White Chrysanthemum

White Chrysanthemum is a novel written by Mary Lynn Bracht. It was published by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 2018. The novel is based on comfort women, Korea, Japan, and history. The novel has fictional names, characters, places, and incidents. It is written in dual timelines that are split between the two women: Hana's life during the 1940s and Emi's life in 2011. The novel switches between the two women's perspectives intermittently during the novel. One chapter of the novel is told from the perspective of YoonHui, Emi's daughter. The novel includes a map from 1943, further readings, and a notable dates section.

Taking place in Korea, White Chrysanthemum is about two sisters named Hana and Emi that are separated by World War II. The sisters are haenyeo - free divers - and belong to a strong female community. At the age of 16 years old, Hana is taken away by a Japanese soldier forced to become a comfort woman. The novel focuses on the experiences of comfort women and how the war impacted different hierarchies of individuals from multiple perspectives. The dual timeline gives a perspective as events unfold through Hana's experience in the 1940s and a later perspective in 2011 from Emi's experience.