This was a very interesting story, told in a non-linear format. I had some difficulty following the thread of it at points, but overall I enjoyed the story itself. It was a very abstract format, but perhaps this is common in Korean writing?

Ginny, the main character, was a difficult nut to crack. I think I had difficulty truly understanding her feelings. It was not always clear why she responded in the ways that she did. I did get used to her train of thoughts over time and I think, overall, I like her as the main character.

This book tackled some difficult topics, particularly that of feeling you don't belong anywhere, a foreigner in your own country. I feel like I learned about the strain that Japanese-Koreans feel quite a bit by reading this book, but I definitely want to read more, because I think this book merely scratches the surface. It is a rather short story, after all.

I think, overall, I enjoyed the book. It took some time to get used to and I never felt a strong desire to keep turning the page, but I still felt I was reading something worthwhile and wanted to finish.

For the first time, Chesil's young adult novel The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart has been translated into English. This now gives the book a wider audience, introducing teenagers from all over the world to Japanese-born Korean teen Ginny, a girl who just can't seem to fit in no matter what country she lives in.

The book opens in Oregon, the state where Ginny has been sent to live with a host mother. Judging by her impending suspension from school, it's clear that Ginny is not a good student and feels like an outcast. The same thing happened to her at her school in Hawaii. And something happened to her in Japan that caused her to leave that country for a new one.

Slowly, Ginny's past life is revealed - a girl of Korean descent living in Japan and being made to feel like "the other". No matter what school she goes to - Japanese or Korean - there's always some barrier that prevents her from fitting in with her classmates. And Ginny soon learns that when North Korea is the enemy, the world outside of Ginny's school doesn't want her either. Ginny's frustration and anger all come to a head with an incident involving portraits of the North Korean leaders.

Based on the author's own experience growing up as a Zainichi Korean, this novel tells a complex story about a girl coming to terms with prejudice and injustice, and searching for a place to belong.

The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart is published by Soho Teen and is available to purchase now. I received a free e-ARC.

This felt like something I would like, but it didn't grab me. I ended up not finishing this title. I really think that others will enjoy it though.

The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart
by Chesil
Pub Date: April 5, 2022
Soho Teen
* multicultural * Young Adult
Thanks to the author, Soho Teen and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I am unfamiliar with Korean culture and possibly this is why I just didn't connect to this book.
It was a beautifully written book about a young Korean girl growing up in Japan. I wish there was more to the story - it leaves large gaps in the narrative towards the end that I would like to know more about. Maybe I was just lost in translation because I know this book has received many awards.
But for me... just 3 stars

I was initially really excited to pick this up because it has been compared to both Pachinko and Go, two books that I really loved. I guess you could say that my expectations were probably too high because of this, but from the very beginning I didn’t really love the writing style of this book. It’s hard to say if the simple writing is the same in Japanese, but I never found myself getting into a proper cadence with it. Since, Takami Nieda also translated Go, I think it has more to do with the original than the translation. However, I also never felt fully emotionally invested in the characters.

Aside from Ginny, basically all the characters are one-dimensional and lacked anything to make me feel anything. Don’t get me wrong, I think that racism is wrong and that alone makes me feel something, but that is my own morals and has nothing to do with the writing skill of the author or her ability to tell a story.

I know that this is semi-autobiographical and I always feel a bit weird rating stories like this. I feel like I’m passing judgement on their life, which I’m not. I’m passing judgement on their writing. Well, usually, I can think of one autobiography where I was judging life choices, but that’s not this case for this one. For this book, I just mostly felt disconnected from everything.

As I’m not a complete stranger to the zainichi, I didn’t really need a basic primer as to what that means, but some readers may need more than this book provides. I was looking for some sort of internal struggle between her heritage and the country of her birth, which I didn’t really get. Ginny can hardly speak any Korean at the beginning of this novel, so to say that she’s struggling with any inherited alliance to Korea is not a thing.

Overall, I guess I would recommend this for readers looking for something semi-autobiographical about the zainichi. The only reason I made it past the 20% mark was sheer determination and the fact that it is so short. I’m not particularly inclined to pick up anything by Chesil in the future, but I would pick up something else translated by Takami Nieda.

THE COLOR OF THE SKY IS THE SHAPE OF THE HEART
by Chesil
Soho Press, Soho Teen
Out Apr 5.

This is a beautifully written, important and difficult book geared to YA readers. It recounts the painful life of Ginny, once an ethnic Korean in Japan subject to racism and injustice, who experiences continued troubles in the U.S.

