KEY POINTS:
Casey Han, a young Korean-American girl, is struggling to find her way in life. She doesn't believe in many of the traditions and values her parents brought with them from Korea yet she is unable to abandon them completely.
A coming-of-age novel, Casey's story is both an insight into the world of Korean immigrants in America and a tale of any young woman trying to find her way in life.
The novel begins with an argument with her father and Casey retreating to the safety of her boyfriend's house, only to find him cheating on her with two women. Forced out on her own, she attempts to find her place in the world.
Meanwhile, Lee also follows the difficulties faced by Casey's parents, particularly her shy mother, who is seduced by the church choirmaster; and her Korean friend Ella, who tries her best to be the traditional wife, only to discover it is not all that she thought.
Unfortunately, Lee's writing can be stilted and disjointed, which makes the book hard going at times, and gets in the way of some interesting insights.
Casey's growth edges forward slowly, and the dynamics between her and other members of the Korean-American community are different to those in other, similar, books.
* Random House, $36.99
- Detours, HoS
