Behind Five Willows
Jane Austen reimagined in Korea - from the NYT bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected 26 May 2026
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- 8,99 €
Publisher Description
From the New York Times-bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves comes a warm and romantic homage to Jane Austen set in historical Korea, about a reader and a writer who secretly fight against government book banning and find themselves irresistibly drawn together.
As the dutiful second daughter of a poor family, Haewon is expected to marry well. Instead, amid harsh censorship and rampant book bans, she secretly works as an illegal book transcriber - dangerous work she loves, especially when copying the writings of her favorite author, the elusive Black Lotus.
When her older sister begins courting a wealthy young man, Haewon is dragged along as chaperone - forced to endure the company of his arrogant, insufferable best friend.
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As the only son of a noble, Seojun is expected to embody wealth, status, and propriety. No one can know that he secretly writes fiction - or that the only thing keeping him going under pressure from his overbearing father are the warm, insightful letters from his transcriber, 'Magpie'.
But when his best friend falls for a girl far below their social rank, Seojun must join their chaperoned outings - alongside her sharp-tongued younger sister. Yet the more time Seojun and Haewon spend together, the more they realize how wrong their first impressions were . . .
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Two teens in 18th-century Korea find themselves drawn together via secret correspondence and their commitment to a common cause in this simmering historical romance by Hur (A Crane Among Wolves). Eighteen-year-old Shin Haewon, the middle daughter of a financially struggling family, covertly works illegally as a book transcriber, an occupation that becomes increasingly dangerous as book-banning government mandates multiply. But Haewon enjoys the thrill of her job's taboo nature, and especially loves transcribing books from anonymous popular fiction novelist Black Lotus, with whom Haewon has also been secretly exchanging letters. At home, Haewon chaperones her older sister, Jade, during Jade's courtship with a wealthy gentleman who's similarly accompanied by his uptight friend, Seojun. As the only son of a wealthy minister, Seojun feels pressured to uphold his family's reputation—which he knows would fall into jeopardy if his moonlighting as Black Lotus was discovered. Stress brought about by filial duty and government censorship is buoyed by spirited correspondences with his transcriber, known only as Magpie. Warmly rendered characters navigate a unique and evocative setting, which echoes with sharp societal commentary as well as witty repartee that's reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice. A glossary and author's note conclude. Ages 13–up.
