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A captivating first novel, combining poetry and suspense, about a Korean family with a mysterious talent, who faces the brutality of the Japanese Empire. “Honey in the Wound” is an epic about survival and regaining power. A sister disappears and then returns in the form of a tiger. A mother's voice forces any tongue to reveal the truth. A granddaughter senses secrets in other people's dreams. These women belong to one lineage - a Korean family that was dispersed by Japanese colonialism across decades and borders. At the heart of this saga stands Young Ja, a girl who infuses her feelings with her food. She enjoys her talent in cooking, and nourishes those she loves with her joy. But her bright childhood ends in 1931 when Japanese soldiers crush her family's resistance to the empire. Young-ja is left lost, and her food becomes more bitter with grief. But when a Korean rebel fighter notices her talent, she is secretly transported to Manchuria to join a secret group of beautiful tea-house spies. There, Young-ja finds a new sense of belonging, and begins to use her abilities to fight back. But the Imperial Army isn't done with her yet... Decades later, Young-ja lives alone in Seoul, cut off from the world, until her granddaughter Rinako, born in Tokyo, bursts into her life with her ability to see dreams. Building a reluctant bond, they confront the long-buried past in a stunning emotional climax. As an unforgettable family perseveres through the long shadow of colonialism, Honey in the Wound transports readers to mountain forests where tiger girls roam, to Manchurian teahouses and opium dens where enchanting smiles hide secrets, and to the modern cities of Tokyo and Seoul where restless ghosts awaken. This debut novel is a poignant and profound multi-generational drama, shedding light on the darkest corners of the twentieth century and giving voice to those who witnessed those events.