The Adventures of Mary Jane
 |
Description
Book Introduction
“Before the world forces another future upon us,
“We must first seize the future we want.”
★★ Rap Girl: Hope Jarren's Debut Novel ★★
★★ Kirkus Reviews, Cosmopolitan Book of the Year ★★
★★ Highly recommended by novelist Park Seo-ryeon!! ★★
Hope Jaren, a scientist who conveys emotion and charm through artistic writing, has published her novel, The Adventures of Mary Jane.
It's hard to believe that this is his debut work as a novelist.
The novel is set in the mid-19th century, in the upper reaches of the Mississippi River, which flows through the heart of America.
The protagonist, Mary Jane, embarks on a journey that will turn her entire world upside down because of a single letter.
As she travels down the river, Mary Jane encounters countless people and events, forcing her to constantly revise her plans.
Mary Jane grows up through the events that she would rather not have to go through, but that she eventually has to overcome.
Although Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," which is considered the beginning of modern American literature, features Mary Jane, a character who was loved by the main character Huck, appearing only on about 30 pages, "The Adventures of Mary Jane" has completed women's literature as an independent narrative that is completely different from the original work.
As a scientist, a woman, and a female scientist, Hope Jahren has forged her own path. Readers will, as she has done so far, take another step down the unknown path she points out through her novels.
“We must first seize the future we want.”
★★ Rap Girl: Hope Jarren's Debut Novel ★★
★★ Kirkus Reviews, Cosmopolitan Book of the Year ★★
★★ Highly recommended by novelist Park Seo-ryeon!! ★★
Hope Jaren, a scientist who conveys emotion and charm through artistic writing, has published her novel, The Adventures of Mary Jane.
It's hard to believe that this is his debut work as a novelist.
The novel is set in the mid-19th century, in the upper reaches of the Mississippi River, which flows through the heart of America.
The protagonist, Mary Jane, embarks on a journey that will turn her entire world upside down because of a single letter.
As she travels down the river, Mary Jane encounters countless people and events, forcing her to constantly revise her plans.
Mary Jane grows up through the events that she would rather not have to go through, but that she eventually has to overcome.
Although Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," which is considered the beginning of modern American literature, features Mary Jane, a character who was loved by the main character Huck, appearing only on about 30 pages, "The Adventures of Mary Jane" has completed women's literature as an independent narrative that is completely different from the original work.
As a scientist, a woman, and a female scientist, Hope Jahren has forged her own path. Readers will, as she has done so far, take another step down the unknown path she points out through her novels.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
introduction
map
family tree
Entering
Chapter 1: Fire - Starting Over - Everything Else
Chapter 2 Anyway, who am I?
Chapter 3: Old Villains and New Villains - A Visit from Father Potato - When I Was Not Myself
Chapter 4: Back to Business - Down the Red River - Family Picnic
Chapter 5: A Joyful Reunion - Aunt Evelyn's Letter - Evening Prayer - The Yellow Dress, the Green Dress, the Pink Dress - A Night at Fort Snelling - The First Farewell
Chapter 6: Aboard the Minnesota Belle - A Different Place - Change of Plans
Chapter 7: The Most Interesting Woman I've Ever Seen - Buying a Second Ticket - Making a Deal
Chapter 8: On the Gullion - Robert Fulton - Taking the Helm - The Secret Story
Chapter 9 On the Mississippi River - The Coming Trouble - Entering the Harbor - A Time When I Was Most Useful - Questions and Answers - Good Luck, Farewell
Chapter 10 Friends and Relatives - Empty Pantry, Full Baskets - Meeting Uncle George - Ida's Daughter - Getting by
Chapter 11: Two Queens and a Rabbit - My Family - Unbelievers - Health Improves - Myself
