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4.45 AVERAGE
4.45 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
I've read a number of first hand accounts of life behind the Iron Curtain in the USSR and China, but this was my first excursion into North Korea. What struck me in particular with this narrative was the power of the corrupt Kim family to inspire worship in its subjects; with Kim Il Sung in the role of Creator and Kim Jong Il as the Messianic figure. However, there is something in the human spirit that longs to survive and thrive and the author is testament to this. Her original defection, happening almost by accident, was followed by many years in China of constantly hiding her true identity before she finally found asylum in South Korea. The ups and downs of her adventures along the way make for a truly gripping read.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
An incredible look into the reality of North Korea
An honest, poignant, eye-opening memoir. Her bravery and resolve is woven through this story from start to finish. She admits to her bad choices, celebrates the good ones (or chalks them up to good luck), knowing they all are part of her journey. And at times, this was a real page turner. Very well written.
I couldn't stop reading. It's the most captivating non fiction book I've ever read. So much of what happened are just hard to believe. I would recommend this to anyone.
Just have to recommend this AMAZING book I devoured in under 24 hours!! This woman defected from North Korea almost by accident...she crossed the river into China one night just before she turned 18 hoping for a little juvenile rebellion before she could officially be charged as an adult, and was never able to return home. It was unbelievable to read the dates and know that all of this happened in my lifetime— she was born in 1980 and crossed in 1997. I’ve always been fascinated with North Korea and get asked a lot of questions by my students that I don’t have answers to, so reading her account of her childhood memories was really fascinating. One of the most interesting parts to me was the “group shaming” that starts in late elementary school— children are given a tenant of the North Korean ideology and encouraged/ mandated to publicly call out their peers who are not complying with it, so that that peer can face public shame and be re-educated into the proper communist methodology. This extends into adult workplaces too, and often people will pick a “buddy” to take turns “shaming” for bogus reasons on alternate weeks so that they can avoid being randomly targeted. It is the most fascinating and convoluted public performance!!
Anyway, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, highly recommend
Anyway, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, highly recommend
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced