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x0pherl's review against another edition
5.0
I heard the author interviewed on NPR after winning the Pulitzer. The interview went into some detail about how the book comes off as absurd to Western readers, and yet fairly accurately portrays life in North Korea. I found this thought troubling as I read the book.
Most fascinating to me was the main characters ability to simply accept each strange twist of his life and move on as if it were simply the new default. Towards the very end he explains why:
Although the book is humorous in many details, overall it is fairly haunting.
Definitely on my must re-read someday list.
Most fascinating to me was the main characters ability to simply accept each strange twist of his life and move on as if it were simply the new default. Towards the very end he explains why:
Ga thought about reminding [him] that they lived in a land where people had been trained to accept any reality presented to them. He considered sharing how there was only one penalty, the ultimate one, for questioning reality, how a citizen could fall into great jeopardy for simply noticing that realities had changed. Even a warden wouldn’t risk that.
Although the book is humorous in many details, overall it is fairly haunting.
Definitely on my must re-read someday list.
laurentipton's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
brig_berthold's review
5.0
At first, I was impressed with this story. It began compelling and interesting. Then approximately 1/3 - 1/2 into the book, it really took a jump from well written to Pulitzer Prize-deserving. From that point, the story earned its place atop my five-star shelf.
For those who have spent time interested in, or as students of North Korea, this will be particularly thrilling for you. The nature of the story seems so realistic against the true life stories shared by defectors from the DPRK.
What's more, this novel was released two years prior to the release of [b:Dear Leader: Poet, Spy, Escapee—A Look Inside North Korea|20736640|Dear Leader Poet, Spy, Escapee—A Look Inside North Korea|Jang Jin-sung|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397767877s/20736640.jpg|34433706] which convincingly (a true story) bears the realities of the Kim dynasty in North Korea and the mannerisms of Kim Jung-il. How Johnson came to personify Kim Jung-il with the realism he was able, verified by the Poet-Laureate of the DPRK is fabulous.
For those who have spent time interested in, or as students of North Korea, this will be particularly thrilling for you. The nature of the story seems so realistic against the true life stories shared by defectors from the DPRK.
What's more, this novel was released two years prior to the release of [b:Dear Leader: Poet, Spy, Escapee—A Look Inside North Korea|20736640|Dear Leader Poet, Spy, Escapee—A Look Inside North Korea|Jang Jin-sung|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397767877s/20736640.jpg|34433706] which convincingly (a true story) bears the realities of the Kim dynasty in North Korea and the mannerisms of Kim Jung-il. How Johnson came to personify Kim Jung-il with the realism he was able, verified by the Poet-Laureate of the DPRK is fabulous.
nht806's review against another edition
5.0
This book made me think a lot more about North Korea specifically and, more generally, how different life might be under oppressive governments. The story verges on dystopian as well as fantasy and has many changes of scenery which makes it move quickly.
saradeliana's review against another edition
5.0
I won a copy of this book in a firstreads giveaway.
I entered to win this book because I've done quite a bit of reading on North Korea related to the persecuted Church. Everything I've read before has been non-fiction so I was interested to see how a fiction book would work. I ended up being very impressed with how accurate the story seemed to be with everything else that I've read. Of course the author has visited the country himself which I'm sure helped in creating the story.
It is the fascinating tale of a young North Korean man named Pak Jun Do who spends most of his life being led from one occupation to another by his circumstances rather than his own choice. That is until he risks his life by impersonating a high level government official partly in order to meet the man's wife whom he has heard of for most of his life.
What ensues is a heart-wrenching, tension filled ordeal that keeps the reader on the edge of his/her seat until the end.
This was one of the best books I've read so far that I've received in a firstreads giveaway. I highly recommend it to others. I also thing it would make an excellent book club read since it has so much for discussion.
I entered to win this book because I've done quite a bit of reading on North Korea related to the persecuted Church. Everything I've read before has been non-fiction so I was interested to see how a fiction book would work. I ended up being very impressed with how accurate the story seemed to be with everything else that I've read. Of course the author has visited the country himself which I'm sure helped in creating the story.
It is the fascinating tale of a young North Korean man named Pak Jun Do who spends most of his life being led from one occupation to another by his circumstances rather than his own choice. That is until he risks his life by impersonating a high level government official partly in order to meet the man's wife whom he has heard of for most of his life.
What ensues is a heart-wrenching, tension filled ordeal that keeps the reader on the edge of his/her seat until the end.
This was one of the best books I've read so far that I've received in a firstreads giveaway. I highly recommend it to others. I also thing it would make an excellent book club read since it has so much for discussion.
jslive's review against another edition
5.0
I read it like fantasy, since it would be too sad if it was realistic.
marie_cure's review against another edition
2.0
Although the first half was captivating in its horror and elegant descriptions, the slow, dramatic trudge of the second part made my interest dwindle. I would not recommend this. I would not suggest you buy this book and give it a space on your bookshelf. Each individual paragraph might have contained its own merits. Filled with curling prose and sharp action, a lonely paragraph could feel substantial. But the collection of all these little paragraphs into a book failed to inspire any great themes or emotions besides "What the heck?"
jodigraham's review against another edition
5.0
I was mid-way through this one when Otto Warmbier's comatose body came home from North Korea. And I can't stop thinking about it. The best books I have read are the ones that I find myself thinking about between chapters. In this case, the idea that the story is more important than the people was something I couldn't let go of. No mater how unbelievable the lies and events, the characters embraced the prescribed narrative without question. It was scary and fascinating at the same time. And, I don't think I'll ever eat canned peaches again.
yudontnojack's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.75
jsegaloff's review against another edition
5.0
I can't even put my finger on exactly why I liked this book so much...I just know I didn't want to put it down.