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The Young Will Remember
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Expected 5 May 26Win a free kindle copy of this book!
16 days and 12:01:48
50 copies available
U.S. only
A sweeping novel about a correspondent trapped behind enemy lines during the Korean War, and the women who help her find her way home, from the national bestselling author of Daughters of Shandong
“When I found the courage to lift my head, I expected to stare down the barrel of a gun, but instead there was a woman in front of me, the back of her white skirt embroidered with columns of yellow chrysanthemums.”
1950. It’s the coldest winter in decades, and twenty-eight-year-old Chinese American journalist Ellie Chang is on a military flight to cover a battle in the mountains of North Korea when her plane is shot down.
As she emerges from the fallen aircraft onto an icy field surrounded by the enemy, Ellie is sure it’s the end, certain she’ll never make it home to her parents…until a woman pushes her way through the crowd and claims Ellie as the lost daughter that she’s been searching for since the last war ended. Never mind that Ellie doesn’t speak a word of Korean.
Ellie is taken in by her rescuer—a woman who calls herself “Emma”—and the Paks, a pastor’s family. She knows she can’t stay and yet there’s no way she’ll survive on her own.
As the war intensifies, the sky alighting with bombs overhead, Ellie convinces Emma and the Paks to travel south towards an elusive promise of safety, and where Ellie insists they are more likely to find Emma’s real daughter, stuck on the other side of the frontlines.
Emma’s decision to claim Ellie, and Ellie’s choice to take her hand will connect their lives forever.
Moving and triumphant, The Young Will Remember sheds light on a “Forgotten War,” the resilience of love within our darkest histories, and the indefatigable determination of mothers to protect their children.
“When I found the courage to lift my head, I expected to stare down the barrel of a gun, but instead there was a woman in front of me, the back of her white skirt embroidered with columns of yellow chrysanthemums.”
1950. It’s the coldest winter in decades, and twenty-eight-year-old Chinese American journalist Ellie Chang is on a military flight to cover a battle in the mountains of North Korea when her plane is shot down.
As she emerges from the fallen aircraft onto an icy field surrounded by the enemy, Ellie is sure it’s the end, certain she’ll never make it home to her parents…until a woman pushes her way through the crowd and claims Ellie as the lost daughter that she’s been searching for since the last war ended. Never mind that Ellie doesn’t speak a word of Korean.
Ellie is taken in by her rescuer—a woman who calls herself “Emma”—and the Paks, a pastor’s family. She knows she can’t stay and yet there’s no way she’ll survive on her own.
As the war intensifies, the sky alighting with bombs overhead, Ellie convinces Emma and the Paks to travel south towards an elusive promise of safety, and where Ellie insists they are more likely to find Emma’s real daughter, stuck on the other side of the frontlines.
Emma’s decision to claim Ellie, and Ellie’s choice to take her hand will connect their lives forever.
Moving and triumphant, The Young Will Remember sheds light on a “Forgotten War,” the resilience of love within our darkest histories, and the indefatigable determination of mothers to protect their children.
448 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 5, 2026
16 people are currently reading
10099 people want to read
About the author
Eve J. Chung
5 books492 followersEve J. Chung is a Taiwanese American lawyer and women's human rights specialist. She has worked on a range of issues, including torture, sexual violence, contemporary forms of slavery, and discriminatory legislation. Her writing is inspired by social justice movements, and the continued struggle for equality and fundamental freedoms worldwide. She currently lives in New York with her husband, two children, and two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 17, 2025
3.5 stars
Unfortunately, this story relied so heavily on showing rather than telling that it became difficult to read. Despite being set in the 1950s during the turbulent Korean, Chinese, and Japanese war, I never felt fully immersed in the time period. I also agreed with another reviewer who mentioned the forced dialogue, as it often pulled me out of the story and made it harder to stay engaged. By the end, I found myself skimming just to finish.
That said, none of this takes away from the importance of the subject matter. The history of comfort women, essentially sex slaves used by armies worldwide, is an incredibly important and necessary story to tell.
Unfortunately, this story relied so heavily on showing rather than telling that it became difficult to read. Despite being set in the 1950s during the turbulent Korean, Chinese, and Japanese war, I never felt fully immersed in the time period. I also agreed with another reviewer who mentioned the forced dialogue, as it often pulled me out of the story and made it harder to stay engaged. By the end, I found myself skimming just to finish.
That said, none of this takes away from the importance of the subject matter. The history of comfort women, essentially sex slaves used by armies worldwide, is an incredibly important and necessary story to tell.
Want to read
August 30, 2025anything this author writes, i will read. this book is probably gonna break my heart and i’m ready for it
November 26, 2025
If you are tired of reading the same WWII historical fiction about Europe and the Holocaust but still want to get lost in a story from the past, READ THIS. Eve Chung excels at bringing characters to life. The Young Will Remember was hard to put down and I devoured it. Fans of historical fiction will love this book that focuses on regular, everyday people during war, specifically women. It asks the question, who pays the true price of war?
This book looks at the Korean War and the main character is an American journalist whose plane goes down in North Korea in enemy territory. She barely escapes with her life when a local woman takes her to her village. All she can think about is how to get back to her work and the American soldiers/lines.
The woman that saves her is searching for her daughter who was conscripted by the Japanese when she was 14 during WWII. Many girls were taken for comfort stations and factory work and she is holding out hope that she survived the war. Chung addresses head on the atrocities of war and the problematic narrative surrounding "comfort stations." Despite these heavy topics, I found that there was a good balance of information without being overly descriptive/traumatic surrounding these topics. Another fantastic book I haven't stopped thinking about since I finished it. This would make a great bookclub book!
