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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
The book was both a gruesome read and gruesome to read.
The author explores the lives of individuals living in North Korea without pulling back any punches. There were times when I physically flinched while reading and times when I had to close the book, sit back and just absorb what the fuck just happened.
But while it had its moments I found that most of the time it was a chore to read through. I found myself skimming through long passages and counting how many pages there were till the end. This had more to do with the writing style than the actual storyline. With exception to the main character Pak Jun Do, all other characters lacked depth. Even the unnamed interrogator, who was introduced in the second half of the book and whose story was written in first person, had a narrative that was written in a way that felt so detached. Perhaps it was the author’s purpose to have everyone but the main character be stale, regardless it made the book a drag to get through.
All in all, I think this book is important to read if you want to have insight into North Korea but you’ll need a lot of patience to actually get through the novel.
The author explores the lives of individuals living in North Korea without pulling back any punches. There were times when I physically flinched while reading and times when I had to close the book, sit back and just absorb what the fuck just happened.
But while it had its moments I found that most of the time it was a chore to read through. I found myself skimming through long passages and counting how many pages there were till the end. This had more to do with the writing style than the actual storyline. With exception to the main character Pak Jun Do, all other characters lacked depth. Even the unnamed interrogator, who was introduced in the second half of the book and whose story was written in first person, had a narrative that was written in a way that felt so detached. Perhaps it was the author’s purpose to have everyone but the main character be stale, regardless it made the book a drag to get through.
All in all, I think this book is important to read if you want to have insight into North Korea but you’ll need a lot of patience to actually get through the novel.
Although a somewhat stressful book to read, it is a highly interesting portrayal of life in North Korea. Not sure how accurate it is but if any shred is true it is devastating way to live. Honestly did not complete book in its entirety but through book club discussion feel like I’ve taken a lot away from the book. Will revisit one day and read start to finish.
This book is a marvel. It doesn't fly by, but it's worth the struggle. The way Johnson creates a unnervingly convincing depiction of North Korea and uses it as a black mirror of his readers' lived experiences is....I don't quite know how to articulate it. It is way beyond my ability to marshal words right now, that's for sure. This novel is a stupendous literary feat.
slow-paced
Having read several books about North Korea by North Koreans, including non-fiction, it was interesting to read fiction about North Korea by a non-Korean. Perhaps that weighed on me, in that the story felt especially constructed and cinematic. Of course, a good deal of it actually is cinematic, intentionally so. In my opinion, the last scene took that too far. Even without my prior reading, I think this book could have been both less confusing in its time switching and less predictable in its plot. Sadly, the biggest punch came for me came at the end of part one. Still, a solid good read for those willing to spend time in such a sad and surreal place.
I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I'll go out of my way to recommend this to others. The story is so dark but there are parts that are warm and funny and sweet, which helped me get through it. It's also really, really long - I like a good, long engrossing book but it takes a really long time for this story to get going and I didn't feel caught up in it until I got to Part 2, which is at the 40% mark on the Kindle.
Read this book. It was one of the best I've ever read. Challenging at times, darkly funny at others, this book was a wild look at North Korean life.
dark
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Torture, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail