Important details of the times are folded into the narrative without being obtrusive. Intrigues, danger, and the same strong focus on doing what is right turn a simple story into a compelling read.
Obtaining a royal commission to make pots worthy of the palace is at the heart of the plot. Each choice of Tree-ear's shows an awareness of pride and dignity-not just for himself, but for Crane-man, Min, and his wife. Ethical decisions regarding acceptance of lunch and his responsibility to Crane-man are decided with fastidiousness and rectitude. It is in the details that the story lays claim to a sort of Zen quality. Min allows him to continue to help in exchange for food from the master's kind wife.
Tree-ear aches and bleeds, but gradually he becomes accustomed to the work. Surprised in the act, one of the pots is broken and Tree-ear must work to pay for the damage. Tree-ear has been living with Crane-man under a bridge, scavenging for food and comfort until one day he watches Min, the potter, becoming so fascinated he later creeps back to look at the finished pots. A homeless boy in a 12th-century Korean village makes himself surprisingly useful to a master potter.
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