Thank you to netgalley for an ARC to enjoy.
This book looks at the Korean War and the main character is an American journalist whose plane goes down in North Korea in enemy territory. She barely escapes with her life when a local woman takes her to her village. All she can think about is how to get back to her work and the American soldiers/lines.
The woman that saves her is searching for her daughter who was conscripted by the Japanese when she was 14 during WWII. Many girls were taken for comfort stations and factory work and she is holding out hope that she survived the war. Chung addresses head on the atrocities of war and the problematic narrative surrounding "comfort stations." Despite these heavy topics, I found that there was a good balance of information without being overly descriptive/traumatic surrounding these topics. Another fantastic book I haven't stopped thinking about since I finished it. This would make a great bookclub book!
Thank you to netgalley for an ARC to enjoy.
November 27, 2025
This in-depth chronicle of the Korean War follows Chinese American correspondent Ellie Chung, who becomes trapped behind enemy lines after her plane is shot down. She's rescued by Emma, a woman who initially mistakes Ellie for her own daughter. Beyond its vivid depiction of the war, the novel weaves in a powerful secondary narrative: Emma's heartbreaking search for her daughter, who was forced into service as a Japanese comfort woman.
My only criticism—one I've noted in reviews of other books as well—is the inclusion of foreign words without definitions or context. I find this distracting and wish authors would provide translations to help readers stay immersed in the story.
My only criticism—one I've noted in reviews of other books as well—is the inclusion of foreign words without definitions or context. I find this distracting and wish authors would provide translations to help readers stay immersed in the story.
Want to read
September 1, 2025One of my most anticipated reads!!!
Want to read
August 24, 2025pre-release: i'm so excited for this book! daughters of shandong was one of the best debuts ever & i still think abt it almost every day. i've been waiting for this book since and it can't come fast enough.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It’s hard to put into words just how astonishingly beautiful and powerful The Young Will Remember was to read. Eve J. Chung is a force of nature as she viscerally transports the reader into 1950s Korea across active war zones. It’s evident that this novel was an enormous undertaking, from its scope of research on the Korean War, to the attention to minute and everyday details, to vulnerable and deep reflections into humanity in the darkest of times.
In this story, we meet Taiwanese-American war correspondent Eleanor Chang. As an Asian woman, Eleanor has had to pave her own way into this profession and demand respect in a culture that eyes her with suspicion and condescension. We follow her journey into war-torn North Korea where she faces deadly threats, starvation, and the ever-present danger of hiding her true identity behind enemy lines. Along the way, she finds surprising tenderness and love among a found family, and collects stories from the people she meets— from young Chinese soldiers to North Korean pastors to women who survived sexual slavery in “comfort” stations.
Chung writes in a way where there is no black and white in a war; there is no summarizing its events with a simple history textbook paragraph. Instead, there are unending nuances in motivations, biases, and suffering on all sides. In this time of government upheavals, senseless violence, and heavy propaganda, we are led to see that the real immorality lies with the leaders who choose destruction without ever living through the devastating consequences.
“[W]ithout truth, freedom was no more than an illusion, and choice a curated platter. The greatest enemy of democracy was not Communism; it was silence and ignorance, whether willfully undertaken or enforced by law.”
The Young Will Remember is fast-paced, utterly engrossing, highly complex, and emotionally stirring. It’s about living between cultures, about forced survival, and finding active hope when there is no guarantee of how the story ends. It contains beautiful reflections on faith, resistance, and motherhood. The relationship between Ellie and Emma (Eomma) is the most precious part of this story— these characters cling to one other, and are lost in their own ways, but their relationship evolves into something strong and beautiful, defying boundaries of backgrounds and culture. Chung’s renderings of these women and their stories feel so real and tangible.
This book is a must must read for those who don’t know anything about the Korean War, and for those who think they know everything about the Korean War. Honestly, it’s a story for everyone and I would rate it all the stars if I could. Thank you, Eve J. Chung for your words and storytelling, and thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
“No matter how hard some forces try to destroy the beauty in this world, it will persist somewhere. It will survive somewhere, cutting through the dark, untouchable and incomparable. Divine. The old will die, but the young will remember.”
In this story, we meet Taiwanese-American war correspondent Eleanor Chang. As an Asian woman, Eleanor has had to pave her own way into this profession and demand respect in a culture that eyes her with suspicion and condescension. We follow her journey into war-torn North Korea where she faces deadly threats, starvation, and the ever-present danger of hiding her true identity behind enemy lines. Along the way, she finds surprising tenderness and love among a found family, and collects stories from the people she meets— from young Chinese soldiers to North Korean pastors to women who survived sexual slavery in “comfort” stations.
Chung writes in a way where there is no black and white in a war; there is no summarizing its events with a simple history textbook paragraph. Instead, there are unending nuances in motivations, biases, and suffering on all sides. In this time of government upheavals, senseless violence, and heavy propaganda, we are led to see that the real immorality lies with the leaders who choose destruction without ever living through the devastating consequences.
“[W]ithout truth, freedom was no more than an illusion, and choice a curated platter. The greatest enemy of democracy was not Communism; it was silence and ignorance, whether willfully undertaken or enforced by law.”