Chapter 12: Staying by Your Side - The Queen of the Hive - A Turn of Fate
Chapter 13 Monday, Tuesday - Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - Stone Field
Chapter 14: All-Night Care - Things to Keep in Mind - Watch
Chapter 15: Homecoming - Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust - Putting It All in Order
Chapter 16: A Chilly Conversation - The Trial - The Inheritance - Another Parting
Chapter 17: A Familiar Face - A Honest Confession - Finding Our Place - A New Friend - A Kind, Smart, Strong, and Competent Boy - Listening
Chapter 18: The Braggart Storyteller - Lessons on the Riverbank - Your You - A Day in Memphis - All the Good Gifts - Moving - Lessons Learned on Deck
Chapter 19: Parting and Meeting - A Brief Detour - 'Wilkes's Soft Tannery' - Peter Wilkes's Estate - A Story of a Quick Sale - A Cold Nose, a Warm Heart
Chapter 20: A Room of My Own - Yorkshire Style - To Bed - A Taste of Home
Chapter 21: My Acting - Changing My Mind - In the City - A Friendly Offer Rejected - The Afternoon Massacre
Chapter 22: The Traveling Merchant - A Curious Invention - A Dirty Body
Chapter 23: The World Shatters - Girls Seeking Safety - An Urgent Message - Hiding Quietly - The Reply
Chapter 24: An Unexpected Proposal - My Unique Opportunity - On the Road - Without Fear - A New Plan - The King's Journey - A Mess
Chapter 25: My First Dilemma - The Cure - My Second Dilemma
Chapter 26: The Next Day - My Answer - Do It Yourself - The Witch's Magic - Getting Better
Chapter 27: The Best Plan in Life - The Second Homecoming - Introduction - The Jasul Gyuk - Friend or Foe - All-Night
Chapter 28: Mitzvah - The Funeral - The Early Bird
Chapter 29: Thoughts Before Departure - A Surprise Guest - The River Calls
Chapter 30: Passing Fast - Two Good Men - Leaving - Falling into Peaceful Sleep
Chapter 31: Smooth Sailing - A Just Reward - A Better Plan - The Paths Diverge
Chapter 32: The Insignificant Boy - Into the Fog - Two Travelers
Chapter 33: Evangeline - McDougall's Cave - The Real Thing - Easy Rope Climbing
The Last Chapter: A Dream Cultivated in the Dark
About the text
References
Acknowledgements
Translator's Note
Recommendation
map
family tree
Entering
Chapter 1: Fire - Starting Over - Everything Else
Chapter 2 Anyway, who am I?
Chapter 3: Old Villains and New Villains - A Visit from Father Potato - When I Was Not Myself
Chapter 4: Back to Business - Down the Red River - Family Picnic
Chapter 5: A Joyful Reunion - Aunt Evelyn's Letter - Evening Prayer - The Yellow Dress, the Green Dress, the Pink Dress - A Night at Fort Snelling - The First Farewell
Chapter 6: Aboard the Minnesota Belle - A Different Place - Change of Plans
Chapter 7: The Most Interesting Woman I've Ever Seen - Buying a Second Ticket - Making a Deal
Chapter 8: On the Gullion - Robert Fulton - Taking the Helm - The Secret Story
Chapter 9 On the Mississippi River - The Coming Trouble - Entering the Harbor - A Time When I Was Most Useful - Questions and Answers - Good Luck, Farewell
Chapter 10 Friends and Relatives - Empty Pantry, Full Baskets - Meeting Uncle George - Ida's Daughter - Getting by
Chapter 11: Two Queens and a Rabbit - My Family - Unbelievers - Health Improves - Myself
Chapter 12: Staying by Your Side - The Queen of the Hive - A Turn of Fate
Chapter 13 Monday, Tuesday - Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - Stone Field
Chapter 14: All-Night Care - Things to Keep in Mind - Watch
Chapter 15: Homecoming - Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust - Putting It All in Order
Chapter 16: A Chilly Conversation - The Trial - The Inheritance - Another Parting
Chapter 17: A Familiar Face - A Honest Confession - Finding Our Place - A New Friend - A Kind, Smart, Strong, and Competent Boy - Listening
Chapter 18: The Braggart Storyteller - Lessons on the Riverbank - Your You - A Day in Memphis - All the Good Gifts - Moving - Lessons Learned on Deck
Chapter 19: Parting and Meeting - A Brief Detour - 'Wilkes's Soft Tannery' - Peter Wilkes's Estate - A Story of a Quick Sale - A Cold Nose, a Warm Heart
