Me, Then

In ME, THEN Mia Kim effectively guides the reader through more harrowing twists and turns in her protagonist's life as hardships continue, right up to the final pages. This suspenseful and moving work sparkles with figurative language, which is the work's primary strength, and it creates a vivid picture - an affecting and well-crafted historical tale, Kirkus Reviews, December 2021..............................; ME, THEN is a gem of a novel. A modest stone, but engagingly faceted, and beautifully set. It does what all great literature hopes to do, and transports the reader to an unfamiliar world, effortlessly enticing them to live in it awhile, to the gentle benefit of their own humanity. Its prose is Hemingway lean, yet carries a McCullers' charge. It speaks with clarity the words unspoken by its young protagonist, and page by page reveals an aspirant heart and a determined mind that one will never care to forget. It is a divinely empathetic read; a sipping cup of shared experience. I highly recommend it. TERRY JOHNSON, Olivier Award winning dramatist..............................; ME, THEN is an amazing accomplishment. Although set in Korea in the 1960's, the story is at once universal and timeless. It is like something from Charles Dickens in the best possible sense-an epic chronicle of a child's suffering and passage through a crazy but thoroughly human mess of a family. My hat is off to Mia Kim for creating a saga that is wholly authentic and real and that conveys emotions and story power with eloquent simplicity. It's a gift of empathy and courage to anyone who reads it. STEVEN PRESSFIELD, New York Times bestselling author of The Legend of Bagger Vance and Gates of Fire..............................; Deftly paced and beautifully written, ME, THEN is an emotionally gripping cultural immersion. Su-Young, the brave and compelling young Korean protagonist, seems reminiscent of characters from Dickens or the Brontes, facing the same relentless childhood adversity: poverty, abandonment, isolation. A captivating story that lingers far beyond the final pages. BRUNONIA BARRY, New York Times bestselling author of The Lace Reader..............................; Written in powerful, gripping, lyrical prose, ME, THEN is an immersive, heart-wrenching dive into a young girl's quest for a better life. An utterly unforgettable read, Su-young's story resonates long after the final page. ALYSON NOEL, New York Times bestselling author of The Immortals..............................; As a crime author, normally I would have little interest in a story about a vulnerable, young Korean girl growing up in Seoul. But from the first page of Mia Kim's ME, THEN I was hooked. This novel evoked all my emotions, a rollercoaster ride only possible when an author brings believability and authenticity to a narrative set in an unfamiliar world. An incredible story that haunts you until its final scene. LOWELL CAUFFIEL, New York Times bestselling author of House of Secrets