The Young Will Remember is fast-paced, utterly engrossing, highly complex, and emotionally stirring. It’s about living between cultures, about forced survival, and finding active hope when there is no guarantee of how the story ends. It contains beautiful reflections on faith, resistance, and motherhood. The relationship between Ellie and Emma (Eomma) is the most precious part of this story— these characters cling to one other, and are lost in their own ways, but their relationship evolves into something strong and beautiful, defying boundaries of backgrounds and culture. Chung’s renderings of these women and their stories feel so real and tangible.
This book is a must must read for those who don’t know anything about the Korean War, and for those who think they know everything about the Korean War. Honestly, it’s a story for everyone and I would rate it all the stars if I could. Thank you, Eve J. Chung for your words and storytelling, and thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
“No matter how hard some forces try to destroy the beauty in this world, it will persist somewhere. It will survive somewhere, cutting through the dark, untouchable and incomparable. Divine. The old will die, but the young will remember.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung, the latest novel from the author of Daughters of Shandong, is a haunting and ambitious work that blends historical fiction with moral inquiry. The story follows Ellie Chang, a Chinese American war correspondent covering the Korean War, whose professional determination leads her into peril when she secures passage on a flight into North Korea. The mission ends in catastrophe when the plane is shot down, killing the pilot and leaving Ellie certain she will not survive.
Her life is spared in an unexpected and deeply human moment: a grief-stricken woman mistakes Ellie for her long-lost daughter and claims her amid the chaos. Though the woman is tragically mistaken, she shelters Ellie and brings her to the home of a pastor and his rebellious wife, who nurse her through the injuries she sustained in the crash. This woman’s story soon emerges as one of the novel’s emotional anchors. She fears her real daughter was taken by the Japanese as a “comfort woman” and has devoted her life to searching for her while documenting the testimonies of Korean women who were raped and enslaved during the war.
The novel’s central arc traces Ellie’s arduous journey south, as she and her protector navigate bombed-out cities, hunger, and the constant threat of death. As Ellie struggles to find her way home, she also confronts a more complicated truth about war: decency, courage, and compassion exist on all sides of the conflict—a perspective that clashes with the simplified narratives promoted by the press.
Upon returning home, Ellie dedicates her life to the same mission as the woman who saved her, ensuring that the voices of comfort women are neither erased nor forgotten.
My response to the novel is ultimately mixed. While I was initially captivated by its premise and emotional gravity, the prolonged journey toward safety grew repetitive and, at times, lacked narrative tension, diminishing its impact and momentum. Nevertheless, Chung’s exploration of the suffering of comfort women, the resilience of women in wartime, and the enduring power of familial love addresses a vital and often overlooked history. Despite its flaws, The Young Will Remember remains an important and sobering read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review
Her life is spared in an unexpected and deeply human moment: a grief-stricken woman mistakes Ellie for her long-lost daughter and claims her amid the chaos. Though the woman is tragically mistaken, she shelters Ellie and brings her to the home of a pastor and his rebellious wife, who nurse her through the injuries she sustained in the crash. This woman’s story soon emerges as one of the novel’s emotional anchors. She fears her real daughter was taken by the Japanese as a “comfort woman” and has devoted her life to searching for her while documenting the testimonies of Korean women who were raped and enslaved during the war.
The novel’s central arc traces Ellie’s arduous journey south, as she and her protector navigate bombed-out cities, hunger, and the constant threat of death. As Ellie struggles to find her way home, she also confronts a more complicated truth about war: decency, courage, and compassion exist on all sides of the conflict—a perspective that clashes with the simplified narratives promoted by the press.
Upon returning home, Ellie dedicates her life to the same mission as the woman who saved her, ensuring that the voices of comfort women are neither erased nor forgotten.
My response to the novel is ultimately mixed. While I was initially captivated by its premise and emotional gravity, the prolonged journey toward safety grew repetitive and, at times, lacked narrative tension, diminishing its impact and momentum. Nevertheless, Chung’s exploration of the suffering of comfort women, the resilience of women in wartime, and the enduring power of familial love addresses a vital and often overlooked history. Despite its flaws, The Young Will Remember remains an important and sobering read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
If you love historical fiction with a focus on women's war efforts, The Young Will Remember is absolutely for you. Through Ellie's experiences, I learned an unbelievable amount about the Korean War and its effect on young women especially.
The Young Will Remember follows Ellie, an Asian American journalist in the 1950s covering the Korean War, when her plane is shot down. She's left stranded in enemy territory, until she's rescued by a woman, Emma, who has been searching for her daughter since the last war. And Ellie has to find her way back to the American stronghold, but bonds with those she encounters along the way shed a light on the true meaning and effect of the war.
I absolutely loved the variety of female characters and their resiliency. The contrast among Emma, Imo, and Ellie's personalities and reactions made for intriguing characters and relationships. And the emphasis on the strength of women during war was excellent. While I could make an educated guess as to the effect of war on Korean women, I had no idea the extent to which they were abused. The stories of comfort women were absolutely heartbreaking and so good on the author for bringing to attention to this topic.
I also enjoyed the focus on the effect of war on everyday citizens and how Ellie had to live directly through American war actions, where she experienced the destruction coming from her own country. It forced her to question what was right and wrong, and she experienced firsthand the stark difference in what the American government was telling its citizens. And I liked how the author emphasized Ellie's reflection on what it would be like for her if her parents never emigrated from Taiwan to California and how easily she could be in a war torn situation like the women around her.
In general too, I appreciated reading about Ellie's experiences as an Asian American and as an Asian American woman in the 1950s. And the ending was absolutely perfect. Such an enlightening read!
