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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
Gut wrenching.
The amount of struggle is just unbelievable,the things one does for his family and the game of control people in power play to feed their own ego is just astonishing.
I am completely devoid on imagination on the life people live in North Korea, although he tried to explain as much as possible,I enjoying more than basic amenities could not comprehend it at all.
The struggle it took author to get out of the "heaven on Earth" and reach Japan and the struggles away from the family and not knowing about their fate seems to be the same.
I sympathize greatly as thats the most I can do to the great man and the hell he faces after returning to Japan.
I saw a video made by vox in their border series as the north Korean bubble in Japan,the fact that people still believe North Korea as the promise Land is mind boggling and it is exactly the same now in the Korean community in Japan as it was in 1950's.
Here is the link for the video:
https://youtu.be/qBfyIQbxXPs
The amount of struggle is just unbelievable,the things one does for his family and the game of control people in power play to feed their own ego is just astonishing.
I am completely devoid on imagination on the life people live in North Korea, although he tried to explain as much as possible,I enjoying more than basic amenities could not comprehend it at all.
The struggle it took author to get out of the "heaven on Earth" and reach Japan and the struggles away from the family and not knowing about their fate seems to be the same.
I sympathize greatly as thats the most I can do to the great man and the hell he faces after returning to Japan.
I saw a video made by vox in their border series as the north Korean bubble in Japan,the fact that people still believe North Korea as the promise Land is mind boggling and it is exactly the same now in the Korean community in Japan as it was in 1950's.
Here is the link for the video:
https://youtu.be/qBfyIQbxXPs
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
A preface that what Ishikawa went through was horrendous and inhumane. My remaining sentences are regarding the quality of the writing.
Based on the dek and the map at the beginning, I thought more of the book would be dedicated to his escape journey. Instead, 80% of it was about his life prior to escape - 30% to his childhood in Japan and the treatment of Korean-Japanese in Japanese society in the 60s and 70s, and 50% to his life in North Korea.
I found the writing perspective in the childhood portion to be uneven. Ishikawa injects a lot of hindsight analysis of everyone's psychology, although the perspective is meant to be from him as a child. So we get the exposition and his reactions as a child, jerkily interspersed with his (rightfully) scathing opinions as an adult with little warning. This might be a quality issue with the translation or it might a more common style in Japanese autobiography writing and the translation favored being literal over localization.
Based on the dek and the map at the beginning, I thought more of the book would be dedicated to his escape journey. Instead, 80% of it was about his life prior to escape - 30% to his childhood in Japan and the treatment of Korean-Japanese in Japanese society in the 60s and 70s, and 50% to his life in North Korea.
I found the writing perspective in the childhood portion to be uneven. Ishikawa injects a lot of hindsight analysis of everyone's psychology, although the perspective is meant to be from him as a child. So we get the exposition and his reactions as a child, jerkily interspersed with his (rightfully) scathing opinions as an adult with little warning. This might be a quality issue with the translation or it might a more common style in Japanese autobiography writing and the translation favored being literal over localization.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
This is the best North Korean defector story I have read so far. And I've read a few. You should definitely read it. But before you do, read this first:
What sets Ishikawa's story apart is that he was not born in North Korea. He arrived with his family to "The Promised Land" as a 13 year old kid. Therefore he is able to offer a completely different perspective from those who were born and raised in NK and brainwashed from birth. Where a native Korean may not think of something as "strange", Ishikawa can see through idiosyncrasies, he is able to think critically and demonstrate the madness of North Korean bureaucracy.
Ishikawa starts his new life in NK in the lowest cast of society and living in one of the poorest parts of the country. The living conditions he describes are unthinkable. Made me realise that the other defectors whose memoirs I've read were relatively well off by North Korean standards.
The book focuses mainly on his personal story, which I think anyone even remotely interested in North Korea should read. However I would recommend starting with a book such as Nothing To Envy or The Girl With Seven Names, which give wider explanations about the political and historical environment of North Korea and reasons behind the famine etc. It's more interesting to read Ishikawa's story with some previous background knowledge of the region. And wow, what a story it is!
What sets Ishikawa's story apart is that he was not born in North Korea. He arrived with his family to "The Promised Land" as a 13 year old kid. Therefore he is able to offer a completely different perspective from those who were born and raised in NK and brainwashed from birth. Where a native Korean may not think of something as "strange", Ishikawa can see through idiosyncrasies, he is able to think critically and demonstrate the madness of North Korean bureaucracy.
Ishikawa starts his new life in NK in the lowest cast of society and living in one of the poorest parts of the country. The living conditions he describes are unthinkable. Made me realise that the other defectors whose memoirs I've read were relatively well off by North Korean standards.
The book focuses mainly on his personal story, which I think anyone even remotely interested in North Korea should read. However I would recommend starting with a book such as Nothing To Envy or The Girl With Seven Names, which give wider explanations about the political and historical environment of North Korea and reasons behind the famine etc. It's more interesting to read Ishikawa's story with some previous background knowledge of the region. And wow, what a story it is!
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
This is an incredible, overwhelming, harrowing book. I couldn't put it down, but I could also barely bear to keep going. It would have five stars, but I couldn't quite manage to give it five stars because it's just so devoid of hope or light. I've looked into it, but I haven't found any updates on the man or his family. I hope he finds peace.
I can't critique this book any more than this, as it is such a frank portrayal of someone's tragic life. It should be required reading.
I can't critique this book any more than this, as it is such a frank portrayal of someone's tragic life. It should be required reading.
What a terrible f’ing life. Honestly. And to think this is CURRENTLY happening.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
A River in Darkness is a vivid, descriptive book about the hell that North Korea is for those living within its borders. This book is a must-read for those who feel like life is too harsh with their First World problems. The book gives an excellent perspective on what it means to have a bad day, week, year, or life.
This book broke my heart over and over again. I wish it could’ve come with a happy ending but unfortunately for some that never comes. The bravery of Masaji is inspirational. I hope one day things get better.