Chapter 20: A Room of My Own - Yorkshire Style - To Bed - A Taste of Home
Chapter 21: My Acting - Changing My Mind - In the City - A Friendly Offer Rejected - The Afternoon Massacre
Chapter 22: The Traveling Merchant - A Curious Invention - A Dirty Body
Chapter 23: The World Shatters - Girls Seeking Safety - An Urgent Message - Hiding Quietly - The Reply
Chapter 24: An Unexpected Proposal - My Unique Opportunity - On the Road - Without Fear - A New Plan - The King's Journey - A Mess
Chapter 25: My First Dilemma - The Cure - My Second Dilemma
Chapter 26: The Next Day - My Answer - Do It Yourself - The Witch's Magic - Getting Better
Chapter 27: The Best Plan in Life - The Second Homecoming - Introduction - The Jasul Gyuk - Friend or Foe - All-Night
Chapter 28: Mitzvah - The Funeral - The Early Bird
Chapter 29: Thoughts Before Departure - A Surprise Guest - The River Calls
Chapter 30: Passing Fast - Two Good Men - Leaving - Falling into Peaceful Sleep
Chapter 31: Smooth Sailing - A Just Reward - A Better Plan - The Paths Diverge
Chapter 32: The Insignificant Boy - Into the Fog - Two Travelers
Chapter 33: Evangeline - McDougall's Cave - The Real Thing - Easy Rope Climbing
The Last Chapter: A Dream Cultivated in the Dark
About the text
References
Acknowledgements
Translator's Note
Recommendation
Detailed image
Into the book
“Ida, I really hate to ask you this, but I need your help for a few weeks.” (…) After a minute or three, my mother sighed and looked straight at me.
“You must go.” Not a single snowflake had fallen in Fort Snelling, but my whole body was frozen like ice.
In my head, I started making up reasons why I couldn't go.
First, I only read the letter, I didn't even know Aunt Evelyn.
Second, I have never spent a single night in my life away from my mother, much less with my mother-in-law.
Third, I have never been down to Fort Snelling, but Fort Edwards is about 640 kilometers to the south.
First of all, I was only fourteen years old.
No, I'm still fourteen.
As I watched my mother fold the letter and put it back in the envelope, I realized that there was no point in arguing.
--- p.55
I'm not even halfway to Fort Edwards yet, and I've already seen the world change beneath my feet.
The trees were different, the birds were different, and even the people were completely different from those I knew in the North.
Does money change wherever you go? Why didn't Mopa warn me? That's when I realized why.
Maybe even Mopa didn't know! Maybe even Mom didn't know! Maybe this is the first time in my life I've learned something they didn't.
Then it occurred to me that of the three of us, I was the only one who had ever been south of Fort Snelling.
'I'm entering unknown territory from here.' I felt excited, like I was galloping on a horse, but also scared, like the horse wouldn't understand me when I said, 'Whoa, whoa!'
--- p.95
When I was on the Minnesota Belle, I wondered where all this water went, but on the Gullion, I wondered where all this water came from.
I remembered the vast, white sea of snow up north, and how it melted before the world turned summer green.
All that snow was now melting into the river, carrying me towards Fort Edwards.
--- p.115
I was still angry and about to grumble, but then the captain said:
“It doesn’t cost anything to be kind, Chiki.
Just because that kid is being mean doesn't mean we have to be mean too.
As far as we know, there is a difficult road ahead for that child, and the kindness we show him may be his last.”
--- p.124
I just laughed when I thought about my mother's eyes sparkling because of some young man.
“Aunt Evelyn, you know as well as I do.
Mom is so… well, that’s how moms are… .
"I mean, who would you fall for?" "That's not what I mean, Mary Jane.
To feel with your heart means to really feel your heart at that moment.
That big muscle mass gets excited and starts jumping around like crazy inside your rib cage.
The throbbing reached my throat and resonated to my toes.
That pounding you feel, that's your heart talking to you.
“Go to that person.”
--- p.167
Margaret took a deep breath.
“And we are the ones left behind, the living.
