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There are currently 24 member reviews
for The Young Will Remember
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Olivia G. (Temple, TX)
The Kind of Five-Star Book That Never Leaves You
I rarely give five stars. For me, a five-star rating is reserved for books whose characters stay with me long after the final page... the ones that settle into your heart and soul and refuse to leave. The Young Will Remember is absolutely one of those books.
Going into this novel, I knew very little about the Korean War. What I expected was a good historical story; what I found instead was something deeply human, emotional, and unforgettable. Eve J. Chung brings history to life through characters who feel achingly real — flawed, brave, vulnerable, and enduring in ways that linger long after you close the book.
This story didn't just entertain me; it educated me. It sent me down a historical research rabbit hole, eager to learn more about a war and a generation whose stories are too often overlooked. That, to me, is the mark of exceptional historical fiction- when fiction becomes a doorway to real history and deeper understanding.
This is not simply a book you read. It's a book you carry with you.
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JanineS
Cold War historical fiction
Very little historical fiction deals with the Korean War. Nonfiction books like The Coldest War by David Halberstam are more common but this war remains shadowy if not forgotten in American history, so a novel set in this period is a very welcome and rare one indeed.
Set in the coldest winter between early December and February, 1950-1951, this stunning work of fiction deals with a Chinese American reporter, Eleanor "Ellie" Chang, after she is shot down in North Korea and is rescued by a Korean woman who identifies her as her daughter. The novel then covers how Ellie is able to get home during this war-torn period. Befriended by "Emma" (the Korean word for mother is close to this word) and the Paks, religious missionaries, the ties Ellie forms in her return to safety are deep and the stuff of why differences do not matter where love prevails.
Ellie is a wonderful character. Smart, strong and resilient, she exhibits the spirit of women - whom many today want to bury from history - who often are the ones who stand strong against the forces of evil and destruction. This book brings this out as well in the other characters who help Ellie.
Kudos to the author for tackling an important piece of history and giving light to proud, defiant women.
I'd like to thank BookBrowse and Beckley Publishing for allowing access to this ARC.
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Sandy G. (Alna, ME)
A Moving Portrait of Survival and Remembrance
The Young Will Remember is a beautifully written historical novel set during the early days of the Korean War. It follows a Chinese American news correspondent trapped behind enemy lines in North Korea and the quiet courage of those who risk their lives to help her reach safety.
Before reading this novel, I knew very little about the Korean War. Eve J. Chung renders its brutality with clarity and restraint, illuminating the immense human cost of the conflict. I was particularly moved by the portrayal of the "comfort women," whose suffering was largely unknown to me and is handled with heartbreaking care.
This is a book for readers who appreciate richly textured, character-driven historical fiction and would make an excellent choice for book clubs. When it's published, I'll be adding it to my own library — and I'm already recommending it to family and friends.
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J Marie V. (SC)
An Unforgettable Book
When I got to the end of this book, I thought "Wow" this is a book that will linger with me for a long time. I am a fan of historical fiction, especially when I learn about something that I hadn't previously been familiar with. Although I knew a certain amount about Japan's colonial relationship with Korea, I was pretty vague about the Korean war itself. To see it portrayed from these women's experiences was illuminating and very moving. The writing itself was beautiful, and I often found myself wanting to highlight various passages. This will be an excellent choice for book clubs. I highly recommend this book, and I'm eager to listen to the audio version when it's released. However, it's likely that it best appreciated by starting with the written version first.
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Kathleen K. (Johnson City, TN)
The Young Will Remember
This book is hauntingly beautiful. The author fully captures the resilience of the human spirit in very difficult situations alongside the varied emotional reactions of the different characters. The inclusion of letters and newspaper clippings between each chapter increases the historical depth of the narrative and gives additional context beyond what the characters are experiencing. The imagery is stunning and poignant while not being distracting.
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Dianne Y. (Stuart, FL)
A captivating story of a war journalist during the Koran War.
The Young Will Remember by E J Chung
The plot keeps pulling the reader in and the prose flows smoothly. The author's writing is very descriptive, allowing the reader to readily visualize and feel what is happening. At times I felt as though I was right there dodging bullets with the civilians in the novel. And some of the most powerful descriptions were related to the bombing raids and the terror felt by the civilians.
The novel focuses on two story lines. One is of a Chinese American female war correspondent, and the other is of a young woman taken from her home by the Japanese and how her mother never stopped searching for her.
It would have been easier to understand several of the events if I had brought more knowledge of the Korean War to the novel; particularly the history leading to the war.
But from reading the novel, I gained considerable insight into the Korean War including what was happening politically, militarily, and internally to the civilians.
There were postscripts at the end of each chapter. Some added another layer of information to the story and others further explained the war or military situation and conditions. I found the title of the novel intriguing, but it was not until I reached the last chapter that I discovered the author's meaning.
Not everyone will experience the novel as I did. My father was a navigator during the Korean War flying C47 planes carrying the wounded out of the war zone. There were references, in the novel, to the C47 and the hospital flights. The date for one of the chapters was Dec 5, 1950. As I read the date, I stopped and just stared at the page. That would have been my father's 30th birthday; and I could not help but wonder if my father was flying that day.
I would recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about the Korean War. I would also recommend it for book clubs that read historical fiction, particularly war-related novels. I think the novel could generate very stimulating discussions about the terrors of war and its impact on civilian populations
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Susan B. (Fort Myers, FL)
Korean history
It is 1950 and Ellie Chang, a war correspondent is a Chinese American.
She is in Korea to report on the war, as a female she has more problems with gaining access but she does get a flight that unfortunately crashes. She alone survives and is help by a Korean woman who whom she will stay and move around with through most of the war, trying hard to get back to the Americans.
The book gave a very realistic account of the Korean war, one I knew very little about. The impact on the population who had no say in what was happening and yet their lives were forever ruined.
The book is a very informative read, unlike other reviewers I found it a slow read in parts, wishing perhaps for less description,
All in all a good read for anyone interested in historical fiction.
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