We learn her story through a journal and old family letters, a semi-autobiographical account of the life of author, Chesil, which reveals a young angry displaced girl who just wants to belong somewhere. A highly admired literary gem in Japan, it is translated into English for the first time. Note: Content warning for sexual assault.

Thanks to the author, Soho Press, Soho Teen, and NetGalley for the e-ARC. Opinions are mine.

#TheColorOfTheSkyISTheShapeOfTheHeart
#Chesil #semiautobiography #sohopresssohoteen #NetGalley #YAfictionbook #KoreanTransplantToJapan #bookstgramcommunity

The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart came to my attention because it was shortlisted for or won a number of awards in Japan (won the Gunzo Prize for New Writers and was shortlisted for the Akutagawa Prize, among other honors). This is a novella about Ginny Park, a high school student from Tokyo living in Oregon who goes on a road trip with Stephanie, the picture book author who took her in after she was expelled from her last school. Soho’s marketing for this book compares it to Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko and Sandra Cisneros’s House on Mango Street, which is pretty accurate. Ginny’s story of why she had to leave Japan intersects with real-world historical events that give more color to the background to Pachinko, the epic three-generation saga of a Korean family in Japan.

Takami Nieda is a Japanese American translator who focuses on the work of writers of Korean heritage who write in Japanese. Her translation is smooth and gives this novella a literary feel. The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart is really a character portrait of Ginny, and even though she’s young, I’m not sure I’d recommend it to YA fans. The main appeal is the historical perspective, and the language lacks the immediacy of a lot of current YA and has a slower style more reminiscent of adult fiction.

CW for sexual assault

While it starts very slow, once I got into this thoughtful and heartfelt little book, I couldn't put it down. I think it fills a void in YA lit published in English, as well as in Asian lit translated to English. I knew that since Korea's occupation, there is a population of ethnic Koreans in Japan and that they experienced enormous amounts of racism, but beyond that, I knew almost nothing else. This semi-autobiographical novel succeeds in both shining light on that culture and delivering a portrait of an angry, lost, and searching girl, who you can't help but be drawn to. Jinhee/Ginny is such an interesting and emotive character, and while I do think this novel was the perfect length, I would also have been happy to read more of her narration. Definitely recommend this small but powerful book, though I do recommend checking trigger warnings.

This story follows Ginny throughout her time as a Korean in Japan as well as her travel to America. The timeline of this book was honestly a little difficult to follow. I don't think it helped that I don't know much about how the school system works in Japan. I'm not a huge fan of stories that switch times, especially without giving proper warning. This story had some glimmers of hope: a girl, an outsider since birth, now an outsider at her schools. A young girl who is frustrated with her home country and doesn't understand how to handle it. However, I don't feel as if the time switching format was appropriate for the story that was trying to be told. I also know this was translated into English. I think adding some more explanation for non-Japanese readers would be beneficial. Overall, I think there were some bright spots in the book, but it was not my favorite.

Thank you Net Galley for this arc.
This is a difficult book to rate and review as there wasn’t anything inherently bad about it, it just wasn’t for me. The positives would be that it was quick to read and the overall themes were interesting enough for me to want to finish the story. The negatives; Firstly, this definitely should be a longer book for the English translation, I think that the book doesn’t really do a good job of explaining all of the connotations behind what being an ethnic Korean born in Japan means, and that lessens the impact of the MCs story. I believe the average person won’t know exactly all of the information surrounding the MCs life in Japan, despite the darker scenes in the book depicting her struggle. This is a semi-biographical book and I think that the story struggles to get across the seriousness of everything happening, it felt underwhelming and almost not facetious. This may have something to do with the writing style, which was short and simple (perhaps this is due to the translation?). I can understand why this was a popular and impactful book with its original publication as it was for the people who have lived a similar life to the MC or know a lot about it, which I personally did not. I think this is worth the read despite my rating as some people could get a lot from this story, I was just sadly disappointed.

This was a beautifully written book about a young Korean girl growing up in Japan. I wish there was more to the story - it leaves large gaps in the narrative towards the end that I would like to know more about.

A book worth reading, for sure. The potential for serious conversations and real dialogue is there for all readers. I do wish some of the plot was filled in and not left for the reader to speculate on - like how did Ginny get to a school in Hawaii and what tile did her parents play in that? And then to Oregon?

The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart by Chesil and translated by Takami Nieda seems like a coming-of-age story. It some ways it is. However, more dominantly, it is a story about the anger and trauma of a young Zainichi Korean girl named Ginny Park. The term “Zainichi Korean” refers to the Koreans and their descendants who originally came to Japan before 1945. Their history is wrought with discrimination and hardships – many of which continue to this day.