Thank you so much to Berkley Pub for sending me an ARC of The Young Will Remember. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)
The Young Will Remember follows Ellie, an Asian American journalist in the 1950s covering the Korean War, when her plane is shot down. She's left stranded in enemy territory, until she's rescued by a woman, Emma, who has been searching for her daughter since the last war. And Ellie has to find her way back to the American stronghold, but bonds with those she encounters along the way shed a light on the true meaning and effect of the war.
I absolutely loved the variety of female characters and their resiliency. The contrast among Emma, Imo, and Ellie's personalities and reactions made for intriguing characters and relationships. And the emphasis on the strength of women during war was excellent. While I could make an educated guess as to the effect of war on Korean women, I had no idea the extent to which they were abused. The stories of comfort women were absolutely heartbreaking and so good on the author for bringing to attention to this topic.
I also enjoyed the focus on the effect of war on everyday citizens and how Ellie had to live directly through American war actions, where she experienced the destruction coming from her own country. It forced her to question what was right and wrong, and she experienced firsthand the stark difference in what the American government was telling its citizens. And I liked how the author emphasized Ellie's reflection on what it would be like for her if her parents never emigrated from Taiwan to California and how easily she could be in a war torn situation like the women around her.
In general too, I appreciated reading about Ellie's experiences as an Asian American and as an Asian American woman in the 1950s. And the ending was absolutely perfect. Such an enlightening read!
Thank you so much to Berkley Pub for sending me an ARC of The Young Will Remember. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This historical novel about a fictional Chinese-American journalist, Ellie Chung, who becomes trapped behind enemy lines early in the Korean War after her plane is shot down near the Chosin Reservoir is also a story about the history of the Japanese occupation of Korea in the first half of the 20th century. Ellie is rescued from Chinese soldiers fighting for North Korea by Emma, a woman who initially thinks Ellie is her own daughter, who was, at age fourteen, taken by the Japanese toward the end of WWII as a sex slave in one of the Japanese “comfort stations.”
The resiliency of the characters in this novel, particularly the women, was remarkable—and totally credible. All of the main characters were beautifully rendered, with story lines that perfectly matched the personalities that Ms. Chung expertly gave them. I only recently learned about the Korean “comfort women” in another ARC, Honey in the Wound by Jiyoung Han, and I was glad that this novel did not dwell in the horrors associated therewith, even though the fact of that horrific practice was a central part of Emma’s story.
Ellie’s saga, as she tries to make her way at least to the 38th Parallel, while helping the new friends that saved her, is a compelling read, particularly as the United States carries out its almost nightly bombing raids on North Korean villages where she has been hiding as she makes her way south.
Having read and loved Ms. Chung’s debut novel, Daughters of Shandong, I was very much looking forward to this book. It did not disappoint. As the daughter of a veteran of the Korean War, I was happy to get a small glimpse of what it was like during that “police action;” my dad never spoke about his time in Korea. For people who are interest in learning about the Korean War, particularly its impact on the people who lived there generally and women specifically, I highly recommend this novel, which has the candor of a memoir and the lyrical prose of a classic.
Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Ms. Chung, for providing me with an ARC of this book, due to be released on May 5, 2026.
The resiliency of the characters in this novel, particularly the women, was remarkable—and totally credible. All of the main characters were beautifully rendered, with story lines that perfectly matched the personalities that Ms. Chung expertly gave them. I only recently learned about the Korean “comfort women” in another ARC, Honey in the Wound by Jiyoung Han, and I was glad that this novel did not dwell in the horrors associated therewith, even though the fact of that horrific practice was a central part of Emma’s story.
Ellie’s saga, as she tries to make her way at least to the 38th Parallel, while helping the new friends that saved her, is a compelling read, particularly as the United States carries out its almost nightly bombing raids on North Korean villages where she has been hiding as she makes her way south.
Having read and loved Ms. Chung’s debut novel, Daughters of Shandong, I was very much looking forward to this book. It did not disappoint. As the daughter of a veteran of the Korean War, I was happy to get a small glimpse of what it was like during that “police action;” my dad never spoke about his time in Korea. For people who are interest in learning about the Korean War, particularly its impact on the people who lived there generally and women specifically, I highly recommend this novel, which has the candor of a memoir and the lyrical prose of a classic.
Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Ms. Chung, for providing me with an ARC of this book, due to be released on May 5, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Literally will read anything Eve Chung writes🙂↕️.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This book will likely be in my top 10 for this year.
A Taiwanese American journalist is shot down over enemy territory during the Korean War, barely escaping with her life before a local woman spirits her away to a rural village in North Korea. What begins as a story of one woman's survival unfurls into something far more layered: a reckoning with the gap between state rhetoric on victory and liberation and the civilian cost those words so often conceal. At first, the novel moves along familiar lines: escape, concealment, the urgent desire to return to one’s home. But as Ellie settles uneasily into village life, the narrative shifts its gravity. Chung insists that we retell the stories of comfort women and the countless other women whose lives were conscripted by nationalist mythmaking, refusing to let those histories calcify into footnotes. In many American war novels, such a premise might be marshaled into a story of heroes and victors. Chung does the opposite: she muddles the idea of victory and asks what does triumph mean when families are permanently fractured and women’s bodies become battlefields. She offers no clean closure, no patriotic reassurance to soften the blow. Instead, she exposes how ordinary lives are indelibly marked by the decisions of nations, how policies drafted in distant rooms reverberate in kitchens, prison cells, and refugee camps. She shows how ordinary people must learn to be archivists in training, sifting rumor from fact, myth from propaganda, memory from official record. It is only through them that these stories will endure.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This book will likely be in my top 10 for this year.
