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jhbandcats's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Illuminating look into life in North Korea for a Western foreigner working in Pyongyang for two months in 2003. It’s oppressive and depressing and a bit overwhelming, an up-close look at an actual dystopia. Of course, the North Koreans don’t view it that way.
The author fills his illustrated memoir with absurdist humor that reflects the absurdity of life in a dictatorship, where the rules are arbitrary, he’s always being watched and criticized, and the facade of the Kim dynasty’s success is easily peeled back from the pathos of real life around him. Until now, I had no idea there was a monolithic unfinished 105-story hotel disintegrating in the middle of the city. It’s an all too real metaphor for the country as a whole.
Definitely recommended if you want a glimpse into North Korea.
The author fills his illustrated memoir with absurdist humor that reflects the absurdity of life in a dictatorship, where the rules are arbitrary, he’s always being watched and criticized, and the facade of the Kim dynasty’s success is easily peeled back from the pathos of real life around him. Until now, I had no idea there was a monolithic unfinished 105-story hotel disintegrating in the middle of the city. It’s an all too real metaphor for the country as a whole.
Definitely recommended if you want a glimpse into North Korea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
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