This is important to note when reading this book. Ginny’s hardships and the trauma she faces are not unique. Rather, hers is a story of many who are often silenced. Through the book, readers are able to catch a glimpse of what that life may be like. Alternatively, maybe you can relate to Ginny’s struggles. In either case, the impact of The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart is undeniable.

The Story
The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart cover
The story starts in Oregon in 2003. Ginny Park is seventeen years old and about to get expelled yet again. Even though she lives with a wonderful and supportive host mother, Stephanie, she can’t seem to open up and continues to struggle. Even so, a note of Stephanie’s she finds that reads, The sky is about to fall. Where do you go?, continues to nag at her mind.

These thoughts and her despair lead her on a journey to find herself and her home. On this journey, Ginny reflects on her childhood in Japan and what prompted her first to run to Hawaii and then Oregon in the first place. As truth after truth is revealed, a clear image of the ongoing battle she has endured emerges. Issues of race and nationality are at the forefront and it’s a battle that Ginny has been fighting alone her whole life.

Short and Sweet
While the content of The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart introduces extremely heavy themes, the presentation makes it very approachable. Whether intentional or not, the effect is astounding. The story first begins in Ginny’s present, but quickly reverts back to her past experiences as she reflects on her life. Some chapters last mere paragraphs. This makes the book easy to pick up and easy to put down – important when reading such heavy content.

It also makes the content easier to understand. Each memory is contained within its own chapter and focuses pretty closely on that topic. That memory then triggers another and so on. Not only easy, this is simply how most memories work. We think of one thing and that leads us to think of another. It makes Ginny feel all the more real – which adds even more impact to her narrative.

The Translation
The translation of this book was undoubtedly challenging and Takami Nieda has absolutely shown their prowess in this work. The content is dark, but somehow casual in presentation. Maintaining such a balance is something only a skilled writer and translator could achieve. The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart reads fluently and without stiff awkwardness. Nieda nailed it.

This becomes even clearer when you realize there are Korean phrases and words used in the novel. Not only did Nieda have to tackle translating such a complex topic into English, there is also Korean word play. This only adds an extra layer of difficulty into the translation process. It’s clear the Korean is distinguishable in the original Japanese text, so an equivalent had to be found for the English too. That distinction was also in this translation – flawlessly so.

In Conclusion
The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart is an exceptional read. It deals with issues of race and nationality, as well as tackling issues of trauma in teens. While there are other books that address this topic, The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart is definitely on the more approachable end of the spectrum. It was a fantastic and educational read. Anybody interested in issues of race and nationality in Japan should definitely pick this one up!

I requested The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart mostly because the cover is beautiful (I will happily trade some of my money for a poster of the gorgeous cover art, hint, hint Soho Teen). A beautifully woven story of growing up, specifically as a Zainichi Korean in Japan, identity, and belonging that is hard to put down once you begin. This book is most definitely for anyone who enjoyed the heart and the history in Pachinko.

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one.

I don't know even how to rate it 3.5 or 4 stars.

The Colour of the Sky Is the Shape of the Heart by Chesil, was originally published in Japanese and it is inspired by the author's childhood.

Told in first person by Ginny/Jinhee Park, the novel is divided into two big moments: present life 2003, in Oregon, and past life in 90s Japan. We are introduced to very few distinctive one-dimensional characters in both present and past Ginny's lives.

Jinhee is a Zainichi, a term referring to Koreans born in Japan after WWII, facing discrimination and bullying from being a Korean yet unable to identify herself with North Korean idealism, Jinhee feels alienated from her peers in school. She feels she doesn't belong anywhere.

"I have lost my name. I can no longer claim my Japanese name or my Korean name. At least, that’s how I feel."

From the mistreatment, abuse, and injustice, she faces and experiences, anger and revolt are accumulating inside her. These events shaped Ginny into a loner, introvert and outsider who doesn't trust easily people or opens about her past in Japan.

Aside from the retelling of Ginny’s story and events that led her to be who she is, a loner and outsider teenager, plus being kicked out of two schools we do not know how exactly Ginny ended up in America nor the role her parents took on it.

I loved the writing, the cultural and historical aspects of the novel, there were so numerous beautiful metaphors, quotes, and the proverb about the sky falling. However, there was little additional information and more depth.

Overall, it was a wonderful story about belonging and finding our place in a "cruel world"

"Sorairo wa kokoro moyou.....The colour of the sky is the shape of the heart. It means no view ever looks the same. And that's a good thing because that means your heart is never the same."

