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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
I cried six times.
My heart is broken after finishing this man's incredible story. I somehow swell with love and gratitude that my son doesn't know how it feels to cry all night with nothing to eat, and at the same time feel as if I'm a bottomless well of emptiness and grief that somewhere out there, in 2018, there's a mother who can't say the same thing.
I could try the rest of my life and never come up with words strong enough to convey how I feel right now.
I will never forget this story.
My heart is broken after finishing this man's incredible story. I somehow swell with love and gratitude that my son doesn't know how it feels to cry all night with nothing to eat, and at the same time feel as if I'm a bottomless well of emptiness and grief that somewhere out there, in 2018, there's a mother who can't say the same thing.
I could try the rest of my life and never come up with words strong enough to convey how I feel right now.
I will never forget this story.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Harrowing. Terrifying. I got so emotional reading this. A must-read for everyone, like The Diary of Anne Frank.
A harrowing and incredibly sad memoir that is hard to fathom can possibly be reality. Ishikawa's firsthand account of life in North Korea is exceptionally bleak and educational.
Essential reading. I found Ishikawa's prose gripping and honest. Can't believe this happened; can't believe he was unable to extract his family after everything he'd been through.
This is a heartbreaking read of one manâs struggle to survive and later support his family after he moved with his parents and siblings from Japan to North Korea in 1960.
Mr. Ishikawaâs father believed the propaganda that North Korea was âParadise on Earthâ and that his children would be given university educations, and everyone would have jobs and plenty to eat.
Although the account itself is not lengthy, the desperation permeates every page. Recommended for readers who would like to read a firsthand account of what living in North Korea was like for one man.
Mr. Ishikawaâs father believed the propaganda that North Korea was âParadise on Earthâ and that his children would be given university educations, and everyone would have jobs and plenty to eat.
Although the account itself is not lengthy, the desperation permeates every page. Recommended for readers who would like to read a firsthand account of what living in North Korea was like for one man.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
The book is not an easy read but certainly very well-written from a first hand North Korean defect experience. I have read so much about North Korea from journalists written books who interviewed North Korea defects, so I had some sort of expectations on what to expect with the experience Masaji was about to share. But reading this book from his first person narration hit even harder and I felt more difficult to read through because I feel like I am there listening in person and I felt the pain in his words.
I sympathize so much with Masaji. He already did not have the best childhood as a kid, and was forced to move to North Korea because of his father at the age of 13. He suffered a lot with his family and being forced to be the lowest of the lowest because of his half Japanese status, which was despised by not only the government, but also the people. Once he successfully escaped from North Korea with much obstacles and difficulties - I was holding my breath when reading the parts on his escape process and thank goodness everyone who helped him escape was very nice to him (and no North Korean spies), he still struggled to find his identity in Japan and was discriminated because he hadnât lived in Japan for over 30 years. Most importantly, his family wasnât there with him - at least as of the end of this book, we donât know if he ended up reuniting with his family. This book is written 25 years ago. This man suffered for almost his entire life. I donât know how he is now, but I hope he is doing better, if not, slightly.
I sympathize so much with Masaji. He already did not have the best childhood as a kid, and was forced to move to North Korea because of his father at the age of 13. He suffered a lot with his family and being forced to be the lowest of the lowest because of his half Japanese status, which was despised by not only the government, but also the people. Once he successfully escaped from North Korea with much obstacles and difficulties - I was holding my breath when reading the parts on his escape process and thank goodness everyone who helped him escape was very nice to him (and no North Korean spies), he still struggled to find his identity in Japan and was discriminated because he hadnât lived in Japan for over 30 years. Most importantly, his family wasnât there with him - at least as of the end of this book, we donât know if he ended up reuniting with his family. This book is written 25 years ago. This man suffered for almost his entire life. I donât know how he is now, but I hope he is doing better, if not, slightly.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence
While I rated this book amazing, it is not to say I enjoyed reading it. It will haunt me for quite some time. The last lines of it are especially poignant to me:
"I often think about what would have become of me if I'd stayed in North Korea. I would probably have starved too. But at least I'd have died in someone's arms with my family gathered around me. We'd have said our goodbyes. What chance of that Now?
People talk about God. Although I can't see him myself, I still pray for a happy ending."
"I often think about what would have become of me if I'd stayed in North Korea. I would probably have starved too. But at least I'd have died in someone's arms with my family gathered around me. We'd have said our goodbyes. What chance of that Now?
People talk about God. Although I can't see him myself, I still pray for a happy ending."
My fascination with North Korea has been strong for many years, and was one of the main reasons I picked up this book. It is a fascinating account of one family's experience being tricked to move to North Korea from Japan in the 60s and the incredible hardships that they endured until eventually he managed to escape. The book does not shy away from describing the violence and cruelty of the North Korean system in detail and the bitterness and grief of the author towards the end feels intense, almost raw. Maybe it would have been better to wait a few more years, before writing the book, but on the other hand, do you ever get distance to such a trauma? The book is well written and detailed. A devastating read that takes some effort to get through just because of the misery it depicts. It also highlights the need for the world to acknowledge that this ongoing catastrophe is allowed to happen and has been enabled by many governments and organisations over the years.
It not a happy story
Trouble is the main element of the book. All pages are filled with struggles and the painful life forces us to believe in something supernatural to happen.
I had heard about refugees and illegal migrants but never thought about how their life would be or to be appropriate one cannot assume what it would be like. Whats the greatest problem one could face in life?? Hunger?? Staying away from one's family??
As a family they went to the 'heaven on earth" only to suffer ,to be discriminated and to die. Life was made like hell for Ishikawa and family , though he escaped the land the memories followed him. Ishikawas story reminds us that life can be miserable but even luxuries won't make one happy when he is destined to enjoy it alone
Trouble is the main element of the book. All pages are filled with struggles and the painful life forces us to believe in something supernatural to happen.
I had heard about refugees and illegal migrants but never thought about how their life would be or to be appropriate one cannot assume what it would be like. Whats the greatest problem one could face in life?? Hunger?? Staying away from one's family??
As a family they went to the 'heaven on earth" only to suffer ,to be discriminated and to die. Life was made like hell for Ishikawa and family , though he escaped the land the memories followed him. Ishikawas story reminds us that life can be miserable but even luxuries won't make one happy when he is destined to enjoy it alone