Scan barcode
georgia_gabrielle's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: War, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Slavery, Deportation, and Kidnapping
kcelena's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Medical trauma
writingcaia's review against another edition
5.0
This is not a life many can ever relate to or even conceive off.
While I was reading I shared some sentences out loud to my partner and this comment he made was really poignant to my review of the book “if you ever heard the words poop thief in any other context (that wasn’t that of the memoir) you’d think people were joking.” Well, it was no joke in North Korea.
Another thing that really hit me hard is that when she finally reaches South Korea, after extreme poverty, famine, fear and repression (to say the least) in North Korea, naively being human trafficked to China, raped at 13, she starts reading a lot to try and catch up and it is then she realizes how limited her vocabulary was. Because, in North Korea the state wants you to live a small limited life, to be so naive as to never conceive of anything besides those teachings, but as she then learned new vocabulary she felt a new world had opened up, new feelings, new expression, new life, freedom.
It is not an easy read as you can tell by the hints I left behind so thread lightly if you’re easily triggered.
This was one of the most eye opening memoirs I’ve read, a reality I knew was bad transformed into something beyond comprehension, because even reading about it gives me only a glimpse of the horrific lives North Koreans are subject to.
At such a young age Yeonmi is free, an example of fight, love, perseverance, and an advocate for her people. I truly hope she can also one day fulfil the promise she made her grandmother and father, and see her people free and an united Korea.
Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Slavery, and Trafficking
Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicide, Child abuse, and Rape
Famineabsolute_bookery's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Police brutality, Slavery, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Hate crime, Violence, War, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
iamahmedkhalifa's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Trafficking
Moderate: Sexual assault, Torture, and Death of parent
Minor: Slavery, Physical abuse, and Hate crime
on_your_raedar's review against another edition
5.0
This entire story is heartbreaking and is a necessary read. It took weeks to get through because things were so hard to stomach but I truly cannot express the appreciation I feel toward Yeonmi for being brave and willing to share her experiences.
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Body horror, Classism, Confinement, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Rape
Moderate: Infidelity, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Torture, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Cancer, Murder, and Alcoholism
Minor: Addiction, Medical content, Ableism, Misogyny, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts
kiaragennaro's review against another edition
4.25
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Violence
reading_bear's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Trafficking
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Rape, Kidnapping, War, Violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, and Sexual violence
ran_sophia's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Death of parent, Medical content, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol and Panic attacks/disorders
meenakshi's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Trafficking
Moderate: Abortion, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Slavery