All Things Under the Moon (September 2025) by Ann Y.K. Choi is an incredibly eloquent historical fiction novel you won’t want to miss.

From Simon & Schuster Canada:

In 1924, Korea is an occupied country. In Seoul’s secret, underground networks and throughout the countryside, rebellion against the Japanese Empire simmers, threatening to boil over. Kim Na-Young lives a simple life in the rural village of Daegeori, where she watches the moon rise and set over the pine-wooded mountains, tends to her household alongside her best friend, Yeon-Soo, and cares for her sick mother.

But the occupation touches every Korean life—even Na-Young’s. In the wake of a tragedy that stuns the village, Na-Young’s father arranges her marriage to a man she’s never met, and Na-Young and Yeon-Soo decide to flee, taking their fate into their own hands. That decision sets them on their own collision course with the occupying forces, resulting in a violent encounter that will alter both of their lives forever—in shockingly different ways.

Taking us from a small village to the bustling corridors of Seoul, where women and girls can learn to read and write in multiple languages and members of the revolution pass coded messages through the back rooms of teahouses, Ann Y. K. Choi weaves a masterful tale of a woman taking command not only of her own identity but her own destiny.

A sweeping journey through historical Korea and an utterly compelling portrait of one woman’s remarkable life, All Things Under the Moon is both a stunning literary achievement and a beautifully written tribute to the sacrifices women make for each other.

All Things Under the Moon was incredibly breathtaking from the moment I started to the moment I put the book down. Choi did a wonderful job painting striking scenes of Korea in the 1920s and introducing readers to well-crafted characters. Each character had their own internal strength that stemmed from different parts of their backstory; however, the female characters specially are true forces to be reckoned with.

In unique ways, each female character came to terms with the reality of their own power as a person and as a woman, which was simply beautiful to read. The protagonist, Na-Young, went through her own hero’s journey, so to speak. As she struggles with the likelihood of a future her village may hold for her, she creates her own path, and eventually comes full circle (I don’t want to give too much away).

While the plot of the novel was enthralling, I truly believe it was the vulnerability and realness of the characters that made this book a five-star read for me.

Disclaimer: Simon & Schuster very kindly sent me an Advanced Reader’s Copy of All Things Under the Moon.

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