Surrendered

Just a few thoughts about The Surrendered, by Chang-rae Lee, which I just finished this morning. Thankfully. Lee writes beautifully, but I found this book to be so grim and dense that I just wanted it to end, even though Lee wrote some truly memorable characters. The story revolves around June, a refugee from the Korean War and survivor of some truly horrific experiences. An American soldier, Hector Brennan, gets her to an orphanage, and June begins to heal thanks to the minister's wife, Sylvie. Sylvie, Hector, June... they are all damaged and their stories intertwine in interesting (but as I said, grim) ways. It's a great book, but not for someone who wants to be entertained. .