What do we do now, Mary Jane? Can you answer? "I'll probably live, I guess." "No, Mary Jane.
We will love.
I will give love and receive love.
Love above all else.
“That’s what we’re going to do now.” That was my friend Margaret.
Margaret was wise, loving, so intelligent, so profound.
Margaret hugged me as I cried.
Margaret released her arm and wrapped it around my shoulder, and I rested my head on Margaret's shoulder as she sang.
--- p.205
The captain raised his eyebrows.
“Never ignore the anxiety you feel.
Chiki, I don't mean to scare you, but the sea angels aren't waiting for you out there.
I really wish that were true, but I also know that's not the case.
Your best protector is your intuition.
So promise me that you will always listen to your intuition and never ignore it again.
--- pp.(247-248
“You were here.
I've been looking all over town! Hello, Mary Jane.
Oh! You're sad… .
“What’s going on?” “It was different before, Eddie.” Even as I spoke, I could sense a darkness in my voice that hadn’t been there before.
“When I was young, life was a lot less… complicated.
So I was happier back then.”
--- p.340
I was proud to be there to help Susan out of the darkness.
On the other hand, I was ashamed of my treatment of Sugar and Candy, and I still don't know what to think about Peter Wilkes' death.
Through it all, I did my best.
And the best of it was… it was good, it was terrible… no, actually… I don't know.
More than anything, I wanted to be a good person.
A good person who does the right thing.
--- p.371
“I’ve decided to stay at Fort Edwards for a week, so promise me you’ll wait there and if I don’t return, you’ll go yourselves.
Go where you want to go and do what you want to do in the future.
We learned the hard way, kids.
“We must first seize the future we want before the world forces another future upon us.”
“You must go.” Not a single snowflake had fallen in Fort Snelling, but my whole body was frozen like ice.
In my head, I started making up reasons why I couldn't go.
First, I only read the letter, I didn't even know Aunt Evelyn.
Second, I have never spent a single night in my life away from my mother, much less with my mother-in-law.
Third, I have never been down to Fort Snelling, but Fort Edwards is about 640 kilometers to the south.
First of all, I was only fourteen years old.
No, I'm still fourteen.
As I watched my mother fold the letter and put it back in the envelope, I realized that there was no point in arguing.
--- p.55
I'm not even halfway to Fort Edwards yet, and I've already seen the world change beneath my feet.
The trees were different, the birds were different, and even the people were completely different from those I knew in the North.
Does money change wherever you go? Why didn't Mopa warn me? That's when I realized why.
Maybe even Mopa didn't know! Maybe even Mom didn't know! Maybe this is the first time in my life I've learned something they didn't.
Then it occurred to me that of the three of us, I was the only one who had ever been south of Fort Snelling.
'I'm entering unknown territory from here.' I felt excited, like I was galloping on a horse, but also scared, like the horse wouldn't understand me when I said, 'Whoa, whoa!'
--- p.95
When I was on the Minnesota Belle, I wondered where all this water went, but on the Gullion, I wondered where all this water came from.
I remembered the vast, white sea of snow up north, and how it melted before the world turned summer green.
All that snow was now melting into the river, carrying me towards Fort Edwards.
--- p.115
I was still angry and about to grumble, but then the captain said:
“It doesn’t cost anything to be kind, Chiki.
Just because that kid is being mean doesn't mean we have to be mean too.
As far as we know, there is a difficult road ahead for that child, and the kindness we show him may be his last.”
--- p.124
I just laughed when I thought about my mother's eyes sparkling because of some young man.
“Aunt Evelyn, you know as well as I do.
Mom is so… well, that’s how moms are… .
"I mean, who would you fall for?" "That's not what I mean, Mary Jane.
To feel with your heart means to really feel your heart at that moment.
That big muscle mass gets excited and starts jumping around like crazy inside your rib cage.
The throbbing reached my throat and resonated to my toes.
That pounding you feel, that's your heart talking to you.
“Go to that person.”
--- p.167
Margaret took a deep breath.
“And we are the ones left behind, the living.
What do we do now, Mary Jane? Can you answer? "I'll probably live, I guess." "No, Mary Jane.
