‘Your House Will Pay’ Explores America’s Racial Strife
A review of Steph Cha’s 2019 novel
Your House Will Pay takes place in Los Angeles in the wake of the shooting of a Black teenager, echoing the riots from the 1990s. According to the author, the novel’s premise is based on the 1991 murder of 15-year old Latasha Harlins by Soon Ja Du, a Korean grocer, who accused Harlins for stealing orange juice, and shot her in the back of the head. Although Soon Ja Du was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, she served no jail time. Published in 2019, the book’s subject matter continues to have cultural relevance today with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Although the book’s inciting incident happens in 1991, the bulk of the story takes place in 2019 examining the aftermath of the tragedy that damaged two families. The book alternates between two characters: Grace and Shawn. Grace Park works at her family’s pharmacy, living with her immigrant Korean parents. In the light of recent protests against police brutality towards the Black community, she uncovers a family secret, causing her distress as to why her sister Miriam has refused to speak to her mother the past two years.
After witnessing the death of his older sister Ava in the early 90s, Shawn Matthews wants to live a quiet life with his family. However, with the recent death of another…
