Told through the alternating perspectives of separated sisters, and inspired by a true story, The Kinship of Secrets explores the cruelty of war, the power of hope, and what it means to be a sister. Download this PDF to help facilitate your reading group discussions. Please note: Some of these questions contain spoilers.

In The Kinship of Secrets, kimchi is featured in both Inja’s Korean story and Miran’s American story. In Seoul, Inja’s aunt makes terrible kimchi that worsens as it ferments over the winter. As a way to earn money, Miran’s mother makes gallons of fresh kimchi and sells them to Asian restaurants in Washington, DC. Kimchi
 takes a few days to ferment but can last for weeks in the refrigerator once ripened. The Kinship of Secrets was inspired by family stories; this recipe is remembered from my mother making kimchi in a laundry tub in the basement.

Much inspiration for The Kinship of Secrets came from sorting through vintage family photographs. Some of these images are featured in this Q&A.