Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Escapar Para Vivir by Yeonmi Park

24 reviews

on_your_raedar's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

I’ll be the first to admit that I never knew what happened in North Korea because I never thought about it. I watched a YouTube video about the 8 ways to defect from the country and this story was mentioned, I knew I had to read it, educate myself about what’s happen in the world.

This entire story is heartbreaking and is a necessary read. It took weeks to get through because things were so hard to stomach but I truly cannot express the appreciation I feel toward Yeonmi for being brave and willing to share her experiences. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Body horror, Classism, Confinement, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Rape

Moderate: Infidelity, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Torture, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Cancer, Murder, and Alcoholism

Minor: Addiction, Medical content, Ableism, Misogyny, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

ran_sophia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

The book contains a very powerful story that is worth reading.  Although it was difficult to read, because what the author wrote about and what she experienced was very sad and terrible.  I liked that the story was well written and pointed.  And I also liked that she wasn't afraid to talk openly about what she was going through.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Death of parent, Medical content, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol and Panic attacks/disorders

karingforbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Read the trigger warnings! 
This was amazing. I don’t know much about North Korea beyond what’s taught in the west which is propaganda to showcase democracy as the best. I enjoyed learning about the details of North Korea and how bad it actually was. Not to say I enjoy human suffering but it was educational and well written. She writes in a conversational and emotional manner which will definitely pull at your remotiosn whether that’s anger, sorrow or compassion. It’s a hard read because of all the horrific things this woman experienced but it’s an important read, not only because we can learn about a repressive regime but because many of the events she experienced can be analogized to events in the west (immigration for one). 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Xenophobia, Rape, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Cancer

Minor: Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders

agustdefault's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring fast-paced

5.0

im having a hard time describing this book but i am going to recommend it to everyone i know. it is very rare for me to cry during books and this one got me. yeonmis story is so heartbreaking and i felt that by the end i truly knew her. im proud of her for being able to speak up and tell her story and it was so well written that it didnt feel monotonous. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Self harm

mxpringle's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Death, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Murder, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Confinement, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Police brutality, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Abortion, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cancer, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Stalking, War, and Xenophobia

rini's review against another edition

challenging tense medium-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Abortion, Animal death, Cancer, Vomit, and War

Minor: Ableism and Forced institutionalization

natreviews's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This is one of the books that should be read in every single high school. This is such an important read, not only for an inside look as to what living in North Korea is like, but to read all of the hardships she and others like her have had to experience. It is one of those books that will make you reflect on your own life, and how good you really have it.

I had only seen the title of this book, heard nothing about it before I read it. That's why I'll keep this review to the bare bones. There are some books out there where the less you know, the better the read is. This is one of those books (although I highly recommend checking out the content warnings before reading).

What I will say is Yeonmi holds nothing back. For that I'm truly grateful. Although it is a hard and challenging read, it wouldn't have the same impact as it does without all of the details. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Medical content, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Violence

thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Rape, Slavery, and Trafficking

Moderate: Death of parent

meeuwke's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Trafficking, Violence, War, Rape, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Torture, and Grief

maggieoc_x's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Rape, Death, Kidnapping, and Trafficking

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Death of parent

Minor: Pedophilia, Abandonment, and Cancer