When a novice French diplomat arrives for an audience with the Emperor, he is enraptured by the Joseon Dynastys magnificent culture, then at its zenith. But all fades away when he sees Yi Jin perform the delicate traditional Dance of the Spring Oriole. Though well aware that women of the court belong to the palace, the young diplomat confesses his love to the Emperor, and gains permission for Yi Jin to accompany him back to France.
Rich with historic detail and filled with luminous characters, Koreas most beloved novelist brings a lost era to life in a story that will resonate long after the final page.