The Colour of Water - Kim Dong Hwa

The second book of Kim Dong Hwa’s manwha (Korean manga), following on from The Colour of Earth, continues with Ehwa’s exploration and discovery of the mysteries of her developing body and her feelings, particularly in relation towards men. The now adolescent Ehwa discovers the powerful forces that can be unleashed within her and the part that men have to play in this, but she is getting conflicting messages from her widowed mother’s relationship with a wandering picture man, and from her school friend Bongsoon. 

In many respects, the three books that make up the trilogy (this second volume to be concluded in The Colour of Heaven) are simply a coming-of-age guide for young girls, told delicately in a late 19th century Korean setting, with allusive and poetic imagery of flowers and butterflies – but the artwork is quite beautiful and the stories delicately structured and heart-warming.

FirstSecond’s fine edition helpfully includes extensive context setting notes and discussion points to aid in the understanding of cultural references and draw out the book’s themes.

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