A Taiwanese American journalist is shot down over enemy territory during the Korean War, barely escaping with her life before a local woman spirits her away to a rural village in North Korea. What begins as a story of one woman's survival unfurls into something far more layered: a reckoning with the gap between state rhetoric on victory and liberation and the civilian cost those words so often conceal. At first, the novel moves along familiar lines: escape, concealment, the urgent desire to return to one’s home. But as Ellie settles uneasily into village life, the narrative shifts its gravity. Chung insists that we retell the stories of comfort women and the countless other women whose lives were conscripted by nationalist mythmaking, refusing to let those histories calcify into footnotes. In many American war novels, such a premise might be marshaled into a story of heroes and victors. Chung does the opposite: she muddles the idea of victory and asks what does triumph mean when families are permanently fractured and women’s bodies become battlefields. She offers no clean closure, no patriotic reassurance to soften the blow. Instead, she exposes how ordinary lives are indelibly marked by the decisions of nations, how policies drafted in distant rooms reverberate in kitchens, prison cells, and refugee camps. She shows how ordinary people must learn to be archivists in training, sifting rumor from fact, myth from propaganda, memory from official record. It is only through them that these stories will endure.
December 1, 2025
I was so surprised! How often do the books you hype up in your head really live up to the same expectations afterwards? The Young Will Remember surpassed them.
By the end, it had me in tears, and not when I expected it to.
I felt trapped in the Korean War with the main character, Ellie, a Chinese American journalist. I fell in love with the amazing women she lived and fought with along the way.
I felt seen in the details. It unlocked the most random childhood memories for me. Being Asian American and finding pieces of myself in a historical fiction was such a unique experience.
Most of all, I felt the weight of what Eve was trying to portray here in this beautifully, intentionally crafted book. The Young Will Remember “is a story about women activists, and the impact of war on women”.
Ellie is a brave, passionate journalist who makes one decision that changes the trajectory of her life and intertwines her story with the lives of the enemies. It makes you question what is right and wrong. It brings hope and heartache.
If you are a fan of historical fiction who wants to learn more about the Korean War, to question the decisions of entire countries, or wants a sneak peak of what is ongoing today across other countries…this is for you.
Thank you to the author and @berkleypub for the ARC! Thank you to @netgalley for making this possible!
All opinions are honestly and my own. This book exceeded my expectations!
By the end, it had me in tears, and not when I expected it to.
I felt trapped in the Korean War with the main character, Ellie, a Chinese American journalist. I fell in love with the amazing women she lived and fought with along the way.
I felt seen in the details. It unlocked the most random childhood memories for me. Being Asian American and finding pieces of myself in a historical fiction was such a unique experience.
Most of all, I felt the weight of what Eve was trying to portray here in this beautifully, intentionally crafted book. The Young Will Remember “is a story about women activists, and the impact of war on women”.
Ellie is a brave, passionate journalist who makes one decision that changes the trajectory of her life and intertwines her story with the lives of the enemies. It makes you question what is right and wrong. It brings hope and heartache.
If you are a fan of historical fiction who wants to learn more about the Korean War, to question the decisions of entire countries, or wants a sneak peak of what is ongoing today across other countries…this is for you.
Thank you to the author and @berkleypub for the ARC! Thank you to @netgalley for making this possible!
All opinions are honestly and my own. This book exceeded my expectations!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Young Will Remember is an immersive and grand story that is a must read for any historical fiction fan
Set in the 1950's, Ellie Chang is an Asian American journalist who is covering the Korean war. Early on in her journey, her plane is unexpectedly shot out of the sky and she is left trapped in enemy territory. She is then rescued by a woman named Emma, who claims Ellie is her lost daughter. As the battles continue and after finding out her daughter was taken during the last war, Ellie convinces Emma to set out with her to find her missing family and get back home
This book reminds me of why I love historical fiction. It teaches you something about a point in time while also making it feel personal. I knew very little about the Korean war and what people went through, but I felt like I was a fly on the wall watching Ellie's journey unfold
As per usual with the genre, it does have its fair share of sensitive topics. I feel that the author handled these very respectfully. She gives us just enough description of them to tell us what's going on without making it feel crude
Do not skip reading the author's note at the end
The Young Will Remember is a fantastic read. I have not read Eve J. Chung's other published novel, but now I definitely will
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and Eve J. Chung for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review
Set in the 1950's, Ellie Chang is an Asian American journalist who is covering the Korean war. Early on in her journey, her plane is unexpectedly shot out of the sky and she is left trapped in enemy territory. She is then rescued by a woman named Emma, who claims Ellie is her lost daughter. As the battles continue and after finding out her daughter was taken during the last war, Ellie convinces Emma to set out with her to find her missing family and get back home
This book reminds me of why I love historical fiction. It teaches you something about a point in time while also making it feel personal. I knew very little about the Korean war and what people went through, but I felt like I was a fly on the wall watching Ellie's journey unfold
As per usual with the genre, it does have its fair share of sensitive topics. I feel that the author handled these very respectfully. She gives us just enough description of them to tell us what's going on without making it feel crude
Do not skip reading the author's note at the end
The Young Will Remember is a fantastic read. I have not read Eve J. Chung's other published novel, but now I definitely will
Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and Eve J. Chung for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved this book. It was a difficult read at times, but I couldn't put it down. I initially thought in the first few chapters that Ms. Chung was going to give me another wartime love story. Thankfully this was not the case, because I feel that there wasn't a place for that in this particular story. I wasn't very familiar with the Korean War and had to do a little research to put the political climate of that time in context. The descriptive writing really made me feel like I was there and living Emma's experience. I appreciated the author's ability to offer an unbiased view of the events. None of the parties ever win in a war and we are quick to villify the enemy.
