Adopting Grace
Anna Jinja's debut novel, Adopting Grace, follows the journey of Grace, a 39-year-old Korean American woman who was adopted as an infant from South Korea by a Norwegian family in Iowa. As Grace grapples with her husband's affair with his high school sweetheart, her therapist suggests exploring deep-rooted issues tied to her adoption. Grace, however, believes her stress stems from juggling the demands of raising two daughters, running a small business, designing a bridal gown for a challenging client, and managing complex relationships within her family. This poignant story delves into Grace’s struggles as a wife, mother, and adoptee, exploring what it truly means to be part of a family. Anna describes it as the kind of book you’d pick up at Target—an easy, relatable read. It was written in response to someone who once told me that writing was self-indulgent and a waste of time if it didn’t make money. This project is my way of processing my adoption story and personal experiences through a fictional narrative inspired by memories and life events.
Anna Jinja's debut novel, Adopting Grace, follows the journey of Grace, a 39-year-old Korean American woman who was adopted as an infant from South Korea by a Norwegian family in Iowa. As Grace grapples with her husband's affair with his high school sweetheart, her therapist suggests exploring deep-rooted issues tied to her adoption. Grace, however, believes her stress stems from juggling the demands of raising two daughters, running a small business, designing a bridal gown for a challenging client, and managing complex relationships within her family. This poignant story delves into Grace’s struggles as a wife, mother, and adoptee, exploring what it truly means to be part of a family. Anna describes it as the kind of book you’d pick up at Target—an easy, relatable read. It was written in response to someone who once told me that writing was self-indulgent and a waste of time if it didn’t make money. This project is my way of processing my adoption story and personal experiences through a fictional narrative inspired by memories and life events.
Anna Jinja's debut novel, Adopting Grace, follows the journey of Grace, a 39-year-old Korean American woman who was adopted as an infant from South Korea by a Norwegian family in Iowa. As Grace grapples with her husband's affair with his high school sweetheart, her therapist suggests exploring deep-rooted issues tied to her adoption. Grace, however, believes her stress stems from juggling the demands of raising two daughters, running a small business, designing a bridal gown for a challenging client, and managing complex relationships within her family. This poignant story delves into Grace’s struggles as a wife, mother, and adoptee, exploring what it truly means to be part of a family. Anna describes it as the kind of book you’d pick up at Target—an easy, relatable read. It was written in response to someone who once told me that writing was self-indulgent and a waste of time if it didn’t make money. This project is my way of processing my adoption story and personal experiences through a fictional narrative inspired by memories and life events.