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4.48 AVERAGE
4.48 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Prose similar to fiction making it really easy to read. What’s not easy is knowing the conditions have gotten way worse since Covid in North Korea
Reveals the reality of life in North Korea by retelling the stories of defectors. A teacher, a doctor, a housewife, etc. It begins in the early 90s and ends in 2009. Very engaging, very enlightening.
The conditions described in this book are even stranger than anything ever imagined in dystopian novels and films. To someone who grew up completely immersed in Western consumer society, it's hard to wrap my head around the fact that this is real life for a whole nation. As the book progresses toward the defection of some of the subjects, it only gets more fascinating.
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
A story that you might expect to find in dystopian fiction, but as they say, the truth is stranger than fiction. This book is told as an interwoven tale of 6 North Korean defectors, who had distinct class backgrounds and jobs in Chongjin, a city in North Korea, and that gives the narrative a well-rounded feel while providing an epicenter for the book. I don't know how much bias is present in this book, but it is hard to not believe the difficulties, the harrowing lives, the general public in NK lead from the words of its defectors. Children being forced to sing they have "nothing to envy" while starving, is an image that is going to stay with me. A great work by the author.
"Dr. Kim now realized the truth: in China, dogs ate better than doctors did back in North Korea."
"It is not easy for somebody who has escaped a totalitarian country to live in the free world. Defectors have to rediscover who they are in a world that offers endless possibilities. Choosing where to live, what to do, even which clothes to put on in the morning is tough enough for those of us accustomed to choices. It can be utterly paralyzing for people who've had decisions made for them by the state their entire lives."
This was a very eye-opening look into life in North Korea, primarily told through 6 defectors' points of view. I think that the author did a great job of presenting factual information, while using personal stories to illustrate her points. I appreciated being able to get a glimpse of what life is like in that highly isolated country and gain a better understanding of the hardships that people will endure in order to survive.
I enjoy reading books about people, countries and events that I don't know much about. I knew next nothing about North Korea and found this book fascinating. It is a tragic account of six North Korean defectors. While the writing isn't the best (several times she tells the same story twice or restates things multiple times), she provides a vivid picture of the lives inside North Korea - a rarity it seems in an extremely closed society. The poverty and hopelessness of this people in contrast to their devotion to their leader (brainwashing at its best) is heartbreaking.
I found this book about North Korea absolutely fascinating. I couldn't help but be reminded of some of the dystopian novels I have read recently-- but this is all real. :(
I'm honestly glad I read this book. It's made me thankful for everything I have and it slightly makes me shameful for all of the food I eat and opportunities I have. The book was a quick read and easy to follow.