Could you marry a man you’ve never met? Three Korean women in 1918 make a life-changing journey to Hawaii, where they will marry, having seen only photographs of their intended husbands.

Different fates await each of these women. Hong-ju, who dreams of a marriage of ‘natural love’, meets a man who looks twenty years older than his photograph; Song-hwa, who wants to escape from her life of ridicule as the granddaughter of a shaman, meets a lazy drunkard. And then there’s Willow, whose 26-year-old groom, Taewan, looks just like his image …

Real life doesn’t always resemble a picture, but there’s no going back. And while things don’t turn out quite as they’d hoped, even for Willow, they do find something that makes their journey worthwhile — each other.

Prizes

Winner of Nautilus Book Award for Historical Fiction 2023 (Australia)

‘Lee Geum-yi has a gift for taking little-known embers of history and transforming them into moving, compelling, and uplifting stories. I loved Willow from the first page to the last. Loved her courage, and her tenacious, yet caring, beautiful soul. The Picture Bride is the ultimate story of the power of friendship — a must read!’

‘It’s a compelling story and Lee Geum-yi movingly describes the women’s journeys.’

‘A transporting and immersive story that will enthral historical fiction readers. Poignant and moving, its unforgettable characters will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.’

‘A fascinating journey into the world of Korean “picture brides” whose lives take unexpected turns as they land on distant shores. A beautiful testimony to those women bold and determined enough to leave behind all that was familiar, seeking a better life.’

‘The stories of these women's lives in Hawai’i and the sugar industry there becomes, in Lee’s skilled hands, a vehicle for a narrative about the Korean struggle for independence from Japan and how it was refracted through the diaspora.’

‘This novel honours those powerful Korean women, who took a chance on a new life in a distant land … Told in gentle, empathetic prose that sheds new light into a neglected corner of American history, The Picture Bride is an immigrant story, but it is moreover a love story.’

‘Heartfelt, beautiful, and immersive, The Picture Bride is a fascinating historical fiction book.’

‘An engaging picture of a time and a place.’

‘Written with great historical detail about Korean immigrants in Hawai‘i, Geum-yi’s beautiful novel weaves an extraordinary tale.’

‘This work of historical fiction is Korean novelist Lee’s first book to be translated into English … Historical fiction buffs and readers interested in little-known history will enjoy.’

‘This moving novel takes readers into the world of Korean “picture brides” … [A] total must-read.’

‘The Picture Bride is an accessible and moving read, no matter your prior knowledge of Korean culture or history in the early 20th century. … Though their tale is marred by hardship, [it] is ultimately an inspirational story that celebrates the enduring bonds of female friendship.’

‘An impeccably written piece of historical fiction, The Picture Bride presents an exquisite portrait of womanhood and the bonds of friendship and family.’

‘The Picture Bride shines … illuminating crucial but obscure events along Korea’s turbulent path to nationhood.’

Lee Geum-yi is a bestselling YA author in Korea. Her debut adult novel, The Picture Bride, was published in 2022. An Seon Jae has lived in Korea since 1980. He was born in Cornwall in 1942, and since 1969 has been a member of the Community of Taizé, where he is known as Brother Anthony. He has published some 50 volumes of translated Korean poetry, as well as translations of several Korean novels.