The Color of Earth v. 1

 Update 9/28/18: I am now an affiliate with Z Publishing House. I do get a small commission from any purchases through this link ( http://www.zpublishinghouse.com?rfsn=1831564.e6264) if anyone is interested in some anthologies of emerging writers.

The Color of Earth by Kin Dong Hwa is the first book in a manhwa (Korean comic book) published by First Second. I've only read the first volume so far, so I'll have to add the others as I continue the series.

The Color of Earth is a coming of age story following Ehwa as she grows up and learns about womanhood, puberty, and sexuality through observations and metaphors borrowed from nature. At the same time, her widowed mother begins a new relationship with a man. These two ladies' interactions are calm and quiet, answering Ehwa's questions without treating her or the readers like children or avoiding the reality of the topics.

When I originally found this book on my library's shelf, I really didn't have a desire to read it. I don't usually like coming of age stories. I find them too predictable; young girl discovers her first crush and struggles to understand her feelings while dealing with the dramas of family and friends. Not much to keep my attention. But after randomly pulling some books from the shelves and actually reading this one . . . I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe it's because this is set in a culture i'm not familiar with or maybe it's handled in a refreshing way or maybe I liked the fact this is very loosely based on the life of Dong Hwa's mother; whatever the reason, I found myself enjoying this book.

It starts with Ehwa learning how the village men view her mother and the physical differences between boys and girls, then it grows to her first crush-- on a young monk from the nearby temple-- and eventually to the growth and changes of puberty. At the same time, her mother, who is the owner of a tavern, deals with the vulgarity of the men who frequent her establishment-- she's courteous and teasing in order to be paid but also keeps the moral high ground in all of these interactions by being strong-willed in these situations-- begins a relationship with a traveling salesman. While their ages, experience, and relationships are vastly different, these two women openly discuss matters of being a woman, what does it mean to go through puberty, what does society expect from them, what should courtship look like, and how to deal with men, throughout the book. Ehwa observes something or hears a conversation during her day and approaches her mother about it who then either openly explains it or uses metaphors such as flowers and rain in order to get her meanings across. This is so refreshing compared to the teen angst I typically find in young adult books where the teen girl is convinced her mother doesn't understand what she's going through and her mother bumbles around these crucial topics. 

The intimacy and openness between these women, about being a woman, creates an amazing sense of female culture as well as a connection between mother and daughter. What daughter isn't excited when her mother first teaches her how to use make-up? What mother wouldn't want her daughter to come to her with questions instead of trying to find answers on her own? There is one moment when Ewha's friends are going to a pool in order to see the face of their future husband. It's a common tradition in many cultures and Ewha's mother tells her it's passed down from mother to daughter but it's not real and shouldn't be taken too seriously. She encourages the girlish fun but also acknowledges the reality.

I think my favorite quote also follows this connection between mother and daughter.  When Ehwa mentions having to leave her mother once she's married (because she's a girl) her mother responds:

"Even though a son might stay with me until I die, I would never be able to tell him all the things I tell you. I would never be able to reveal my vulnerability to a son."

This speaks wonders to the different kinds of relationships between men and women in this culture and, possibly, the world.

So besides the character relationships, what did I think?

It's a manhwa, which isn't something I'm too familiar with. The end notes mention it's one of the first manhwas done in the sunjung style, which means it's a style often used to market towards young women, that found success with adult audiences. This series has gotten a lot of praise for it's style and subject matter. 

The artwork reminded me of old cartoons, pretty basic lines and shapes that don't allow for much facial expression. The only ones who had a lot of variety were the men who frequently made sexual jokes at the expense of the women. One of Ewha's friends is similarly drawn so I'm not sure if it is just part of the style or if it's meant to distinguish which characters are more sexually vulgar than others.  For a story about young women going through changes, there isn't much variety in facial expression or emotions which does cut into the point a little. There are also some parts that made me cringe but this may be because I'm a pretty private person in general.

Fair warning, there is some nudity in this manhwa. Dong Hwa also doesn't shy away from mentioning menstruation and ejaculation. 

It's no surprise this series was the second most challenged comic in America in 2011. Challenged and "banned" for nudity and sexuality. Some people question its age appropriateness. I find this funny since it's targeted at the age-group who are going through these changes yet it's "inappropriate" for them until they're old enough to already know these things. But I digress.

Personally, I actually preffered this books method of presenting puberty to adolescent girls more than Judy Blume's Are You There God, It's Me Margaret (which I read when I was around 11 or 12). The Color of Earth depicts a better relationship between mother and daughter, though I'm hoping Ewha's friendships develop a bit more in the next volume. 

So in conclusion, I'm intrigued by the women-culture Dong Hwa presents. The art style isn't really my favorite and I'm pretty sure I lost track of all the flower metaphors. The characters could use a little more fleshing out and I'm pretty sure I know where the plot is going. It's not the greatest story I've read, but it's unique and refreshing. Part of me wants to do an over-extensive essay on it but I don't have the time or energy to do that right now. I do know it's been done so if anyone's interested, I'd suggest picking up this book and seeing what others have said about it.