The Court Dancer - by Kyung-Sook Shin (Paperback)

About the Book

Set during the dramatic final years of the Korean Empire, the new novel from Man Asian Literary Prize winner Kyung-Sook Shin features a mysterious dancer caught up in the dizzying sweep of history.

Book Synopsis

When a novice French diplomat arrives for an audience with the Emperor, he is enraptured by the Joseon Dynasty's magnificent culture, then at its zenith. But all fades away when he sees Yi Jin perform the traditional Dance of the Spring Oriole. Though well aware that women of the court belong to the palace, the young diplomat confesses his love to the Emperor, and gains permission for Yi Jin to accompany him back to France.A world away in Belle Epoque Paris, Yi Jin lives a free, independent life, away from the gilded cage of the court, and begins translating and publishing Joseon literature into French with another Korean student. But even in this new world, great sorrow awaits her. Betrayal, jealousy, and intrigue abound, culminating with the tragic assassination of the last Joseon empress-and the poisoned pages of a book.Rich with historic detail and filled with luminous characters, Korea's most beloved novelist brings a lost era to life in a story that will resonate long after the final page.

Review Quotes

A meditation on the social changes that force people to confront the double-edged swords of tradition and modernism. Shin is a distinctive and engaging writer whose work richly deserves a wide American audience.

A fascinating and lyrical portrayal of a woman and a country at the crossroads of history. Beautifully and evocatively written, the moving and ultimately tragic story of Yi Jin's life resonates like the melodic sound of the Korean flute and lingers hauntingly in your mind. Highly recommended.

An absolute pleasure. Shin has shown us the heart of pre-modern Korea with all the heart and mind she herself always lends to her writing.

A gorgeous epic that seamlessly combines history and fiction to create a hybrid masterpiece. The court dancer's latest journey west should command substantial, eager audiences.

About the Author

Kyung-Sook Shin is one of South Korea's most widely read and acclaimed novelists. She is the author of I'll Be Right There and Please Look After Mom, which was a New York Times bestseller and a Man Asian Literary Prize winner.