Whale, by Cheon Myeong-kwan
Whale became a South Korean bestseller when it appeared in 2004; translated into English, it earned a spot on the 2023 International Booker Prize longlist. Historical fiction sprinkled with magic realism and bound with graceful prose, Cheon Myeong-kwan's first novel unfolds in the years around the Korean Civil War. While its large-scale setting is matched with a suitably sprawling cast, the narrative centers on a mother and daughter, exploring their relationship to the small town they watch disappear--along with the childhoods and first loves that go with it.