Reviews tagging 'Torture'

За да живея by Yeonmi Park, Йонми Парк

33 reviews

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. 

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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

meeuwke's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

elliemarshall19's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

Did not want to rate this book as it didn’t feel right. I would highly recommended reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence

horizonous's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Xenophobia

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexism

◦ Child abuse = Child labour
◦ Emotional abuse = Brainwashing
◦ Mental illness = PTSD
◦ Murder = Execution
◦ Physical abuse = incl. starvation
◦ Sexual violence = Human trafficking

ivassavi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

(2021 Book#13)
3.5-3.75⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Trafficking

Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Torture

fuzz's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

4.5

I was introduced to this book by one of our followers on IG. I read up on the summary and instantly bought the audiobook. In this open and uncensored account, Yeonmi Park shares horrific experiences that no child should have to go through. In the years that most teenagers in the western world are going to school, hanging out with friends and going shopping, Park was sold as a wife to a man way older than her. I was taken on rollercoaster ride where at each peak you hope for Park's freedom, but then learn of the misfortune she receives. But as you're reading this, you're also joining Park on a journey of self-realisation and learning about the real world. I'll be honest, this was not an easy read for me. The horrors of North Korea and the life of a defector is a heavy subject. But at no point did I want to DNF this. I completed the book in parts over two weeks and I'm glad I had the opportunity to listen to/read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Cancer, and Death

Minor: Torture, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

bright_eyed_and_bookish's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Park manages to find the humanity within the inhumanity in the situations and people she faces along her journey. This is a story not only about her experience itself, but also her rapidly changing worldview.

By the end of the book, we get to know her understanding of the power of a story in providing a kind of freedom.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Rape, Medical content, Grief, and Terminal illness

Minor: Suicide and Torture

miachalupa's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

shadereads's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Trafficking, and Torture

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Medical content and Physical abuse

seedsofsunflowers's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

Yeonmi’s been through so many hardships, and her account of her life thus far is at once tragic and inspiring. Can’t recall if it is officially, but her story is sort of split into three portions - her childhood in North Korea, her time being trafficked and stuck in China, and her adjustment to South Korea when she finally escaped. Each of these sections feels a little different - the first is more matter-of-fact and emotionally detached (to be fair I can’t remember most of my childhood, so she probably relied a bit on family to piece some things together), the second is utterly depressing, and the third is more hopeful but makes you think about some issues we may take for granted today in “first-world” countries. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Eji Kim, and didn’t find the simplicity of the language at all an issue like I’m reading in some previous reviews. It’s well-written, and the kind of story that may not necessarily spell out hugely complex thoughts but does make you think upon your own assumptions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, and Violence

Minor: Cancer, Racism, Sexism, and Torture