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trizie81's review against another edition
5.0
Nothing I expected. It is a wild and sad and funny and crazy story about living in a totalitarian country like north korea. A story about change or wanting to change when coming in touch with new choice. I finished 1984 just before and you can see many similarities. This story describes different people in different life circumstances. It made me laugh, cry and hope.
heybalestoo's review against another edition
4.0
This book is an interesting and thought provoking window into North Korea. There are not many books written about North Korea and this provides a sense of life and culture in a country very different from others. I found it simultaneously gripping and challenging. The book follows the life of a young man who carries the stigma of "orphan" -- though not technically one as he rises in circumstance.
phagussi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
maddie_reads_stuff's review against another edition
4.0
The extraordinary life of Pak Jun Do as he goes from orphan to hero to prisoner and back again in the "workers' paradise" of North Korea.
A good story is more valuable than the truth. Or so the captain told us. We may never know the truth of life in North Korea, but through this novel we imagine the extremes of horror and absurdity the country may contain.
For the most part fascinating to listen to, but a bit on the long side (15 CDs!) and I could have done without the interrogator's point of view.
A good story is more valuable than the truth. Or so the captain told us. We may never know the truth of life in North Korea, but through this novel we imagine the extremes of horror and absurdity the country may contain.
For the most part fascinating to listen to, but a bit on the long side (15 CDs!) and I could have done without the interrogator's point of view.
protoman21's review against another edition
3.0
John Green recommended this book, so I went into it with very high expectations. Unfortunately I was let down and found the book only mildly enjoyable. I am not very appraised on North Korean politics, but I'm not sure that really matters. Knowing the basics is all that is required to grasp this particular story, but maybe if those issues were important to you, the impact would be felt more heavily. I wanted to feel more for Jun Do, and although I did feel something it was not a powerful undeniable emotion that rips at you when bad or good things happen. His story, on paper, is one that should be easy to connect with and for him to be a sympathetic character that you unreservedly root for, but it just never reached that level of connection for me.
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
From the book jacket - An epic novel [that] follows a young man’s journey through the icy waters, dark tunnels, and eerie spy chambers of the world’s most mysterious dictatorship, North Korea. Pak Jun Do is the haunted son of a lost mother and an influential father who runs Long Tomorrows, a work camp for orphans. Jun Do comes to the attention of superiors in the state, rises in the ranks, and starts on a road from which there will be no return.
My Reaction
I hardly know what to write. In many respects the book is as mysterious and unbelievable as the dictatorship that is North Korea. Johnson’s nonlinear timeline and use of obfuscation, lies, half-truths and prevarications keeps the reader completely off balance – obviously mimicking what the citizens of North Korea must endure. What sense does it make for a lab technician to be rounded up on the way home from work so s/he can help harvest rice in a field miles away? How can you believe anything after listening every day to the loud speakers tell the latest “truth” (which likely as not contradicts yesterday’s “truth”).
And yet … I found it compelling and fascinating. Perhaps the book was helped by the fact that I listened to it in two long marathon sessions (driving across several states). But whatever the reason, I’ll be haunted by it for some time.
Tim Kang, Josiah D Lee and James Kyson Lee do a wonderful job narrating the audio book.
My Reaction
I hardly know what to write. In many respects the book is as mysterious and unbelievable as the dictatorship that is North Korea. Johnson’s nonlinear timeline and use of obfuscation, lies, half-truths and prevarications keeps the reader completely off balance – obviously mimicking what the citizens of North Korea must endure. What sense does it make for a lab technician to be rounded up on the way home from work so s/he can help harvest rice in a field miles away? How can you believe anything after listening every day to the loud speakers tell the latest “truth” (which likely as not contradicts yesterday’s “truth”).
And yet … I found it compelling and fascinating. Perhaps the book was helped by the fact that I listened to it in two long marathon sessions (driving across several states). But whatever the reason, I’ll be haunted by it for some time.
Tim Kang, Josiah D Lee and James Kyson Lee do a wonderful job narrating the audio book.
adamdaniluk's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
hlntn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
suedd's review against another edition
4.0
Prob 4.5 stars. Hard to get into, but worth sticking with it.
roseleaf24's review against another edition
4.0
I'm so glad to be done with this book. I'm glad I read it. It was very powerful, and very well-written. However, I had no idea that life in North Korea was this bad. This book described things that I ascribe to Hitler's Germany or Stalinist Russia, not ongoing life in a present-day regime. I want to be doing something about this; I want our country to be doing something about this, but I know how impossible a task it is.
The brutality and hopelessness of the first 70 or so pages was really difficult for me to get through. At that point, I found a glimmer of hope that I was able to latch onto, and that pulled me in. The plot and the characters easily carried the story, and it became very difficult to put down. It was also difficult to pick back up, though, and I couldn't read it before going to bed, so it took me longer to finish than it otherwise would have. Well-deserving of the award, and I hope a lot of people read it and have their eyes opened as I did, but I doubt I'll be recommending it, and I won't be reading it again. ;-)
The brutality and hopelessness of the first 70 or so pages was really difficult for me to get through. At that point, I found a glimmer of hope that I was able to latch onto, and that pulled me in. The plot and the characters easily carried the story, and it became very difficult to put down. It was also difficult to pick back up, though, and I couldn't read it before going to bed, so it took me longer to finish than it otherwise would have. Well-deserving of the award, and I hope a lot of people read it and have their eyes opened as I did, but I doubt I'll be recommending it, and I won't be reading it again. ;-)