The Lucky Gourd Shop

Rating:
Summary: An extraordinarily well-written piece
Review: Adoption is a two-headed coin -- tremendous joy but at someone else's sorrow.

Ms. Scott has taken the memories of her children, combined them with extensive research into the culture and socio-economics of Korea and written not simply a story but a complex profile of what I think is a not-so-untypical family.

It is a portrait of poverty, yes, but painted lovingly and yet without sentimentality. It is, I fear, a much truer face than we would like to see.

The first few pages moved me to tears - and I had to close the book. A few hours later, I picked it up again and read it straight through. I have not been able to stop talking about it ever since.

Mi Sook is a memorable character, and the grandmother's devotion and torment over deciding the fate of her grandchildren will haunt you. Even knowing the eventual outcome did not quell my thirst for more.

It was a wonderful read and I know it is a story that has touched my heart.

Rating:
Summary: Like Verse set to Music
Review: After reading book reviews in The New York Times and The Christian Science Monitor applauding Joanna Catherine Scott's book "The Lucky Gourd Shop" I had to get my own copy. For once I wasn't disappointed. Scott's literary style is brilliant, one that could only be accomplished by a gifted poet. Her words flow like verse set to music. The characters, when introduced, fly from the pages and become real people with a sometimes sad, but often enough uplifting, tale to tell. I love books that take the reader to a different place, one that would be impossible to get to. The Lucky Gourd Shop did that for me. Scott introduces the reader to a South Korea, desolated by war, overrun by poverty. Only the author's personal background in Asia and her passionate research with attention to the most minute of details could have accomplished the presentation of a place so different from the one we inhabit. At times on the journey through "The Lucky Gourd Shop" it's difficult to comprehend that this place exists in our world. Scott's characterizations are outstanding. I will always remember that grandmother, plugging away, never giving up, and trying to do the best with what she has for her family. The little boy, not really a child, watching over his sisters, grubbing for food and surviving in his meager existence is another unforgettable, real person. The wedding shop owner brings to mind the indomitable Asian women running businesses in our neighborhoods. The husband, though a drunk and a wife-beater, grabs the reader's sympathy because of the cultural burden imposed on him by the narrow society he occupies. Then there's Mi Song, who couldn't comprehend how many times she had been "found", or passed from one person to another since her early abandonment in back of the Seoul coffee shop. Throughout the book as she missed opportunities, faced choices, I wanted to shout out, "No, no, don't do that...go the other way!" But oh, how she perseveres! How proud Scott's adopted Korean children must be at the perhaps fictional but nonetheless believable presentation of this brave woman as their birth mother. They also must be proud of Joanna Catherine Scott, the mother who has cherished them since their early childhood for presenting them with this penetrating narrative reflecting their heritage. The "Lucky Gourd Shop" is a must read! I only wish there was a sixth star available for me to rate it!

Rating:
Summary: Poignant and True to Time and Place
Review: Before a recent business trip to Korea, I read the Lucky Gourd Shop as part of my reading to gain insight into the culture and recent historical experience of the country. This is an exceptional book. In addition to telling a poignant story with restraint, Ms. Scott gives the reader insight into the dynamics of Korean culture and the intricacies of daily life after the war. The personal relationships that it portrays make it a "must" for any reader who wants a very rich and pleasant way to understand Korea. The literary skill demonstrated by the author elevates The Lucky Gourd Shop above being just a good story. She weaves the motivations and needs of the characters skillfully into a tapestry that makes each one sympathetic and easy to identify with despite the significant distance from our personal experiences in the US. I recommend it as a fine read, a good story and a wonderful window on Korea.

Rating:
Summary: Celebrate the Child: Korea Books for Adults - review excerpt
Review: Once I started "The Lucky Gourd Shop" I was unable to stop reading until the book was finished. A rare occurence for me! The atmosphere and life of Korea was beautifully described by Joanna Scott. The characters in the novel come through as very real people and I felt totally involved with them all. I even shed tears. I cannot imagine that anyone could not be as immersed in this book as I was. When I came to the end I had a feeling of sadness. As though a friend had died. I do hope that I can find more books by this author. Audrey Collins.