Review Detail

K-Jane is a heartwarming coming-of-age novel that reminds us that we can’t be stereotyped by labels and how growing up is hard. Set in the backdrop of Nebraska, Jane loves her midwestern life, but when she sees the rise of Hallyu (Korean) wave capture the attention of her classmates this leaves her feeling left out. What happens next is a journey of identity for Jane to connect to culture and learn more about herself.

Readers will appreciate that K-Jane feels real, authentic, and sometimes messy which can sometimes reflect our high school years. In between keeping her grades in check, looking at colleges, changing family dynamics, and social hierarchies, Jane has a lot to juggle. It’s not easy and though she puts up a front for her friends and family that she has it all together, that’s far from the truth. She starts to have questions about Korean heritage and through her project she becomes more connected with aspects of traditional and Korean pop culture.

Those that enjoy K-Culture will be able to pick out fun Hallyu elements including names of popular K-dramas and artists. Most of all though I appreciated the novel focusing on more traditional culture and the meaning behind the language, custom, and food. Kang states in her author’s note how personal this novel is to her and reading through the pages I can see why. It’s a letter of sorts to her past self and a message to other readers who may be struggling with some of the issues Jane deals with. The story has themes of authenticity and that race is not a monolith.

This novel will give you warm and fuzzy feelings, has a strong family dynamic, will make you reflect on your own life experiences, and takes on topics that are timely and important.