If you’re a fan of the idea of a historical fiction meets Jane Austen style dynamics, you have to check out Behind Five Willows. I’ve been a fan of June Hur’s books and so you know I had to read the most recent release. Keep reading this book review of Behind Five Willows for my full thoughts.
Summary
As the dutiful second-eldest daughter of a poor family, society would have Haewon believe that her only hope of a decent life is to marry well. But during a time of rampant government censorship and book banning, she instead works as an illegal book transcriber in order to make a little extra money. It’s dangerous work, but she loves it―especially when she gets to transcribe the work of her favorite author, known as Black Lotus.
When her older sister becomes smitten with a wealthy young gentleman, Haewon is roped into chaperoning them during their courtship. Which wouldn’t be so terrible… if it weren’t for the young man’s uptight and annoying best friend who also accompanies them.
As the only son of a noble, Seojun has a lot expected of him. Wealth. Status. Respectability. Certainly not frivolous and often illicit activities such as reading fiction. But Seojun loves to do something even more scandalous: writing. He’s kept his work secret from his father and friends, but with each passing day, the pressure of being his father’s son and the dispiriting actions of the government make Seojun question the purpose of it all. The only thing keeping him going are the encouraging letters he receives from his transcriber, known only as Magpie.
When his best friend falls hard for a girl of lower social status, Seojun finds himself forced to act as chaperone to the infatuated couple―along with the girl’s younger sister, who is as irritating as she is judgmental. But as Haewon and Seojun spend more time together, they begin to suspect they may have judged each other too quickly…
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
What is better than an homage to Jane Austen with Pride and Prejudice style dynamics, yearning, and misconceptions? Oh, it’s to pair it with a historical fiction setting. Behind Five Willows examines the history of book banning, of using rules to hide our opinions and censorship. To realize that to use our voice we take a risk, to tell our stories, and to express ourselves. A culture which wants to crack down on these stories and the danger of transcribing them.At the same time, it explores the ways writing can transcend, prevail, and create connections.
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From the get go, the Mr. Bennett and Elizabeth vibes are strong as we explore our misconceptions, opinions, and prejudices. With this historical fiction background and the romance, there are letters, family machinations, and exploration of censorship. Behind Five Willows hits these emotional points of swoon while also being grounded in this crackdown of literature. There’s yearning, but there’s also relationships between family here which create this well rounded dynamic story. As a fan, I had high hopes and Behind Five Willows delivers. Find Behind Five Willows on Goodreads, Storygraph, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.