I couldn’t pass this cover up at the library. The young girl’s face staring off into the distance with the soft undertones, it really grabbed my attention. This slender novel, with its intriguing synopsis had two awards attached to its label; I really thought this novel had somehow got past my radar. It was a quick read and I found myself learning a few Korean words in the process. I followed the story of Young Ju and her family as they move to the United States from Korea.   Like any move, the transition is difficult but it is the dream of America that shines in their eyes and glazes them over. They see hopes and dreams and they forget that there might be obstacles and barriers that they might need to overcome to obtain what they came for. They hope to get Young Ju a great education, they want her to successful. American is not Korea and the Park’s struggle every day.   Language barriers, friendships, financial hardships start to affect the family. The stress is hard on them and hard on the marriage which was once strong. Was their decision to come to America, the correct one for their family? Apa tries to be a good provider but the pressure is overwhelming for him and Uhmma wants desperately for this opportunity to work out for her family.   I could feel their desperation and felt for this family as there was constant tension within the family. They needed to work together, communicate with each other and decide on a plan. They were choosing sides, I felt and that didn’t help the situation.  

This novel had short chapters which were a plus and there weren’t that many characters to follow. It was interesting to learn about the barriers that her family faced when they came to America and I realize how important immigration programs are to individuals and to families like hers. I didn’t get to know her family or Young Ju in depth and I thought that the story was a bit choppy and the chapters didn’t quite flow for me. I think the novel brings to light some interesting issues and it made me think about acceptance and what is America.

A Korean family immigrates to the United States for a better life, but they bring so many personal problems with them that achieving a better life is nearly impossible.

I’m amazed by how much time is covered in this short book. The story starts when the narrator, Young Ju, is four years old. It ends when she’s an adult. This might make it sound like the story is rushed, but it isn’t. It somehow works perfectly. Young Ju is one of the most realistic child narrators I’ve ever read. That realism continues through the entire book. She matures in a very believable way. It’s interesting to see how her narration style changes as she becomes older and more Americanized. Young Ju is easy to love, and her story is so authentic and honest that it doesn’t always feel like fiction.

The writing is so good. It’s sparse, and it’s powerful. It seems like the author put a lot of thought in to every single word. This book took some serious skills to write. I especially like the first few chapters and the very last one. The whole book is well-written, but those chapters are more artsy than the others.

I did have some problems with the Korean words in the story. They’re not defined, so it took me a while to figure out what they meant. Most of them are clear by the end, but I was slightly confused in the beginning.

I was also caught off-guard by this story. The summary makes it sound like it’s about the challenges of immigrating to an unfamiliar country, but most of the story isn’t about immigration. It’s about Young Ju struggling to deal with her disintegrating family. Her father is an abusive alcoholic, and her younger brother is following in his footsteps. Her mother isn’t strong enough to stand up for herself and stop the violence. The story is about surviving abuse. The characters just happen to be Korean immigrants.

A Step from Heaven is a short, brutally realistic book. Despite its difficult subject matter, the honest narrator and unique writing style make it an enjoyable read.

I feel like I could have enjoyed this book, but the time skipped around so much... Any time a conflict was introduced, it would be erased at the start of a new chapter. This book is 154 pages, and it covers fourteen years! As a result, I couldn't connect to the main character, Young Ju, or her family, or her problems. I never had a chance to get to know her because she changed so often, as did her family and situation. It just didn't work for me at all. I mean, I guess I didn't hate it, but I can't really think of much I liked about it either.

Yet another book for my "Literature for Young Adults" class. Except...this is kind of written like a four year old wrote it. And not in a good way.

I don't really enjoy the trend of making first person narrators sound extremely childish. Like, "Uhmma is smiling. Happy lots of teeth smile. Happy as the letter about Mi Gook. Happy at me. Even though Uhmma tells me I should always tell the truth, and Halmoni says God will be very angry if you lie, I want Uhmma to smile happy lots of teeth at me."

There's just nothing about something like that that is endearing to me. I don't enjoy it. I don't think it's new or fresh or insightful. You can have a child as a narrator, but if you totally overdo it to the point where you character sounds like a three-year-old, it gets to be pretty annoying after a couple pages. It almost feels like the writing is giving up, not trying to sound mature because they found an excuse not to.