Daughters of the Dragon

Mr. Andrews has eloquently told a horrific story of a Korean woman's life during the World War II years. Historically accurate, and with an empathetic hand, it is a must read story for all historic fiction readers. It will open your eyes, and your heart, to be sure.

This book interested me bc I had read and loved the book memoirs of a geisha. I like history and i was hoping as I was reading that this was an actual memoir of a real comfort woman in history. I was also hoping that the historical relevance to the comb and the main character would also be true. The mix of historical prevalence and storytelling, I have come to find out is just that, story telling and I'm a little bummed. But it is probably because I have grown to like the characters and the author was able to bring them to life. I like true memoirs and something I can state is "true". with that being said, I still really enjoyed this book and the story line. I don't know much about Korean history so this was very different and taught me a lot about the time and culture. I was happy to ready that the author states he believes it is all historically accurate and used many historians to confirm that. the fact that north and south Korea are still not at peace with one another and with the recent conflicts with America I really appreciate the new understanding I have of both country's and how/why they have become 2 separate nations. I hope to read the follow up book, I like reading series in their entirety before judging, but this book I feel bad an important message that needs attention as apparently this issue is still trying to be hidden and ignored like many other war crimes in WWII that have already be brought to justice.comfort women and their families deserve that too. thank you William Andrews for an enjoyable read and also the attention to an issue that has been overlooked for too long.

I loved this book... it was my favorite that I read this summer - hands down! I was fully enveloped in it the whole way and I learned a few important things about Korean/world history.The story is focused on the life of a Korean woman, who lived through World War II and the rebuilding of Korea. Throughout that time, she experienced traumatic events that molded who she became. While her story was heartbreaking, I couldn't look stop following it for two reasons. (1) No matter what was against her, she somehow maintained the will to survive. (2) Even when she didn't have to, she always did her best to do the right thing... Very inspiring.The book is written at my ideal pace; sort of, in real time. Every word feels necessary to understanding the situation. So, readers who exclusively like "extra" stuff may not be into this... All of the characters feel very real because almost everyone is capable of some good and evil. This doesn't excuse all of their actions, but it does make the line of what/who is right and wrong a bit more blurry. Personally, I love it because it makes me feel less like I'm being spoon fed ideas, but rather, I'm allowed to come to conclusions by myself... I read that the author used to work in advertising, and I can see how the skill for really knowing how people are/work transfers here!Additionally, I saw some complaints in other reviews about not getting to know the main character enough. I think this is a misunderstanding of the style of the book / or just how life happens for some people. It is written as if you are in the main character's mind from one point in time to another... When real life happens, you don't always get to reflect before and after every moment. In this case, where things happen so fast and so brutally, sometimes all one can do is react. At its core, this is a story of survival. When your biggest priority is making sure your basic needs for security and protection are met, you don't always have time to for self-improvement, etc. That being said, I think readers do get a chance to really get to know the main character, but through more nuanced actions. Again, this is a story that chooses to show you who people are, rather, then telling you. [Hint: It's supposed to make you think! :) ]Overall, this story is heartbreaking, but satisfying. Even the ending made sense as its own moment in time. Everything had a heavy dose of realism, and a sprinkle of magic.PLEASE JUST READ THE BOOK.

This novel seductively draws you into a mystery redolent with the rich history of Korea. Then it sears you with the brutality that the Korean Peninsula endured for more than a generation and the ongoing aftershocks that continue to the present. All while somehow navigating tough details without making it unbearable to read. Brilliant.

I absolutely enjoyed this book if enjoy is the best word to describe it!!What a horrific experience that these two sisters shared and how Korea and its people were affected by the turmoil. I loved the history of the Dragon and what it meant to the family of women throughout this journey.

A powerful story, fictionalized history in dramatic form. Unlike some other reviewers, I have known about the euphemism "comfort women" from early travels to Asia and that during WWII the Japanese forced women into such slavery throughout the continent including specifically Korea, the Philippines and Thailand. But I had never encountered such details as delivered in this book. From what I have gathered, the author seems to have done a good job of creating this portrait. Some of the discussions of Korea as it developed and was torn apart after WWII was also very interesting.The comb was a good tool for linking the storyline from the origins to a more modern context but by the end I felt the author overplayed that angle. I suspected this was to form a bridge to a sequel and have confirmed this in the review of that next book.I expected because of this sequel we readers would be left dangling at the end of this book but it came full circle within itself and did not have that open-ended finish. I think this is commendable.The actual ending struck me as implausible and some research has strongly pointed to it being extremely unlikely. Fortunately, that was a minor factor as far as my enjoyment was concerned and actually caused me to do some extra study that i enjoyed.

Even though it is marked as fiction. There is a deep story behind this work that most do not know.

This book is a fantastic read and if life didn’t get in the way than I would have consumed this book in a day! It is a wonderfully written book and allows for the reader to explore a culture; history and time of a country that many probably do not know.The book is written in such a good way that it has a decent pace. It doesn’t start too slow nor end too fast. The details are in the story and the author has taken the time to provide.

I must admit I started reading this book believing it will be about some magical fantasy story. But I ended up reading a Poignant, depressing, suffocating story about jae- hee a 14 year old Korean girl and life journey to 80. I horrified about when I read about ‘comfort woman’ term. It’s another painful, terrible story about world war II. thousands of young girls were tricked and abducted by Japanese and forced to work as sex slaves for Japanese military officials. I horrified in many pages and it made me cry uncontrollably and I scared I couldn’t be back to my normal self again. I read many stories about how woman’s were treated so badly in the past but this as sex slaves it was unimaginable and that too especially when knowing it is based on real history couldn’t digest it at all. This was an important story to be told and shed light on the dark side of the world history. I wept and cried for jea hee and for all the real woman who gone through this horror. I wish it never had happened at all. I really wish.

Daughters of the Dragon is the most amazing book I've read in a long time. it is about a history I was not familiar with; the comfort women (in many cases young girls) who were forced to serve the Japanese army. It is graphic, disturbing, heart-wrenching, but in the end, hopeful. Jae-hee, one of the comfort women, is a character that will remain with me for a long time. Although the choices she made are continually questioned in the novel, it is obvious she had no choice, yet she emerges as an extraordinary strong female.I read this on my Kindle, that at least the way I have it set up, does not show the book title or who the author is. I had a vague recollection that the author was male and was surprised to find out at the end that this was indeed the case. Andrews does a great job at getting inside the head of a female. I can usually tell when a book written in the first person is written by someone of a different gender.The idea of using an inanimate object as a literary device through which history is revealed is brilliant.I highly recommend this book.

I highly recommend this book. It really touchedmy heart. I knew a bit about Chinese woman who were forced to be sex slaves but nothing abou Korean women and girls. Terrible thing what theJapanese did. Thanks for the story w. Andrew's.

I knew practically nothing about Korea before reading this book and had never been interested in its history. This incredible story set against the backdrop of the division of North Korea from the South exposes Japan's crimes against thousands of underage girls abducted then emprisoned in dreadful living conditions and forced to service Japanese soldiers. Luckily there are voices which speak out so the memory of these tragic "Comfort Women" will be honoured and not forgotten. I was surprised that the author is a man (!) as this shameful page in Japan's history, told by women, is depicted with such sensitivity. Happily there are some good guys out there ! This is an excellent book and a 5-star rating for me.