“People everywhere are the same,” I finally said, channeling my friend Machiko. “Regardless of their nationality, they can be kind, and they can be cruel. The world has many selfish leaders, stupid leaders, and terrifying leaders, but it is largely filled with people who want to be good. It doesn’t matter where you are in this life. Just pick somewhere where you can live and do good— where your nation does not depend on the ambition and whims of a single man, where you can change your leaders when they fail you.”
I am recommending this book to everyone. It covers a time in history mostly forgotten and yet very relevant, particularly with what's happening in the world right now. It will stay with you a long time.
“People everywhere are the same,” I finally said, channeling my friend Machiko. “Regardless of their nationality, they can be kind, and they can be cruel. The world has many selfish leaders, stupid leaders, and terrifying leaders, but it is largely filled with people who want to be good. It doesn’t matter where you are in this life. Just pick somewhere where you can live and do good— where your nation does not depend on the ambition and whims of a single man, where you can change your leaders when they fail you.”
I am recommending this book to everyone. It covers a time in history mostly forgotten and yet very relevant, particularly with what's happening in the world right now. It will stay with you a long time.
March 11, 2026
This book by Evie J. Chung is every bit as good as her book of Shandong, if not even better. It is 1950 and Ellie Chang, a war correspondent is a Chinese American. The flight she’s on is shot down in North Korea and everyone on board is shot dead by soldiers. Ellie is spared because of a Korean lady mistaking her as her daughter. Although Ellie isn’t killed by the soldiers, she is trapped in North Korea during a raging war. She’s taken in by Emma, the lady mistaking her for her daughter and the Korean family that she’s staying with. Emma is desperately trying to find her daughter who has been drafted by the Japanese into the Comfort Stations which are systems of sexual slavery, also known as rape stations. Emma is determined to find her daughter as the war rages all around them. Ellie is determined to get back to her family in the US. This is the story of their journey through an unbelievable period of history.
The story in this book is full of cruelty, death, starvation, betrayal, heart break, fear, and bravery. But, it is about wonderful people, perseverance, and unconditional love. It sheds light on just how strong women can be, especially when it comes to the love they have for their children. I highly recommend this book.
The story in this book is full of cruelty, death, starvation, betrayal, heart break, fear, and bravery. But, it is about wonderful people, perseverance, and unconditional love. It sheds light on just how strong women can be, especially when it comes to the love they have for their children. I highly recommend this book.
Review of advance copy
This book is a great example of why I love historical fiction - it's well written with excellent action scenes, and about a topic (the Korean War) that I know little about. Ellie is a young Chinese American journalist in 1950 who becomes stuck behind enemy lines in Korea when her plane is shot down. Miraculously, she is rescued by an older Korean woman who mistakenly thinks that Ellie is her long-lost daughter. With no other choice, Ellie escapes with the woman she names Emma and finds a temporary home of sorts with her and Emma's "on the outs" friend, Omo, her husband, and son. Their relationships with each other are prickly at best, yet Ellie has hopes of heading to Pyongyang on a route home to America. They endure many hardships together, most of which are difficult today for us to imagine. There are language difficulties, hunger and thirst, violence, ethnic rivalries, and forced prostitution. The author portrays the intricacies of the relationships among the Japanese, the Chinese and the Korean people. She also tackles the horrendous reality of "comfort houses" where women were forced into prostitution during the war. A very powerful book about the horrors of war.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I read The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung. This book is about the Korean War, which I knew little about and I am not sure there have been many books written about this period in history. Ellie Chiang is a Chinese/American journalist with an adventurous spirit. Her plane is shot down in North Korea. She is rescued by Emma who believes Ellie is her long-lost daughter who she believes was taken to a Comfort Station in Japan. Ellie becomes a part of the Paks family. Some of the family resents her, especially Imo. The descriptions of war in a Korean winter will make you wonder how anyone can escape such conditions and without food. I did get confused at the many Korean words but since I was reading this as an e-book I could check some meanings. Also, it seemed some of the characters had more than one name and it was difficult to keep them all straight. The history of the Comfort Women (sex slaves) was a new expression for me but is something that happens in every war. This is a very moving book about friendship and the horror of war. It is 4 stars for me and I am thankful to have received this book from BookBrowse and NetGalley. It will be released in May 2026.
February 26, 2026
I rarely give five stars. For me, a five-star rating is reserved for books whose characters stay with me long after the final page... the ones that settle into your heart and soul and refuse to leave. The Young Will Remember is absolutely one of those books.
Going into this novel, I knew very little about the Korean War. What I expected was a good historical story; what I found instead was something deeply human, emotional, and unforgettable. Eve J. Chung brings history to life through characters who feel achingly real — flawed, brave, vulnerable, and enduring in ways that linger long after you close the book.
This story didn’t just entertain me; it educated me. It sent me down a historical research rabbit hole, eager to learn more about a war and a generation whose stories are too often overlooked. That, to me, is the mark of exceptional historical fiction- when fiction becomes a doorway to real history and deeper understanding.
This is not simply a book you read. It’s a book you carry with you.
