Forgotten Country Summary
Chung, Catherine

Forgotten Country Overview

Catherine Chung's novel Forgotten Country is a quiet, introspective novel that follows the perspective of a young Asian-American adult, who goes by both Janie and Jeehyun, as her father slowly passes away due to cancer. Janie and her family move from their established home in Michigan, back to their ancestral home in Korea, where the foremost cancer research happens to be conducted. The novel explores the many complex causes of the different rifts that develop among the extended family, which include different perspectives on religion, gender, and politics.