Tree-Ear is an orphan in 12th Century Korea who apprentices himself to Min, a master potter in Ch'ulp'o.  Min resists this apprenticeship and gives Tree-Ear only difficult and laborsome jobs.  Though the jobs are hard on Tree-Ear, he is soon more adept at the hard labor, more familiar with the practices of making pottery, and more committed to becoming a potter himself.  Min continues to resist Tree-Ear's efforts, however, refusing to show him how to make pottery because he is not Min's son.

 

A reader might not even consider being interested in the craft, labor and artistry involved in making pottery, but  A SINGLE SHARD would show the intensity of the profession and the exactness of the skill required.  Intricate details are given regarding the process of findng clay, molding and shaping it, and firing and glazing it.  The details presented do not overwhelm the story; instead they offer a glimpse into a world most people are not familiar with.  Firing a vessel could be influenced by so many factors that potter Min often fired up to ten of the same vessels, in hopes that one of them would be perfect.

 

The focus of the story changes when potter Min is offerred a royal commission if he can only present a peice of pottery in the far city of Songdo.  Since Min is too old to make the journey himself, Tree-Ear, in moment of true courage and sacrifice, offers to make the journey for him.  The importance of the journey is not underestimated because of the value of the pottery involved and the long process behind the pottery.

 

The journey is a life changing one for Tree-Ear, who is to gain a new life and lose an old one in the process.  A SINGLE SHARD does not offer any quick fixes or simple plots.  Instead, it offers a detailed account of the profession of pottery making, the sacrifice involved, and the life on an orphan in 12th Centruy Korea.  The language in A SINGLE SHARD reflects the story itself - it is detailed, exacting, and in no way frivolous.  It seems as though Park carefully crafted and placed each sentence so that it would become part of the work itself, reflecting the life and times.

 

The balance of historical fact with an intriguing story and believeable characters make A SINGLE SHARD an excellent example of historical fiction.  Though the process of pottery making is very detailed and intricate, those details do not overwhelm the story of Tree-Ear, a young boy who must make choices and come to accept the difficult aspects of his own life.