Behind Five Willows

From the New York Times-bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves comes a warm and romantic homage to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice set in historical Korea, about a reader and a writer who secretly fight against government book banning and find themselves irresistibly drawn together.

As the dutiful second-eldest daughter of a poor family, society would have Haewon believe that her only hope of a decent life is to marry well. But during a time of rampant government censorship and book banning, she instead works as an illegal book transcriber to make a little extra money. It's dangerous work, but she loves it--especially when she gets to transcribe the work of her favorite author, known as Black Lotus.

When her older sister becomes smitten with a wealthy young gentleman, Haewon is roped into chaperoning them during their courtship. Which wouldn't be so terrible... if it weren't for the young man's uptight and annoying best friend who also accompanies them.

As the only son of a noble, Seojun has a lot expected of him. Wealth. Status. Respectability. Certainly not frivolous and often illicit activities such as reading fiction. But Seojun loves to do something even more scandalous: writing. He's kept his work secret from his father and friends, but with each passing day, the pressure of being his father's son and the dispiriting actions of the government make Seojun question the purpose of it all. The only thing keeping him going are the encouraging letters he receives from his transcriber, known only as Magpie.

When his best friend falls hard for a girl of lower social status, Seojun finds himself forced to act as chaperone to the infatuated couple--along with the girl's younger sister, who is as irritating as she is judgmental. But as Haewon and Seojun spend more time together, they begin to suspect they may have judged each other too quickly...

Also by June Hur
The Silence of Bones
The Forest of Stolen Girls
The Red Palace
A Crane Among Wolves

Author: June Hur
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: 05/26/2026
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.70w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9781250348081
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 02/01/2026 pg. 54
Kirkus Reviews 02/15/2026
Publishers Weekly 02/16/2026
Booklist 04/01/2026
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 06/01/2026

About the Author
June Hur is a New York Times-bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of YA historicals, including The Silence of Bones, The Forest of Stolen Girls, The Red Palace, A Crane Among Wolves, and Behind Five Willows. Born in South Korea, June spent her formative years in the USA, Canada, and South Korea before studying History and Literature at the University of Toronto, and working at the city's public library. Her work has been featured in Forbes, NPR, The New York Times, CBC, and KBS. June resides in Toronto with her family and can be spotted writing in coffee shops.