Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park, Maryanne Vollers

59 reviews

gracie_reads_everything's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

A very powerful and moving story about a North Korean defector turned human rights advocate. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Police brutality, and Violence

Moderate: Chronic illness, Cancer, Rape, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Sexism

Minor: Gore, Stalking, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Torture, Miscarriage, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury

Biography, autobiography, memoir, North Korea, human rights, powerful

mmontemurro's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This was a gripping memoir of Yeonmi Park's harrowing journey out of North Korea. She describes her childhood in a country where having no food for days on end was commonplace, and how they would eat dragonflies for protein when they had nothing else. She describes seeing dead bodies on the side of the road - people who had died of starvation. Her father was taken to a hard labor camp after being caught selling "illegal" goods which in any other place would be considered legal. Her mother left to attempt to retrieve her father from prison, and she was left to care for herself and her sister. While others tried to help them, it sounded as though most people had little to give for food. I was shocked to hear about the government radios which had to be on at all times - it reminded me of 1984 where they were constantly watched and listened to. No one could be trusted but yourself. Her sister left for China, and eventually Yeonmi leaves with her mother too, to hopefully find a better life in China, and get her father out of North Korea. Yeonmi and her mother were trafficked for many years in China, and forced into marriages by Chinese brokers. They were considered second-class citizens - or really not citizens at all in China. Yeonmi secured a deal for herself as a young girl in order to get her mother and father, and hopefully her sister, who was missing, in exchange for becoming a mistress to one broker. She describes painful, terrible rape and having to endure that for her family. Eventually they leave with a Christian missionary group for South Korea. However dangerous, they do eventually make it to South Korea, and are able to become citizens there. Due to a lack in eduation in North Korea, Yeonmi is told that she will never amount to anything, never catch up to other classmates, and never go to university. She surpasses every goal by working extremely hard. Her story is incredible, and she has everlasting hope through all the bleak moments of her life. I hope that this story reaches many, and that her story can inspire others to understand the tragedy of North Korea and understand that anything is achieveable in this life. 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Slavery, Sexual assault, Deportation, Sexual violence, Rape, Death, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Pregnancy and Abortion

This book really captivated me from start to finish. I had heard of Yeonmi's story before from the numerous interviews she does, but I had not heard of some specific details about her family and her survival throughout her teenage years. It humbles me and I am grateful to live in a country where freedom is a right and I am able to achieve my goals without significant hardship or sacrifice. I am glad that after all the hardship Yeonmi endured, she was able to gain freedom and is now able to spread awareness and information to others.

kaigeg's review against another edition

emotional informative medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Grief, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts

bethantg's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

Such a worthwhile read. Difficult all the way through, but with a strong current of hope. Grants a lot of insight into what life really is, and what it should never be. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to tell this story over and over, but here it is clear and engaging throughout. Will definitely stick with me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Trafficking

Moderate: Grief, Torture, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Medical content, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

Minor: Alcohol, Excrement, and War

averagemugglereader's review

I was really enjoying this book, but unfortunately half way through I did some digging and found that the author is not 100% trust worthy. She’s been “caught” lying about several things in the book. I say “caught” because some people take it as she is definitely lying and others see it as her not wanting to relive certain trauma’s so she didn’t divulge everything at first and that why her story has slightly changed. But because of all that,  I just don’t feel right finishing the book. Maybe I’ll get back to him some day in the future. But for now I’m going to research a few other NK defectors.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual content

captain_tiz's review

dark emotional informative fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

laedyred's review

dark emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

4.0

Many of us are aware of the horrors of North Korea, but this memoir also describes the challenges faced after leaving the country. The horrors escapees endure are hard to read. In my situation, this book did not change my life, but it was educational and inspiring. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Physical abuse, and Infidelity

baimengshan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced

3.5

What a ride! I flew through this book. I learned so much from her story. It’s unimaginable to think that the things she went through are still happening nowadays.

The writing isn’t the best in the world but then again, I didn’t start this book for her writing skills. I read this book to get to know her message and her story, and to educate myself on a different reality than mine.

Some people criticise her for changing the story between interviews. Some things she must have adapted along the way as a coping mechanism to deal with all of the pain. I don’t know if all of the things she shared are exactly accurate but I imagine that after all she went through, reliving those memories must have been painful. What she wrote made sense to me and it was really easy to follow along.

Park Yeonmi, thank you for this book! Thank you for allowing me to learn more about a reality so different than mine.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

trui's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

cookiesandchapters's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence