a fifteen year old girl who has been raped by a soldier and left in the bush. Kate is determined to find the perpetrator, especially when the girl attempts to commit suicide. Another case involving the time of Kate Cocks is a man who is attempting to turn his life around after struggling with injuries he received during the Boer War. 

The attempt to solve the many crimes occurring at this time is set against the background of life in Adelaide during the First World War. This is a work of historical fiction but many of the people mentioned did exist and some of the events did occur. At the end of the book, the author provides an explanation of how she came to write the novel. I really enjoyed reading this crime novel set in an Australian historical setting with the emphasis on the role of women at the time.

The Governor, His Wife and His Mistress

In The Governor, His Wife and His Mistress, Sue Williams has written another work of historical fiction set in the early days of the new Colony of New South Wales. Philip Gidley King initially sailed with the First Fleet to the new colony at Sydney Harbour but was then sent with a small party of convicts to establish another settlement at Norfolk Island.

This novel deals with his relationship with Ann Inett, one of the female convicts also sent to Norfolk Island. Ann becomes Gidley King's housekeeper and eventually his mistress. They have two sons. Then Gidley King returns to England to provide a report about the new colony to officials. Before returning to New South Wales, with a promotion, he marries Anna Josepha Coombe who returns to the colony with him. 

The Governor, His Wife and His Mistress describes the relationship that develops between the two women and their families and their life in the colony. It is an account of the early years of colonial life in New South Wales, especially the tensions developing between the Governor and his supporters and the Military. 

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison Goodman is the sequel to The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies. Continuing the story that began in the first book, Lady Augusta and Lady Julia  endeavour to protect Lady Hester and Miss Grant from the clutches of Lady Hester's brother. They are assisted by a number of friends including Lord Evan, who is a fugitive trying to prove his innocence, and Mr Kent who is a Bow Street Runner.

The ladies encounter much danger as they travel around the country trying to find a place of safety away from Mr Mulholland and his associates as well as from Hester's brother. This is a fast paced adventure with the main characters travelling from one point of danger to another. Along the way they are assisted by George Beau Brummell and Lord Alvanley but there will be a price to pay which will be fully revealed in their next adventure.

This novel is purely fiction but incorporates a number of real characters and events as Gus and Julia continue on their quest to assist ladies who have been ill-treated by men and society in the time of Regency England.

The Jam Maker

The Jam Maker is the third historical fiction novel by Mary-Lou Stephens set in Tasmania. Twelve year old Harriet Brown is forced to pretend that she is a boy in order to work as a label-paster at George Peacock & Sons jam factory in Hobart. Her family needs her wage to survive. At the factory she is befriended by twelve year old Henry Jones. 

When she turns sixteen, Harriet, known as Harry in the factory, decides that she has had enough and leaves her job, much to the disapproval of her mother who promptly organises an arranged marriage for her daughter. Harriet's parents have misled her new husband into believing that she is an expert jam maker who will be an asset to his small jam making enterprise. 

Fortunately Harriet is willing to learn all she can about jam making and eventually helps her husband's business to expand. Meanwhile Henry Jones' career is progressing as he takes on higher positions in the jam making business. Henry marries Alice who becomes a friend of Harriet.

The novel follows Harriet's progress as a jam maker and the success of Sprouts Jams as she and Ruth experiment with making specialist jams with flavours not available elsewhere. However when her husband dies Harriet's life involves challenges she had not anticipated.

The Jam Maker, set in the years from 1874 to 1926, covers a range of events and issues affecting life in Tasmania including the economic depression of the 1890s, trade tariffs, the Boer War, Federation, The First World War and the rights of women to be financially independent. The novel is also the story of the development of the firm IXL - the firm developed by Henry Jones.

However this work of historical fiction is also the story of a determined woman fighting for the life and recognition that she wants for herself and her family. The book also interweaves references to the author's to previous historical novels - The Last of the Apple Blossom and The Chocolate Factory.

Sir Henry Jones - Australian Dictionary of Biography 

Henry Jones IXL - Wikipedia 

My name is Emelia Del Valle

Emilia Del Valle lived with her mother and step-father in San Francisco. She wanted to be a writer and began her career writing dime novels under the pen-name of Brandon J Price. She then worked as a columnist for a daily newspaper but because she was female she could not use her real name. Emilia eventually took the opportunity to travel to Chile to write columns relating to the unrest in that country. This time she was allowed to use her own name but shared the writing with Eric Whelan, a journalist at the newspaper.

Emilia knew that her father lived in Chile but she had had no contact with him except for a photo taken on her fourth birthday which her mother forwarded to her father. When her mother discovered that Emilia was going to Chile she insisted that Emilia should locate her father and give him a letter that she had written to him. Emilia gradually realises that she needs to know more about the country of her father.

As well as covering the challenges faced by Emilia, much of the novel provides graphic depictions of life during the civil war that occurred in Chile in 1891. 

My Name is Emilia Del Valle by Isabel Allende begins slowly, but eventually the pace increases as the book develops into an interesting work of historical fiction as well as the study of a young woman finding herself in a world ruled by men as she attempts to follow the life she wants. 

Strangers in Time

World War II and the Germans are bombing London. At the beginning of the war Molly Wakefield was one of the children evacuated from London to country areas. Now fifteen, Molly has returned home to discover that her parents are no longer there. Molly's former nanny still lives in the house and provides Molly with some information about her parents but she obviously needs to know more. Molly then meets thirteen year old Charlie Matters, an orphan trying to survive on the streets of London. It is when they meet Ignatius Oliver, the owner of a book shop The Book Keep, that they begin to encounter a little stability in a time of chaos. However surviving in London in 1944 is not easy, especially for those with additional personal challenges.

Strangers in Time by David Baldacci provides a vivid overview of living in London as the bombs still fall on the city some nights. Parts of the city, including Molly's house, have been destroyed. Ignatius is an air-raid warden so he experiences the devastation of the falling bombs as he tries to persuade Londoners to take appropriate shelter. The only way for Charlie, Molly and Ignatius to survive is to work together and support each other. The three also work together to find the answers to questions relating to their family story.

White Mulberry

In 1928 Korea was occupied by Japan. Eleven year old Miyoung lives in a village with her mother and one of her sisters where she attends the local school. Miyoung has a good relationship with her teacher who suggests that she should continue her education. Her older sister has just had a marriage arranged for her and Miyoung does not want the same thing to happen to her.

Eventually it is decided that Miyoung should go to Japan to attend school and live with her sister and her new husband. Miyoung soon discovers that students from Korea are not welcomed by Japanese students. To fit in, she adopts a Japanese name, Miyoko, but life is still extremely difficult. Miyoung wants to continue her studies but cannot afford the cost so finds work as a nurse's aid and a maid. Meanwhile she meets Hojoon and they have a son, Ko-chan. However when Hojoon dies, Miyoung once again has to decide how she can earn money to support her son. What she really wants to do is to return to Korea but by this time Japan is involved in the Second World War making the decision to travel home more difficult.

White Mulberry by Rosa Kwon Easton is a novel based on the life of the author's grandmother and her father. It is a story of living in a time of challenge and mistrust. It is a world of hatred but love and understanding may still be found as Miyoung is determined to make a good and safe life for her young son. The novel is also a study of a young woman choosing to live her own life in an environment where females are meant to be subservient.

This book was one of three books selected as a possible title for discussion by the Monash Alumni Book Club in August-September 2025.