Elisa Shua Dusapin Books
Elisa Shua Dusapin crafts narratives that delve into themes of identity and connection within ambiguous landscapes. Her prose is celebrated for its poetic precision, adept at capturing subtle psychological nuances. Dusapin explores the complexities of human experience with a keen eye for detail and a fresh perspective. Her work invites readers to contemplate the boundaries between cultures and the inner lives of her characters.
"It's winter in Sokcho, a tourist town on the border between South and North Korea. The cold slows everything down. Bodies are red and raw, the fish turn venomous, beyond the beach guns point out from the North's watchtowers. A young French Korean woman works as a receptionist in a tired guesthouse. One evening, an unexpected guest arrives: a French cartoonist determined to find inspiration in this desolate landscape. The two form an uneasy relationship. When she agrees to accompany him on trips to discover an 'authentic' Korea, they visit snowy mountaintops and dramatic waterfalls, and cross into North Korea. But he takes no interest in the Sokcho she knows - the gaudy neon lights, the scars of war, the fish market where her mother works. As she's pulled into his vision and taken in by his drawings, she strikes upon a way to finally be seen."--Publisher description