What critics and fellow writers are saying about Song for Another Home.
“In this moving debut by the Korean-American writer Bora Lee Reed, the guns and the soldiers are an offstage menace. The novel is concerned with how life persists in the shadow of war, and how small, happy lives can be devastated by careless decisions made elsewhere.”
The Times (London)
“Reed’s bilateral tale will appeal to anyone moved by the plight of refugees—past, present, and future—whose bravery and resilience are inexorably sharpened in the gauntlet of war… All of the main characters here are teens who display courage, resourcefulness, and grit, a sure draw for YAs.”
Booklist
“Reed’s fully drawn characters are a wonder, wielding hope and transforming through separations, hardships, and heartbreak, while cherishing their dreams and discovering unexpected found family. Courageous and immersive, this is magnificent, emotional storytelling.”
The Christian Science Monitor
“Full of heart and rich in history, Song for Another Home is an unforgettable portrait of resilience, courage, friendship and love that endures… Immersive and evocative, Reed’s prose simmers with unexpected secrets that catch you by surprise. At times tender and heartbreaking, Song for Another Home is nevertheless full of spirit.”
Buzz Magazine (Wales)
“An astonishing debut, huge in its scale and evocation of an unsung history.”
Luke Kennard, author of Black Bag, shortlisted for the Booker Prize
“Unflinching in its portrayal of a broken world, Song for Another Home will break your heart and put it back together again, often on the same page.”
Gene Luen Yang, author of American Born Chinese
“A mesmerizing debut that paints a heartfelt tale of wartime Korean orphanages and shanty towns. Oksoon and Junho, two cousins scrabbling to survive the war, find that the bonds of both new and old relationships aren’t easily severed, despite the odds against them. Beautifully written and shimmering with love, sacrifice, and betrayal, this novel will echo with readers for a long time.”
Yangsze Choo, bestselling author of The Fox Wife
“A beautiful novel that conjures a whole world – a whole history – with such lightness of touch. I cared deeply for these characters and wept when it was time to say goodbye.”
Ruth Gilligan, author of The Butchers
“Song for Another Home is everything I look for in a novel: With unforgettable characters, it’s ambitious and majestic, vividly imagined and meticulously crafted, the perfect balance of heartbreak and hope. Reader, prepare to be dazzled by this remarkable story of devotion and sacrifice, lost love and chosen family. A stellar debut.”
Natalie Baszile, author of Queen Sugar
“A beautifully told, beautifully constructed chronicle not just of war, but of growing up, of storytelling and survival, of the ties that bind both blood family and found family. Song for Another Home is timely, wide-ranging, immersive historical fiction and a magnificent debut.”
Laurie Frankel, author of This Is How It Always Is
“A sweeping, historical tale. A brilliant meditation on family, friendship and the power of the human spirit.”
Irenosen Okojie MBE, author of Nudibranch
“Song for Another Home imparts both lessons of war and lessons of the heart with intensity and compassion. Each finely-drawn character must face their own struggles and seek their own destiny throughout a story rich in gorgeous detail and powerful feeling. Bora Lee Reed sings to us from every page.”
Kathryn Ma, author of The Chinese Groove
“A moving novel about storytelling and family that shows historic conflict and change on an intimate scale.”
Gurnaik Johal, author of Saraswati
“Brimming with compassion, Song for Another Home is the story of a family divided but never lost, found family equally delightful and heartbreaking, whose triumphs and setbacks will leave readers with a tender, hard-won hope.”
Allison King, author of The Phoenix Pencil Company
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