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 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. Plot Summary The novel begins with the two sisters on the beach of Jeju Island; Hana is with her mother as she dives for abalone and Emi is waiting on the sand. Hana swims toward Emi as a soldier approaches, and hides her sister as the man talks to her. He is a Japanese soldier named Corporal Morimoto, and has Hana taken with him, leaving her sister behind. The novel then splits between the two women as Hana becomes a comfort woman and Emi searches for her sister sixty years later. Hana's Perspective (1940s) Hana is brought to a police station where she maintains the lie that she told Corporal Morimoto, that her family is dead, by giving a false last name so they cannot locate them. Hana and other girls are led into a room where they are to re-dress in clothing before they are put in a truck. Hana is separated from the group and is brought to a ferry with other comfort women who were stored inside and being transported to an undisclosed location. Hana is raped by Corporal Morimoto, making this her first sexual experience. She is then returned to the rest