Reviews with content warning for Trafficking - The Last Exiles

I enjoyed the experience of the setting - it's rare to read a novel set in current North Korea. The story itself was both tense, sad, hopeful, and pushing the edges of convenience/coincidence maybe? I kept wanting more, and I didn't want to leave it, but I also kept looking to see how much more was left. I feel like maybe I needed less scope - or deeper character development.

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coralie_michon's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.5

it was an overall good book, i was nothing to wrong to say about it but nothing amazing either. it was very different from what i’m used to, the settings, the political atmosphere, and power tensions, so it was challenging.
i really appreciated that we could see both stories and evolutions in a parallel way, it was very interesting. however, it’s missing a few time indicators in the beginning and throughout the whole book ( except the last 3 chapters maybe ). i didnt really understand how long some stages of their adventures were and it confused me at the end when the narrator was like « oh i’ve been here a couple of months » when i thought it lasted 4 days.
overall, good book, it did not change my life or anything but im glad to have read it.

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buroaklifereads's review

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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pomoevareads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A long time ago I became a bit obsessed with the escape of Shin Donghyuk from Camp 14 in North Korea. I read several long form journalism pieces on his experiences and of the trials of people attempting to leave North Korea. So when The Last Exiles was suggested as a buddy read for one of my book clubs I jumped on it.

Ann Shin, the author and fellow Canadian, has been recognized for her work in this subject matter and I will be going back to watch My Enemy, My Brother which was shortlisted for an Academy Award.

The Last Exiles is a love story at its’ heart between Suja, a privileged photojournalist student in Pyongyang, and Jin, who studies at the same university as Suja but comes from a family starving from famine in the northern region of the country. After an incident in Jin’s hometown, the two are separated from each other. News travels to Suja of Jin’s whereabouts and she vows to follow him to the ends of the earth if it means they can be together. In a country where total loyalty is expected of all of its’ citizens danger lurks everywhere.

This story takes place in 1998 during the reign of Kim Jong-Il. I had a pit in my stomach for much of the book as every action these two characters took could result in death if found out. The landscape and food scenes were so detailed and visually imaginable. I could almost taste the pine shavings boiled with water into a porridge mixture that Jin’s mother forages for and cooks for her family.

Scenes of what is happening on the other side of the border in China show how North Koreans who do make it across the border survive. This was a new piece of information for me and one I found very interesting and heartbreaking.

There are several difficult and violent scenes to be cautioned of if you are sensitive. If you can manage it, the book is so worthwhile and I can’t wait to discuss it with the group.

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shaney_swift's review against another edition

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dark inspiring tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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lgmelcher's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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sunnyreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The Last Exiles is a really heartbreaking story of what two people will do to reunite after one of them is accused of a crime and thrown in prison.

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kindredbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I received a copy of The Last Exiles from Harper Collins Canada in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Exiles follows a young man and woman in North Korea as they meet and fall in love while in university. They come from two very different classes in society but nevertheless they find a connection and attraction between them. On a visit home to his poor village, Jin finds just how badly his family is suffering under the current political climate and makes a rash decision that will change his life - and Suja’s - forever. Before long, the two lovers are separated yet determined to find their way back to one another. This will mean escaping the country in which they were born into, and even then, freedom may not be quite as easy.

After having lived in South Korea for awhile and learning more about the history between North and South Korea, I started this novel with great interest in getting a more novel look into the lives of North Koreans. Life in North Korea is not as widely known as not many North Koreans are able to make it out to tell their stories. I thought that it was a very interesting narrative told from Jin and Suja’s point of view. The events of the story were harrowing and quite intense, even more so later in the book

when Jin and Suja escape to China separately.

The experiences that they have to go through even when they are “free” from North Korea is still quite traumatic especially for Suja, as a woman.

I found The Last Exiles to be a eye-opening story that approached many tough situations and themes head on. It is a story that shows the North Korea situation is not quite as romantic as South Korean dramas perhaps make it seem (I’m thinking of Crash Landing Into You here.)

Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for sending me a copy of the novel.

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