Henry Park is a private detective, a first-generation Korean American whose job demands precisely the virtues instilled in him by his stern father - caution, hard work, discretion, economy with words. Unfortunately, these are the traits that force a wedge between Henry and his WASP wife, Leila, after the death of their son, when Henry's reserve is interpreted by Leila as a failure or inability to grieve. Struggling to cope with the effects both of their temporary separation and of an uncharacteristically botched assignment, Henry is given one last shot at his marriage and his career. But the job he is given, infiltrating the electoral campaign of a rising political star, also a Korean American, raises personal issues of conscience and loyalty, forcing Henry to question his own identity. Native Speaker succeeds on two levels - as a taut spy story of political corruption and lies, and as a brilliant evocation of the immigrant experience. (Kirkus UK)

A story about a Korean detective in New York. It is a novel about the immigrant experience, about love, loyalty and the languages that define us.

A story about a Korean detective in New York. It is a novel about the immigrant experience, about love, loyalty and the languages that define us.

2007-03-19 This Korean is NOT a detective nor is he Korean.

Henry Park is not a detective. He is a spy. He is not Korean. He is born in America to Korean parents,but speaks Korean until he enters kindergarten, a scenario familiar to so many hyphenated Americans. He hires on as a spy for Glimmer and Associates, a consulting firm. His job is to infiltrate the deepest deeds and thoughts of Asian-Americans assigned to him in order to bring them down or to penetrate their foreign connections. He flubs his first assignment because under the kindness of his target person, he instead reveals himself rather than burrowing to the good man's core and exposing his Marcos connections. Henry is married to a white New England woman, Lelia. They are suffering from the death of their seven year old child, Mitt. Henry's remoteness has made him unable to express his mourning, and so antagonizes his wife. Little by little and pain by pain they reconcile. Henry's next assignment is to find out about John Kwang, a politician and would-be New York mayoral candidate. He has transference to Kwang as a father figure, as do so many minority constituents. But under Henry's sharp observation, excellent memory and alienation, Kwang's weaknesses are revealed. These are the same qualities in Kwang that are his own downfall. His assignment finished, Henry works with Lelia, a speech therapist, to help other non-native speakers.

This book is quite timely. Henry symbolizes the alienation of children born of immigrant parents, their feeling that they never belong either to their parents' people or to the American-born citizens, but are suspended inbetween.

The language is often poetic, sometimes terse, vacillating between Henry the Spy and Henry the American with heart, the Korean with heart.

I begrudged the 5th star because the events are sometimes obscure. It was a beautiful read. I'm surprised this is the 1st review.