We will love.
I will give love and receive love.
Love above all else.
“That’s what we’re going to do now.” That was my friend Margaret.
Margaret was wise, loving, so intelligent, so profound.
Margaret hugged me as I cried.
Margaret released her arm and wrapped it around my shoulder, and I rested my head on Margaret's shoulder as she sang.
--- p.205
The captain raised his eyebrows.
“Never ignore the anxiety you feel.
Chiki, I don't mean to scare you, but the sea angels aren't waiting for you out there.
I really wish that were true, but I also know that's not the case.
Your best protector is your intuition.
So promise me that you will always listen to your intuition and never ignore it again.
--- pp.(247-248
“You were here.
I've been looking all over town! Hello, Mary Jane.
Oh! You're sad… .
“What’s going on?” “It was different before, Eddie.” Even as I spoke, I could sense a darkness in my voice that hadn’t been there before.
“When I was young, life was a lot less… complicated.
So I was happier back then.”
--- p.340
I was proud to be there to help Susan out of the darkness.
On the other hand, I was ashamed of my treatment of Sugar and Candy, and I still don't know what to think about Peter Wilkes' death.
Through it all, I did my best.
And the best of it was… it was good, it was terrible… no, actually… I don't know.
More than anything, I wanted to be a good person.
A good person who does the right thing.
--- p.371
“I’ve decided to stay at Fort Edwards for a week, so promise me you’ll wait there and if I don’t return, you’ll go yourselves.
Go where you want to go and do what you want to do in the future.
We learned the hard way, kids.
“We must first seize the future we want before the world forces another future upon us.”
--- pp.433-434
Publisher's Review
★★ Rap Girl: Hope Jarren's Debut Novel ★★
★★ Kirkus Reviews, Cosmopolitan Book of the Year ★★
★★ Highly recommended by novelist Park Seo-ryeon!! ★★
“We’re in big trouble.
“It’s been a few days since I read it, but Mary Jane still won’t leave my head.”
Park Seo-ryeon (novelist, author of "The Girl Who Works, Kang Ju-ryong")
“Hope Jahren questioned the classics’ view of women and decided to rewrite the book.
As the author of Rap Girl, that choice seems obvious.
Heo Jin (translator, translator of The Girl in Charge)
"Full of unpredictable twists!" - The New York Times
Hope Jaren, a scientist who conveys emotion and charm through artistic writing, has published her first novel, The Adventures of Mary Jane.
Hope Jahren, who created a sensation with her first book, "Lab Girl," which showed her life, love, and passion and will for science as a female scientist, once again received love from readers with "I Was Rich and the Earth Was Different," which looks back on the changes in the Earth's environment over the past 50 years, and has established herself as an excellent writer and bestselling author.
The new book presented to readers by Hope Jaran, a scientist who received the James McElwain Medal, awarded to the most outstanding geophysicist, won the Fulbright Award three times as a female scientist, and was named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People," is none other than a novel.
Reinterpreting The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Reborn as a women's literature with its own unique completeness
This book is a work that features Mary Jane, a character who was liked by the main character Huck, but who only appears on about 30 pages of Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," which is considered the beginning of modern American literature.
While reinterpreting the classics, it created women's literature that possesses its own unique completeness.
Hope Jaren, who had loved The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn since childhood, could not help but feel that there was much more to the story of Mary Jane, the passively portrayed woman in the book, and she finally decided to write a work featuring her as the protagonist.
Thus, Mary Jane was born, a woman with fighting spirit and perseverance, a warm personality, and wisdom that, though not yet ripe, grew over time.
As with the recent publication of the novel James, which features James, a slave from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as its main character, reinterpreting this classic book in today's language and culture is both interesting and meaningful.
This book, in particular, is filled with unique narratives and characters that can be enjoyed even without knowledge of the original work, adding to the completeness of the work. The more pages you turn, the more immersive it becomes, holding readers' attention until the last page is closed.
Along the Mississippi River
Dangerous and unpredictable journey
The Adventures of Mary Jane Watson follows the coming-of-age story of a fourteen-year-old girl who embarks on a dangerous and unpredictable journey.