The Colour of the Sky Is the Shape of the Heart by Chesil is a beautifully written book. I was instantly captured by the author's writing style, and the character of Ginny. It's the type of book that you just never want to stop reading i loved every second of it, the authors gorgeous descriptive language, Ginny's character developement, the way the plot unfolded. I just adored the whole thing
It was very insightful into topics of discrimination and the experience of Zainichi Korean's in Japan, which is something as a white Australian i knew very little about prior to reading this.
You can tell that a lot of care was taken in writing this book, and i can't wait to buy a physical copy once it has been published.
Thankyou to Netgalley for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book

I was attracted to this book by the topic of Zainichi Koreans. When I lived in Japan, I remembered seeing school girls wearing the traditional Korean clothes and I wondered how they felt announcing their nationality to everyone. I wondered if they were teased and how they felt being "outed" so to speak. Were they proud, scared, resigned? When you walk through the streets or train station you can't always tell people's nationalities if they are Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. But these girls stood out via their clothing. They were literally announcing their minority status.

This book was not smooth reading for me at first. I'm not sure if that is the fault of the translator or if it is simply the author's style. But I continued on gamely, and I am glad that I did. By the time I finished the book, I felt it had all come together and that this is an important read that needs to be noticed and absorbed.

There's a lot to this book. And there should be a wide readership. It lends itself to class discussion and can be a wake up call on so many different levels. I do wish it read a little more smoothly, but perhaps the awkwardness will end up being a plus for many readers.

The Color of the Sky Is the Shape of the Heart is a fascinating story that will break new ground with western readers who are unaware of the prejudice and hostility Koreans felt and may still feel in Japan. In the story, high-schooler Ginny is struggling to find her footing in her school in Oregon after bouncing from Japanese school to Korean school in Japan, and then to a school in Hawaii, and finally to the school she attends as a ward of a foster parent in Oregon. While everyone seems to "get" Ginny's problems, no one has traced them back to their source to understand Ginny and help her understand herself. When she has three days to earn her way back into school or be expelled, she must reckon with the ghosts that have haunted her and driven her actions or lose the stability her homestay parent Stephanie has provided.

As a character, Ginny is real and frustrating and confusing, just like many teens who have faced trauma and uncertainty and made their own way through them. Her actions are authentic and credible, and the author does an excellent job of conveying the teen angst and strength and confusion so clearly. As a plot, the story is gripping and maintained my interest, even through the non-linear storyline, which is a challenge in itself. Ginny's problems are real and elicit sympathy, and they bind readers to her, making us root for her to make it out of the torment that has bound her.

Some elements are less clear, and they take time for readers to understand, like the letters from Ginny's grandfather and his North Korean daughter, the aunt Ginny never meets. While Ginny is a well-developed character, the supporting characters seem flat and undeveloped. In a literary sense, this parallels Ginny's own feelings of being different, separate, and unattached, but this lack of character development extends even to her parents, Umma and Appa, whom she loves. She shows her devotion to her father when she leaps onto a crowded train to get back the Walkman he gave her, but he, like other characters, never comes to life in the story. Finally, this novel is a translation, and the translator worked to capture not only the plot, but also the true feeling and tone of the story. At times, the text sounds stilted or blunt, rather than smooth and fluid. While this may be a result of the translation, it may also be in keeping with the story's original language. Either way, the text itself conveys the story, but it does so without beautifully crafted language that would help readers see and feel the story as it progresses.

I loved the resilience and courage Ginny shows, even when she exercises them in ways that bring trouble. I also loved seeing her come of age and process her pain, opening up to Stephanie and sharing her hurt to help her heal. I would recommend this novel to middle and high school readers because of the insight it gives into the struggles of Zainichi Koreans in Japan through the story of one brave and persistent girl.

The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart by Chesil was a thoughtful YA contemporary read. I feel it was perhaps a mistake to reference Pachinko in the blurb because, while they tackle the same theme, they do so on a different scale and with a different audience in mind, so if you come to this book expecting something like Pachinko, you might be disappointed. The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart is a story on a much smaller scale, but it is no less impactful for that. Ginny was an engaging character who caught my interest from the start and held it throughout. You could really see her grow throughout the course of the story as she dealt with the difficulty of always being an outsider. Her story contained some dark moments and difficult themes, but ultimately there was a spark of hope. I consumed the book in a single night and it gets a solid 4-star rating from me.

A gorgeous story of growing up a minority in Japan, translated into English for the first time. From attending a North Korean middle school, to experiencing deeply traumatic hate crime, to rebellion and institutionalization to finding a sense of peace, this book is an unforgettable character-driven journey. CW: Includes depiction of sexual assault of a minor, instances of hate speak and racism. Highly recommended.