The Voices of Heaven

What a GIFT this memoir-based novel was to discover. It's a subject, a time, and a place that was unfamiliar to me, and yet I felt connected to each of the protagonists, in turn, as the story of Mi-na's family evolved. It's as much about Korea during the late '40s and early '50s as it is about family bonds and secrets and the way loved ones communicate with one another.

It's about competition among children for a parent's love and competition between adults for their children's respect. Despite it being so different culturally from my own experience and my vicarious experience through literarture , it's also surprisingly familiar and universal.

Ultimately, reading this novel is like going on a journey marked by witheld, carefully paced epiphanies while the young heroine comes of age and makes major discoveries of her own, even while important aspects of her own identity are witheld from her. It's interesting now to view that novel by comparison to this one. Both are very big books in smaller formats than you'd expect, considering the depth of their narratives.

Both feature gender issues from a powerful young woman's perspective. Both deal with poverty and war and witnessing a community in war's aftermath, especially the distinct struggles of these communities' men versus women. Maybe it's partly the phenomenon of "but everybody loves it" that unfairly cooled my interest in Ferrante, but the reverse is the case here.

Also, this novel is a wonderful study of literature. Its structural shifts and pacing, playful onomatopoeia and delicious descriptions of Korean foods and some, I'd say, not so delicious! Devine plays with language beautifully -- blending the Korean and English with ease and joy.

No wonder it won the Eric Hoffer Award, among others. Jul 05, John Collings rated it liked it. Living in Seoul, I was really excited about reading this book. I have seen a huge problem with the gender gap in the country, and I wanted some insight into it. This book gave me that insight that I sought. It showed me that the problem was not something that had happened recently, but was part of it cultural history. Women were asked to give birth to boys to carry on the traditions of the husband, and if they were unable to do so, men were allowed to take on a mistress so they could have a boy Living in Seoul, I was really excited about reading this book.

Women were asked to give birth to boys to carry on the traditions of the husband, and if they were unable to do so, men were allowed to take on a mistress so they could have a boy born unto them. There were even cases where if the woman had a girl that they would abandon it because it was not the boy that they were hoping for. A few women have broken through that barrier to show how women can contribute more to their society and Maija Rhee Devine's book highlights this push in her autobiographical novel.

And even though I learned a lot about the culture I now find myself living in, I thought that the pacing of the book made it difficult to really enjoy this story. The first half of the book takes place over a couple of days, and goes into a little too much detail, sometimes going over things that have already been fully explained. The second half of the book covers five years, a lot of times skipping over details that I was hoping that would be filled in. Because of this flaw, I finished the book feeling like I didn't get the whole story.

I did learn a lot which I appreciate, but I was hoping for a more entertaining read while I was gaining this information. Jan 06, Sunflower rated it it was amazing. Absolutely one of the best books I've every read. With Korean War as a backdrop back this family is torn between tradition and the current world. How women survived during times of tradition, I don't know. Glad I didn't live during these times. The need to produce a son is ultimate in this society. And this is what drives a stake through a marriage of love between Gui-yong and Eum-chun.

Gu-yong is forced to take a second wife. The author depicts s Korea Absolutely one of the best books I've every read. The author depicts s Korea in a realistic way depicting a patriarchal society with many rifts. A very good read. I thought it jumped time periods too much. The historic part was somewhat interesting, but the story lacked development.

This decision ends up affecting not only their marriage, but also their daughter and their experiences and decisions for the rest of their lives. Gui-yong loves his wife, something rarely found in a culture where grooms never saw their brides before their wedding day. Eum-chun, his wife, is heartbroken she cannot have children, and therefore cannot give the love of her life what their culture deems they must have, a son. This lack is felt most severely by Mi-Na, their secretly adopted daughter.

Thinking she is biological, she blames herself for being female. Thus requiring the new mistress to enter the household and change their lives forever.

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The reader delves into the emotions and thoughts of each character over the span of decades. The characters are easy for the reader to relate to and empathize with. The novel is written using a writing style that is different from most novels, giving it a singsong quality and using phrases and descriptors not commonly seen. To me, this added authenticity to the novel and the over-all feel. I also thoroughly enjoyed the cultural details found in the book. It is hard to imagine in America a family purposely bringing a mistress into a household solely to have a son the wife will claim as her own.

The idea of such sexism is mind-boggling. I received this book through Goodreads First Reads. This in no way influenced my review. I was not required to, nor compensated for, writing a review. Dec 03, Melissa rated it it was ok. Unable to produce a male heir, Eum-chun and her husband, Gui-yong, must welcome a "seed bearer" into their family in order to secure the continuation of their family through a son. Conflicted and hurt by this necessity, we learn through alternating narratives, the internal feelings of all three participants, including seed bearer, S http: Conflicted and hurt by this necessity, we learn through alternating narratives, the internal feelings of all three participants, including seed bearer, Soo-yang.

This was a unique book -- as I was totally unfamiliar with Korean culture. I was fascinated by their traditions, and how they lived their lives under Japanese occupation and through the Korean War. That being said, I found the alternating narratives difficult to follow, if for no other reason than I had to spend a considerable amount of time trying to remember the names, and to whom they belonged. Also, and this is to no fault of the author --my expectation was a historical fiction look at the Korean War, not a family drama -- with a rather explicit look at their intimate relationships a dildo made out of a dried eggplant?

