The Year of Impossible Goodbyes

Ten-year-old Sookan tells of her Korean family's experiences during the Japanese occupation as World War II ends. The Japanese commit cruel, fear provoking acts against this proud, hopeful family and against the young girls who worked in a sweatshop making socks for the Japanese army. Relief, hope, and anticipation of the return of male family members after the Japanese defeat is short lived as the Russians occupy the country, bringing their language, their customs, and communism to the village. Equally as insensitive to the pride and possessions of the Koreans, they are as bad as the Japanese. Plans are made for Sookan, her mother, and younger brother to escape to South Korea. However, their guide betrays them, causing the children to be separated from their mother, and the two begin a daring and frightening journey to cross the 38th parallel to safety. Through Sookan, the author shares an incredible story of the love and determination of her family, the threatening circumstances that they endured during occupations by two totalitarian governments.
These two books told from a child’s point if view from opposing sides of the war has been so interesting. I think it is a great idea to compare them because we see a story from both sides. When reading this book, I gained hatred towards the Japanese for doing that to Sookan and her family, thinking they were so terrible. But then I remembered So Far From the Bamboo Garden and how it was the Koreans that were the “bad guys”. This experience definitely opened my eyes and made me realize that a situation (the war) definitely has two sides of it and it is important to hear both sides before making assumptions. I really liked this book and felt for Sookan as she endured on her rough journey.