Going into this novel, I knew very little about the Korean War. What I expected was a good historical story; what I found instead was something deeply human, emotional, and unforgettable. Eve J. Chung brings history to life through characters who feel achingly real — flawed, brave, vulnerable, and enduring in ways that linger long after you close the book.
This story didn’t just entertain me; it educated me. It sent me down a historical research rabbit hole, eager to learn more about a war and a generation whose stories are too often overlooked. That, to me, is the mark of exceptional historical fiction- when fiction becomes a doorway to real history and deeper understanding.
This is not simply a book you read. It’s a book you carry with you.
March 19, 2026
A Captivating and Thought-Provoking Read
A story of human resilience and courage, improbable alliances, and hope against the backdrop of the toll of the Korean War - the atrocities and the destruction.
This book captured and kept my attention from cover to cover. More than simply a historical and militaristic view of the Korean War, the story explored “the cultural and psychological components of the war,” to borrow an observation from Ellie, the story’s central character. Furthermore, while there are many historical fiction books which center around the World Wars, this is the first fiction book I have read focused on the Korean War, specifically in North Korea. Particularly impactful for me as the reader was understanding the war and its toll, not only from a US-centric view, but also from various North Korean lenses.
A 5 star read that will be among my top 5 historical fiction favs this year.
Note: Thanks to the publishers and #BookBrowse for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of the book.
A story of human resilience and courage, improbable alliances, and hope against the backdrop of the toll of the Korean War - the atrocities and the destruction.
This book captured and kept my attention from cover to cover. More than simply a historical and militaristic view of the Korean War, the story explored “the cultural and psychological components of the war,” to borrow an observation from Ellie, the story’s central character. Furthermore, while there are many historical fiction books which center around the World Wars, this is the first fiction book I have read focused on the Korean War, specifically in North Korea. Particularly impactful for me as the reader was understanding the war and its toll, not only from a US-centric view, but also from various North Korean lenses.
A 5 star read that will be among my top 5 historical fiction favs this year.
Note: Thanks to the publishers and #BookBrowse for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of the book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“The old will die, but the young will remember.” This is what we hope when it comes to history.
The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung is a story about the Korean War, “The Forgotten War” and the comfort women used by soldiers during war. It is evident that the author spent countless hours researching in order to write this book. I enjoy reading about time periods I know little about and this was one of those time periods.
Eleanore Chang was a war correspondent for the Global Tribune. She was a Chinese American. Her plane crashed in North Korea. She is surrounded by her enemies and convinced she is about to die. The story is about the relationships she makes with women who are enemies while trying to find her way back to America. She meets Imo and Emma and builds an unbreakable bond. I loved their unlikely connection and relationship.
While I loved learning about the Korean War I found the story dragging in the middle. I continued reading and liked the ending.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung is a story about the Korean War, “The Forgotten War” and the comfort women used by soldiers during war. It is evident that the author spent countless hours researching in order to write this book. I enjoy reading about time periods I know little about and this was one of those time periods.
Eleanore Chang was a war correspondent for the Global Tribune. She was a Chinese American. Her plane crashed in North Korea. She is surrounded by her enemies and convinced she is about to die. The story is about the relationships she makes with women who are enemies while trying to find her way back to America. She meets Imo and Emma and builds an unbreakable bond. I loved their unlikely connection and relationship.
While I loved learning about the Korean War I found the story dragging in the middle. I continued reading and liked the ending.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Very little historical fiction deals with the Korean War. Nonfiction books like The Coldest War by David Halberstam are more common but this war remains shadowy if not forgotten in American history, so a novel set in this period is a very welcome and rare one indeed.
Set in the coldest winter between early December and February, 1950-1951, this stunning work of fiction deals with a Chinese American reporter, Eleanor “Ellie” Chang, after she is shot down in North Korea and is rescued by a Korean woman who identifies her as her daughter. The novel then covers how Ellie is able to get home during this war-torn period. Befriended by “Emma” (the Korean word for mother is close to this word) and the Paks, religious missionaries, the ties Ellie forms in her return to safety are deep and the stuff of why differences do not matter where love prevails.
Ellie is a wonderful character. Smart, strong and resilient, she exhibits the spirit of women - whom many today want to bury from history - who often are the ones who stand strong against the forces of evil and destruction. This book brings this out as well in the other characters who help Ellie.
Kudos to the author for tackling an important piece of history and giving light to proud, defiant women.
I’d like to thank BookBrowse and Beckley Publishing for allowing access to this ARC.
Set in the coldest winter between early December and February, 1950-1951, this stunning work of fiction deals with a Chinese American reporter, Eleanor “Ellie” Chang, after she is shot down in North Korea and is rescued by a Korean woman who identifies her as her daughter. The novel then covers how Ellie is able to get home during this war-torn period. Befriended by “Emma” (the Korean word for mother is close to this word) and the Paks, religious missionaries, the ties Ellie forms in her return to safety are deep and the stuff of why differences do not matter where love prevails.
Ellie is a wonderful character. Smart, strong and resilient, she exhibits the spirit of women - whom many today want to bury from history - who often are the ones who stand strong against the forces of evil and destruction. This book brings this out as well in the other characters who help Ellie.
Kudos to the author for tackling an important piece of history and giving light to proud, defiant women.
I’d like to thank BookBrowse and Beckley Publishing for allowing access to this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Young Will Remember is a complex story with strong character development, an engaging setting, and an honest historical context. The characters are nuanced and presented through multiple points of view. I especially appreciated the emotional journey Ellie experiences throughout the novel. I haven’t read much historical fiction set during the Korean War, particularly one that includes perspectives from North Koreans, Chinese, Chinese Americans, and Americans.
