Korea, 1895: Court intrigue and foreign powers threaten the centuries-old hermit kingdom. In a prominent manor, Ji-nah, the young, sheltered ward of the master, and Han, the servant she sees as an older brother, are left in the iron grip of Tutor Lim’s power when Master Yi is called away. When Ji-nah and Han uncover the tutor’s broader conspiracy with the Japanese to overthrow Queen Min, they resolve to save the queen, whose fate seems tied to their master. In the last days of their fallen kingdom, they struggle to rebuild their lives and nation, and find hope in a new world order.
Steeped in the forms and rhythms of Korea at the turn of the century, Last Days of the Morning Calm is a dramatic coming-of-age tale whose tenor captures the spirit of the times.
