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Title details for The Liberators by E. J. Koh - Available

The Liberators

by E. J. Koh
Janet Song
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
Daejeon, South Korea. 1980. At twenty-four, Insuk falls in love with her college classmate, Sungho, and with her father’s blessing, they marry. But then, as the military dictatorship, martial law, and nationwide protests bring the country precariously to the edge, Insuk’s father disappears.

In the wake of his disappearance, Insuk flees to California with Sungho, their son Henry, and Sungho’s overbearing mother. Adrift in a new country, Insuk grieves the loss of her past and divided homeland, only to find herself drawn into an illicit affair that sets into motion dramatic events that will echo for generations to come.

Spanning two continents and four generations, E. J. Koh’s debut novel exquisitely captures two Korean families forever changed by fateful decisions made in love and war. Extraordinarily beautiful and deeply moving, The Liberators is an elegantly wrought family saga of memory, trauma, and empathy, and a stunning testament to the consequences and fortunes of inheritance.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    November 7, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593863800
      • File size: 149974 KB
      • Duration: 05:12:26

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Four narrators work together in this multigenerational story of migration, love, and loss. Janet Song, Intae Kim, Greta Jung, and Raymond J. Lee create balance to this lyrical story set amid the making of the two Koreas. They bring to life the struggles of Insuk and her turbulent romance and then marriage to Sungho. The female and male narrators trade a wide variety of perspectives, including Insuk's and Sungho's, at various key historical moments. Listeners might find this slightly disorienting as the main story, taking place in the U.S, is mixed in with vignettes happening on the Korean peninsula. In these moments, Greta Jung's voice serves as an anchor, filling in Insuk's tumultuous life with heartfelt drama and empathy. M.R. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      May 31, 2024

      Koh's multifaceted fiction debut (following her memoir, The Magical Language of Others) centers on a young South Korean couple who emigrate to California in the 1980s. Although the novel is relatively short, the audiobook's ensemble of narrators, including Janet Song, Intae Kim, Greta Jung, and Raymond J. Lee, allows listeners to connect deeply with each of the characters. Each of the voice actors isn't necessarily tied to a particular character--as there are many--but to a generation. The story is not told linearly but bounces from country to country and event to event before returning to its central characters. The use of multiple narrators connects history to personal plot points, enhancing Koh's exploration of the characters' interconnected experiences. The narrators' joined voices mirror Koh's often beautiful prose, even when characters are experiencing terrible pain and shared traumas, including Korea's division into north and south and the MV Sewol ferry disaster, as well as individual pains like the loss of a father, a homeland, and trust. VERDICT Though clocking in at just over five hours, Koh's lyrical debut brims with insight and observation.--Matthew Galloway

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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