My main critique concerns the inclusion of telegrams from U.S. politicians and letters from Emma and Ella. While I understand the intent to include the perspective of U.S. military leadership, these sections didn’t add much to the story or move it forward and could have been handled differently or omitted.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to readers interested in historical fiction about an underrepresented time period with complex characters.
My main critique concerns the inclusion of telegrams from U.S. politicians and letters from Emma and Ella. While I understand the intent to include the perspective of U.S. military leadership, these sections didn’t add much to the story or move it forward and could have been handled differently or omitted.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to readers interested in historical fiction about an underrepresented time period with complex characters.
December 10, 2025
In 1950, a young, female, American correspondent is trapped behind enemy lines during the Korean War. Her life is entwined with the women who help her find her way home.
READ THIS BOOK!
Eve J. Chung has created exceptionally real characters that made me feel like I was reading Ellie's memoir rather than a fictional novel. Through these characters, she showed how military decisions made over 6,000 miles from North Korea affected the everyday lives of its citizens. This book opened my eyes to the "comfort stations" and the abuse of young Korean women. I did not know much about the Korean War before I read this book, but now I will remember, too.
Do not forget to read the Author's Note at the end of the book.
Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this outstanding book. The comments expressed are my own.
READ THIS BOOK!
Eve J. Chung has created exceptionally real characters that made me feel like I was reading Ellie's memoir rather than a fictional novel. Through these characters, she showed how military decisions made over 6,000 miles from North Korea affected the everyday lives of its citizens. This book opened my eyes to the "comfort stations" and the abuse of young Korean women. I did not know much about the Korean War before I read this book, but now I will remember, too.
Do not forget to read the Author's Note at the end of the book.
Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this outstanding book. The comments expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Well written book about the Korean War, written from the perspective of a Chinese-American war correspondent who ends up in North Korea fighting for her life and desperate to get back to South Korea so she can find American troops who can take her back home. Through her experiences I learnt so much about the Korean war that I didn't know about such as Japan's and China's involvement and how close America came to using atomic weapons. It also covers the topic of comfort women and how there has yet to be an official apology from Japan which is so shocking. The fact that the main character is a woman (rare in the 1950s) and an Asian in an Asian war zone makes the story even more interesting.I think this would make a great book club read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I don’t know about where you went to school, but the Korean War was largely skipped over in the U.S. history courses that I took. I think most of what Americans know about this war came from the TV series MASH. Like most wars, the people making the decisions didn’t have to live with the consequences, like bombing North Korea for 90 days straight. Nothing is black and white in this story. Even among those that are supposed to be the enemy, the main character Ellie finds kindness and help. If you enjoy historical fiction but are tired of reading about the world wars and the Holocaust, this is a different take on a different war.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
This is the captivating story of a war correspondent’s experiences while accidentally stranded in North Korea during the war. The story itself is fiction but is based on real events not well known in 2026. While Ms. Chang presents the awful realities of life in a frozen war zone with accompanying starvation, injuries, fear, sickness and death during the winter of 1950, the book is also deeply human. We witness unexpected kindnesses and connections among people that elevate the story into an unforgettable reader experience.
Particularly moving to this reader is its expression in so many wars occurring right now. The book is totally engrossing. We see the worst but also the best in humans. It’s an important book, especially I think for the young. Very highly recommend.
Review of advance copy
It is 1950 and Ellie Chang, a war correspondent is a Chinese American.
She is in Korea to report on the war, as a female she has more problems with gaining access but she does get a flight that unfortunately crashes. She alone survives and is help by a Korean woman who whom she will stay and move around with through most of the war, trying hard to get back to the Americans.
The book gave a very realistic account of the Korean war, one I knew very little about. The impact on the population who had no say in what was happening and yet their lives were forever ruined.
The book is a very informative read, unlike other reviewers I found it a slow read in parts, wishing perhaps for less description,
All in all a good read for anyone interested in historical fiction,
She is in Korea to report on the war, as a female she has more problems with gaining access but she does get a flight that unfortunately crashes. She alone survives and is help by a Korean woman who whom she will stay and move around with through most of the war, trying hard to get back to the Americans.
The book gave a very realistic account of the Korean war, one I knew very little about. The impact on the population who had no say in what was happening and yet their lives were forever ruined.
The book is a very informative read, unlike other reviewers I found it a slow read in parts, wishing perhaps for less description,
All in all a good read for anyone interested in historical fiction,
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This sweeping historical novel follows Chinese American correspondent Ellie Chang who finds herself stuck in North Korea during the Korean War. With the Soviet Union, Korea, and China hating Americans, and Koreans hating anything Japanese, Ellie was forced to hide her ability to speak Japanese and couldn’t let anyone find out she was American. Read more on my blog about this amazing ARC I was sent by the publisher in exchange for an honest review: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....
March 11, 2026
Despite having great uncles who fought in the Korean War, I knew precious little about it. This is not to say that I became deeply knowledgeable after reading this novel but I did come away knowing more. This fictional account of the bombing of civilians was chilling as well as timely. Throughout the novel, you are presented with the courage of women who find themselves in dangerous and horrific situations and still manage to hope, help, love and endure.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This novel is not your average WWII historical fiction about Europe and the Holocaust. If you want to get lost in a story from the past, READ THIS. Eve Chung excels at bringing all of thecharacters to life. The Young Will Remember was hard to put down and I loved it. Fans of historical fiction will love this book that focuses on regular, everyday people during war, specifically women.
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