by Min Jin Lee
First published 2026
John and Helen Koh live comfortably in Seoul with their three children Bo, DH, and Mido until disaster strikes twice. John's oldest friend betrays him, then the 1997 Asian financial crisis destroys what remains of their stability. The family flees first to Sydney, then settles in Southern California, where John and Helen discover their Korean credentials mean nothing. They take whatever jobs they can find while their children navigate American schools and dream of futures their parents never imagined. The Kohs move through a world of nail salons and law firms, fried fish shops and gated communities, surrounded by other Korean families chasing the same goal. Everyone believes education will save the next generation, but the cost of that belief grows heavier each year. Parents sacrifice everything for their children's success while the children struggle with the weight of those expectations.
Genres: fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: California, Seoul, Sydney
Period: 1997, 21st-century
656 pages · Hardcover · Cardinal