Behind Five Willows

 by June Hur

The author who is south Korean and has lived in several countries including the US.  She is currently living in Canada and to write mostly YA novels.

The book resembles a Jane Austen story.

This book is about ancient South Korea when the ruler is banning fiction books and punishing those who write or distribute them. The main character, Haewon is the second of three daughters in a relatively poor, lower class family.  To make some money for the family Haewon makes copies of forbidden fiction books for a local bookseller,  Both she and the bookseller could get in trouble if caught.

She has had some communication in writing with one of the authors who calls himself Black Lotus.  She has a young sister who does some things that might bring shame on the family and they have difficulty controlling her.

Haewon ends up chaperoning her sister and the sisters beau.  While doing this she meets a friend of the beau who seems to look down on her and her family.  We find out that this young man is actually the author Black Lotus but she doesn't know this yet.  He is distraught because the draft of his next book has been stolen from his room and also his correspondence with Haewon.

As the story develops we find out that the young sister had fallen for a corrupt palace official.  She gives him her sisters diary.  This ends up getting the book store raided and could also get the young author in trouble.

Of course the young man and Haewon find themselves attracted to each other.  It turns out it was Black Lotus's father who found his writing.  The father, a palace official, is furious with his son but uses his influence to get his son off by just apologizing to the emperor.  We assume the oldest sister marries well.  As the book ends Black Lotus is writing to his wife, Haewon, that he will be home soon.  So it appears he must have gotten some perhaps lesser government appointment.

It was a cute story, very much reflecting Pride and Prejudice, the author admits this in the afterward.