The novel is set in the upper reaches of the Mississippi River, which flows through the heart of America in the mid-19th century.
The main character, Mary Jane, lives with her mother and maternal grandfather.
Mary Jane is smart and brave.
He is quick at calculating and good at sewing.
But I have never left my family.
A single letter that arrives for this family sends Mary Jane on a journey that will turn her entire world upside down.
The mother, who received a letter from her younger sister asking for help, sent her daughter Mary Jane to her younger sister in place of herself, who was responsible for caring for the old man.
“I looked outside myself and found adventure,
“I looked inside myself and found courage.”
As Mary Jane embarks on a journey along the river, she experiences a mixture of harsh injustice and unexpected kindness.
It's similar to what we experience as we go through life.
When the captain is scammed by a fake ticket seller, he accepts the loss and returns the ticket price.
In the midst of the burden of caring for her aunt's family after a terrible accident, her Mormon neighbor offers her food without payment.
He feels sorry for the overworked black slaves for a moment, but then he finds himself in a situation where he has to treat them cruelly, and then he meets a friend who brings comfort just by being by his side.
In the process, Mary Jane learns to distinguish between friend and foe, comes to understand her mother, whom she never understood, and even experiences feelings of love for someone.
Hoping that we ourselves will become better people little by little based on the kindness and favors we receive is also a simple wish we all have as we live.
The novel is written in the first person, honestly sharing even Mary Jane's inner thoughts.
In an interview, Hope Jaren said that she hopes readers will meet a friend named 'Mary Jane', who does not hesitate to take risks to seek freedom and safety, and at the same time, she pours out all the best and worst moments of her life in the book. As novelist Park Seo-ryeon, who recommended the book, said, you can feel the charm of "getting to know Mary Jane in detail, but becoming more curious about her."
The literary quality that captivates readers at the same time
Through historical research and field trips, you can gain insight into the scientist's perspective.
Readers will witness the story of a girl growing into an independent and wonderful woman through Mary Jane's journey through these events that she wished had never happened but ultimately had to overcome.
I am also impressed by Hope Jahren's literary prowess, which captivates readers with multi-layered character portrayals and timeless themes.
His research into the history of slavery and racial discrimination in the United States, and his visits to the Mississippi River basin, shipping companies, sawmill museums, and national parks, where he conducted interviews and even provided separate sources, demonstrate his scientific skills.
As a 'scientist', a 'woman', and a 'female scientist', Hope Jahren has paved her own path, transforming from a scientist to a novelist and approaching readers. In a recent interview, she said that she currently resides in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, and is working on another novel.
Readers who have taken each step down the unknown path she has pointed out so far can also look forward to Hope Jahren's next work.
Hope Jahren questioned the classics' view of women and decided to rewrite the book.
As the author of Rap Girl, that choice seems obvious.
_Translator Heo Jin
★★ Kirkus Reviews, Cosmopolitan Book of the Year ★★
★★ Highly recommended by novelist Park Seo-ryeon!! ★★
“We’re in big trouble.
“It’s been a few days since I read it, but Mary Jane still won’t leave my head.”
Park Seo-ryeon (novelist, author of "The Girl Who Works, Kang Ju-ryong")
“Hope Jahren questioned the classics’ view of women and decided to rewrite the book.
As the author of Rap Girl, that choice seems obvious.
Heo Jin (translator, translator of The Girl in Charge)
"Full of unpredictable twists!" - The New York Times
Hope Jaren, a scientist who conveys emotion and charm through artistic writing, has published her first novel, The Adventures of Mary Jane.
Hope Jahren, who created a sensation with her first book, "Lab Girl," which showed her life, love, and passion and will for science as a female scientist, once again received love from readers with "I Was Rich and the Earth Was Different," which looks back on the changes in the Earth's environment over the past 50 years, and has established herself as an excellent writer and bestselling author.
The new book presented to readers by Hope Jaran, a scientist who received the James McElwain Medal, awarded to the most outstanding geophysicist, won the Fulbright Award three times as a female scientist, and was named one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People," is none other than a novel.
