19 Aug / The Color of Heaven by Kim Dong Hwa, translated by Lauren Na
The final installment in the three-volume manwha that began with The Color of Earth and The Color of Water, follows Ewha, now a lovely young woman, and her still-young mother, as both wait for their respective missing lovers. Ewha’s Duksam flees the wrath of his former employer, Master Cho, and heads to the sea to seek his fortune so that he might return to marry his one true love. Ewha’s mother’s devotion for her itinerant painter salesman has only grown stronger as she patiently longs to see him walk through the gates once again.
This last installment of the otherwise exquisite trilogy wavers a bit with a too many flower analogies and the endless waiting the women endure. Watching the changing relationship between mother and daughter provides welcome relief, but ultimately, both women remain rather paralyzed until they get their men back. Not exactly the lesson we mothers want to impart to our too-quickly maturing daughters, I’d wager.
The highlight of the trilogy is no doubt Kim’s gorgeous black-and-white pencil drawings. The graphics are truly tremendous; admiring and appreciating the art alone proves a worthy pastime.
Parents beware … this is definitely for adults. The last chapter is entitled “The Bridal Night” with good reason … and the blushing couple are not exactly the only ones celebrating.
Readers: Adult
Published: 2009
Sounds intriguing!
it is a good read but definitely not for young children. the series has wonderful symbolism, and it’s wonderful how the author chose a period where modernism and western culture was slowly seeping into Korea.
i’m the translator but the above are my honest feelings about the series (fyi – i get no royalites)
Wow, how great you found my blog. And thanks so much for your chiming in. And yes, I have a growing collection of manga/manwha/graphic novels that I keep in my office … and the kids KNOW not to even ask. My 11-year-old is mighty curious as he has an even faster growing pile of manga, but so far, so good …
I was at our local library the other day (as if I don’t have enough books to read but can’t stay away) and was so surprised to see manga collections on almost every third shelf IN THE ADULT FICTION section (we usually hang out in the kiddie/YA section with the kids)! I expect the adult reads in Korea or Japan, but in our dorky (but much used) local library? I was pleasantly surprised for sure. They are certainly not for kiddies anymore. And I am utterly hooked, too!
Thanks again for visiting. Do keep us posted of your next projects, too. We’ll keep reading!