"The Apology… is a lovely, caustic and trauma-soaked example of the new literary embrace of actual ghosts."―The Chicago Tribune

“Jeonga’s narration is sharp and witty and a touch sly as she describes her present, disembodied state—the in-between, purgatory-like space her consciousness now occupies—as well as the events that led to her death…This is an enthralling multigenerational tale of familial secrets, trauma and healing.”―The New York Times

“Han’s narrator is sly, funny, and flawed…[The Apology is] a satisfying tale with vivid relationships that will keep readers curious about this complex family shaped by war, loyalty, class-consciousness, and love.”―Booklist

“Jeonga Cha is a wholly original character…While such a plot could have been the stuff of tragedy, Han mines the material largely for its comic potential. Whether dead or alive, Jeonga is a larger-than-life character, stubborn, judgmental, always active…The Apology is an imaginative work that draws upon traditional Korean Buddhist beliefs about the afterlife to explore the long-term consequences of decisions made under the value system of a different era.”―Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"Reputation comes first in this arresting drama about an elderly Korean woman dealing with her past...Brilliantly, we get to see how many of Jeonga’s choices are linked to family secrets and Korea’s cultural history—particularly its occupation by Japan and the war that split the country in two. The Apology is a life-affirming story about finding family and making amends."―Apple Books

Barnes & Noble Discover Pick

Booklist Best Adult Audiobook

Apple Books Best of August

Named a Most Anticipated Book by Vanity Fair, Shondaland, The San Francisco Chronicle, Lit Hub and more

In South Korea, a 105-year-old woman receives a letter. Ten days later, she has been thrust into the afterlife, fighting to head off a curse that will otherwise devastate generations to come…

Purchase

  • “As funny as it is thoughtful, The Apology promises to be some solid generational-novel fun.”

    — Shondaland, “The Best Books to Read for Summer 2023”

  • “The Apology, by South Korean-born writer Jimin Han, is a lovely, caustic and trauma-soaked example of the new literary embrace of actual ghosts. A 105-year-old Seoul woman dies in Chicago during a family visit. What follows is a multigenerational story, narrated by a ghost eager to rectify a looming curse”.

    — The Chicago Tribune

  • “Promises to be tooth-sinkingly great…it sounds like the kind of sprawling and ambitious novel that is wildly satisfying to read when handled well, and given the brilliance of Han’s previous novel, A Small Revolution, I have no doubt it will be. Get excited for this one.”

    — Lit Hub, Most Anticipated Books of 2023

  • “Korean American fiction is exploding….Han’s novel, set in Korea and America, is about an ajumma who is determined to keep taking care of her family from beyond the grave, whether they want her to or not. It’s also a great novel to read if you ever wanted, say, more novels from Iris Murdoch (I am like this).”

    — Alexander Chee, The Millions

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