Reinterpreting The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Reborn as a women's literature with its own unique completeness
This book is a work that features Mary Jane, a character who was liked by the main character Huck, but who only appears on about 30 pages of Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," which is considered the beginning of modern American literature.
While reinterpreting the classics, it created women's literature that possesses its own unique completeness.
Hope Jaren, who had loved The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn since childhood, could not help but feel that there was much more to the story of Mary Jane, the passively portrayed woman in the book, and she finally decided to write a work featuring her as the protagonist.
Thus, Mary Jane was born, a woman with fighting spirit and perseverance, a warm personality, and wisdom that, though not yet ripe, grew over time.
As with the recent publication of the novel James, which features James, a slave from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as its main character, reinterpreting this classic book in today's language and culture is both interesting and meaningful.
This book, in particular, is filled with unique narratives and characters that can be enjoyed even without knowledge of the original work, adding to the completeness of the work. The more pages you turn, the more immersive it becomes, holding readers' attention until the last page is closed.
Along the Mississippi River
Dangerous and unpredictable journey
The Adventures of Mary Jane Watson follows the coming-of-age story of a fourteen-year-old girl who embarks on a dangerous and unpredictable journey.
The novel is set in the upper reaches of the Mississippi River, which flows through the heart of America in the mid-19th century.
The main character, Mary Jane, lives with her mother and maternal grandfather.
Mary Jane is smart and brave.
He is quick at calculating and good at sewing.
But I have never left my family.
A single letter that arrives for this family sends Mary Jane on a journey that will turn her entire world upside down.
The mother, who received a letter from her younger sister asking for help, sent her daughter Mary Jane to her younger sister in place of herself, who was responsible for caring for the old man.
“I looked outside myself and found adventure,
“I looked inside myself and found courage.”
As Mary Jane embarks on a journey along the river, she experiences a mixture of harsh injustice and unexpected kindness.
It's similar to what we experience as we go through life.
When the captain is scammed by a fake ticket seller, he accepts the loss and returns the ticket price.
In the midst of the burden of caring for her aunt's family after a terrible accident, her Mormon neighbor offers her food without payment.
He feels sorry for the overworked black slaves for a moment, but then he finds himself in a situation where he has to treat them cruelly, and then he meets a friend who brings comfort just by being by his side.
In the process, Mary Jane learns to distinguish between friend and foe, comes to understand her mother, whom she never understood, and even experiences feelings of love for someone.
Hoping that we ourselves will become better people little by little based on the kindness and favors we receive is also a simple wish we all have as we live.
The novel is written in the first person, honestly sharing even Mary Jane's inner thoughts.
In an interview, Hope Jaren said that she hopes readers will meet a friend named 'Mary Jane', who does not hesitate to take risks to seek freedom and safety, and at the same time, she pours out all the best and worst moments of her life in the book. As novelist Park Seo-ryeon, who recommended the book, said, you can feel the charm of "getting to know Mary Jane in detail, but becoming more curious about her."
The literary quality that captivates readers at the same time
Through historical research and field trips, you can gain insight into the scientist's perspective.
Readers will witness the story of a girl growing into an independent and wonderful woman through Mary Jane's journey through these events that she wished had never happened but ultimately had to overcome.
I am also impressed by Hope Jahren's literary prowess, which captivates readers with multi-layered character portrayals and timeless themes.
His research into the history of slavery and racial discrimination in the United States, and his visits to the Mississippi River basin, shipping companies, sawmill museums, and national parks, where he conducted interviews and even provided separate sources, demonstrate his scientific skills.
As a 'scientist', a 'woman', and a 'female scientist', Hope Jahren has paved her own path, transforming from a scientist to a novelist and approaching readers. In a recent interview, she said that she currently resides in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, and is working on another novel.
Readers who have taken each step down the unknown path she has pointed out so far can also look forward to Hope Jahren's next work.
Hope Jahren questioned the classics' view of women and decided to rewrite the book.
As the author of Rap Girl, that choice seems obvious.
_Translator Heo Jin
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: October 13, 2025
- Page count, weight, size: 480 pages | 554g | 140*200*30mm
- ISBN13: 9791173323492
- ISBN10: 117332349X
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