I guess producing an male heir required us knowing what went on in each pair's bedroom. Ultimately, it was a book that didn't keep my interest. I would set it down and forget to pick it back up again, which required extensive re-reads to remember what happened. It was beautifully written taking you directly into the minds and hearts of each of the characters, allowing you to really see and feel their roles and struggles within the story. Instead of having the usual good guy vs. It is one of those books that leaves you contemplating after the fact. I have even felt it necessary to discuss its effect with more than one friend, especially anyone familiar with Korea.

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I think this book is as important as a cultural work of art as it is a literary one. I think most anyone else would as well. My colleague jiyoon Lee loaned me this book, saying she felt like it was more historically accurate or grounded than some of the pop-south Korean literature one i had recently read. Voices of Heaven is a complex emotional story told from the well-developed perspectives of a first wife, second wife because the fist wife did not bear a son , husband, and daughter.

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The strict gender traditions and expectations are overwhelming, as other other prejudices including one against adoption. I was mo My colleague jiyoon Lee loaned me this book, saying she felt like it was more historically accurate or grounded than some of the pop-south Korean literature one i had recently read. I was moved by each character I'm so glad the husband, Gui-yong was not portrayed as a stereotype, but as a warm and conflicted and loyal husband.

The Voices of Heaven by Maija Rhee Devine on Apple Books

I was a little disappointed in the final section, but I'll leave that to other readers to experience and interpret for themselves. This is a very compeling memoir of a Korean woman growing up during and post the Korean War. It has the sometimes stilted writing of a first time author who could have used a bit more editing, but it was easy to read and she tells the story well. It is amazing that in such recent times, such traditional and patriarchical ways were still the norm. The insights are important and illuminate Korean culture and history. Jan 04, Mary Bennett rated it really liked it.

I won this book for our book group to read. It was interesting to learn about the South Korean Culture during the time period of the 50s. I didn't realize that families in such a recent time period would bring in another wife to bear a son if one wasn't produced by the first wife. It was interesting learning more about another culture.

The story was nicely told through the delivery provided from each main character's perspective. Feb 02, Liz rated it really liked it. This is a novel based on the author's life story - it is the telling of the love story of her parents. More than that, it is a glimpse into the impact of the Korean War, an understanding of Korean culture, and the impact on families and people.

This is a book that will certainly open your mind and your eyes to things you hadn't considered before. I like how shows the relationship between the wife and the mistress. Pretty easy to read. This book takes place during the Korean War, which I don't know much about. So it's interesting to read about that time period. It's written very well, and I want to find out what happens next.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I found the topic interesting, but did not love the writing style. Other books I have read in this genre have been more lyrical. The tone of this book was more coarse, but that may just be the culture. I don't regret reading it, but probably wouldn't recommend it to others.

I did enjoy the parts of the book in Mi-na's point of view. Nov 03, Nancie rated it really liked it. A well written memoir, set before, during, and after the Korean war, providing interesting insights into the importance of a male heirs, adoption, and the importance of education in Korean society. A well written story, which I recommend to anyone who is interested in Korea and its society. I truly felt the love and passion of the couple in The Voices of Heaven. The author truly moves the reader and introduced me to a culture and time period that I was not familiar with I truly loved this book that I got from GoodRead's First Reads!!!

It's now one of my favorite books! This was an interesting and tender book. I loved the way the author put me inside the mind of her characters, letting me feel the anguish of the situation. Seoul Selection Publication date: Though located between much larger China and Japan, Korea boasts a huge repository of sophisticated and original indigenous culture, much of which remains to be translated and made accessible to non-Korean speakers.

In an age of information overload and mass marketing, Seoul Selection aims to play the role of a dependable guide, selecting and providing easy access to high-quality samples of Korean culture to those looking for a taste of this fascinating country. She manages to capture the fault line between cultures and languages desperately trying to connect and make sense of each other while remaining faithful to themselves.

Her skill and promise are enormous; the power of her narrative art rewards any reader. This is a beautiful book about wars waged at the most intimate levels imaginable for basic rights of freedom and self-determination. Each page is like a carefully-carved open doorway into this still-secret corner of the world and the lives of the women and men who somehow endured the very personal tragedies captured here. The sexual inequality is loathsome, yet Devine takes us into the heart of every character, male and female.

There are no villains here, only humans struggling to honor one another and their ancestors, to love well and survive. The dialogue is lively and crisp and the descriptions of daily life evoke the very sights, sounds, and smells of traditional Korea. This book is truly a joy to read.

The Voices of Heaven takes us deep inside a Korea family riven by two overwhelming forces: This is a brave, well-written story. I look forward, with enthusiasm, to her next work. The day before the wedding Seoul, June Soo-yang. Chong told her daughter, Soo-yang. Why would she laugh? It was an important occasion, even if it could hardly be called a wedding.

What misfortune to squeeze between the two, still love-struck with each other even after fifteen years of marriage! Harp-string love for one woman could sing the same tune for another. A man who glues himself to one woman like sticky rice will do it again. What kind of a spineless man glued himself to two women?

Soo-yang, Weeping Willow, wanted him to have some balls. She darted out the kitchen and, holding onto the cement rim of the sink in the yard, heaved. A thread of spittle ran down to the drain. She kneaded her chest. Charcoal— burning, burning, burning. If the rumors came true, North Korean Communists could make a pile of dry leaves out of the South with machine guns and tanks any day. Seoul would turn into waterfalls of blood. And what was she doing?

Dull peach colored the dawn sky like persimmon juice spreading through gauze.