Behind Five Willows
Set in late 18th-century Korea, Behind Five Willows is a tale of romance, censorship, authenticity, and challenging mores. Five Willows is an innocuous bookstore, but a second, clandestine bookshop is hidden behind a door at the rear. This back room holds transcribed forbidden works of fiction and poetry. Authors write under pseudonyms, and transcribers make copies to be lent or sold.
Haewon is one such transcriber—the daughter of a family caught in financial trouble, destined to be married off. Her sister is being courted by a rich son of a noble; each needs a chaperone, and Haewon is dragged along. Her counterpart, chaperone Seojun, is equally annoyed at his role. But each holds a secret identity: Haewon is a transcriber of illicit books, and Seojun is one such author who writes under the name Black Lotus.
What follows is a tale of layered secrets as Haewon and Seojun struggle to maintain their hidden identity in the face of governmental suppression. They unknowingly become drawn to each other’s secret work, then to the person themselves, and finally making the connection, all while navigating the social and familial customs and laws of the time.
The tension of each character’s internal struggle is palpable. We feel Haewon’s desire to meet the mysterious Black Lotus while fearful of discovery as a secret translator. Seojun likewise wants to meet the mysterious translator while fearful of being named as Black Lotus. The delicate growth of trust between the two is a wonderful journey, expertly told.
Behind Five Willows unfolds languidly and thoughtfully, capturing both the internal and external dynamics of Korean culture through lived experience. The author’s note at the end delves into the history of the ruling behind the censorship, and the brief glossary of names is useful. Young adult.
