Last Days of the Morning Calm [Paperback]

Korea, 1895: court intrigue and foreign powers threaten the centuries-old hermit kingdom. In a prominent manor, Ji-nah, the sheltered fourteen-year-old ward, and Han, the seventeen-year-old servant, are left in the tight grip of Tutor Lim when Master Yi travels to Peking. The tutor strips Ji-nahs privileged life and crushes Hans future. When the two young people uncover the tutors broader conspiracy with the Japanese to overthrow Queen Min, they determine to save the queen, whose fate seems tied to their master. Their plans go awry when the tutor sells them off as slaves: Ji-nah to the palace and Han to the missionaries. When Ji-nah learns her real identity as the masters daughter and the queens kinsman, she stakes her life at the palace. Meanwhile, Han adapts to Westerners, learning strange customs that clash with his traditional world views. Ultimately, Han faces the tutor, Ji-nah, the queen, and the two reunite with their master, but Queen Min is assassinated. Despite the fallen kingdom, the two young people find hope in their new roles, determined to rebuild their lives and nation. Aimed at English-speaking fans of Korean popular culture and drama A compelling story of two young people to appeal to teenage readers new to historical fiction Potential for adoption by schools to promote readingTina Jimin Walton is a Korean-American writer living in Singapore. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2016. Tina writes childrens and young adult fiction. She teaches English and writing to teens, and also writes for magazines.