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bellamypirie's review against another edition
4.0
Jae-hee Hong's account and character was so strong and moving. I enjoyed the interlaced plot of the two headed dragon with five toes. Anna's character was, at times, difficult to read without rolling my eyes. I didn't look at the author when I started reading this book from Kindle Unlimited, but within a handful of pages I knew it was a middle aged man writing from the perspective of a teenage girl. Anna/ja-young's character development or coming of age was an instant lightning bolt, suddenly a completely different person which i think should have been fleshed out more steadily throughout her hearing her grandmother's story or with a few more days in the city. I appreciated all the resources and information William Andrew's included at the back of the book for further reading.
writingwwolves's review against another edition
5.0
This book was more powerful than I could have imagined, and I will never understand how I managed to stop myself crying until right at the end. The whole story, from both Anna and Jae-hee's perspectives, read like a biography and I'm struggling to accept that it wasn't one.
I've found that I learn about history best by reading historical fiction, as you don't just learn the facts, you feel them too, and I've been incredibly educated during this read. I had no idea how the Koreans were treated during the Second World War, and I'm ashamed of myself for it; I cannot believe it's less than 100 years ago. I don't know much about North and South Korea, but I'm working through different books to educate myself, and despite this being a fictitious story, I've definitely learnt a lot about the divide between the two countries and how it came to be. If anything, this book has made me more hungry for knowledge about North and South Korea. It's also opened my eyes wider to the behaviour of the Japanese during that time - the focus always tends to be on Germany, but Japan, and Russia, played their parts in the horror of that time too.
The story itself that William Andrews has created is beautiful and incredibly powerful; my heart was broken throughout the entire read and it's a story I will think about for a long time to come. I cried and cringed for the characters, and my heart warmed when something went right for Jae-lee. William has managed to stitch together such a captivating story and has created characters that feel incredibly real. When I finished the book I cried for Jae-hee, and for all the real women who went through what her character did; I think reading the author's note at the end made me cry because it reinforced that Jae-hee's life is based upon incredibly real, and painful, events. Although the story broke my heart, I'm sad I've finished the book because it was an incredible story. One day I would love to do my bit to help raise awareness of Korea's secrets, but also to help those still suffering in Korea.
I've found that I learn about history best by reading historical fiction, as you don't just learn the facts, you feel them too, and I've been incredibly educated during this read. I had no idea how the Koreans were treated during the Second World War, and I'm ashamed of myself for it; I cannot believe it's less than 100 years ago. I don't know much about North and South Korea, but I'm working through different books to educate myself, and despite this being a fictitious story, I've definitely learnt a lot about the divide between the two countries and how it came to be. If anything, this book has made me more hungry for knowledge about North and South Korea. It's also opened my eyes wider to the behaviour of the Japanese during that time - the focus always tends to be on Germany, but Japan, and Russia, played their parts in the horror of that time too.
The story itself that William Andrews has created is beautiful and incredibly powerful; my heart was broken throughout the entire read and it's a story I will think about for a long time to come. I cried and cringed for the characters, and my heart warmed when something went right for Jae-lee. William has managed to stitch together such a captivating story and has created characters that feel incredibly real. When I finished the book I cried for Jae-hee, and for all the real women who went through what her character did; I think reading the author's note at the end made me cry because it reinforced that Jae-hee's life is based upon incredibly real, and painful, events. Although the story broke my heart, I'm sad I've finished the book because it was an incredible story. One day I would love to do my bit to help raise awareness of Korea's secrets, but also to help those still suffering in Korea.
elagrand's review against another edition
5.0
I could not put this book down, very hard to read at times but a story worth telling.
existenchellecrisis's review against another edition
2.0
I'm extremely torn on this book. First and foremost, I absolutely applaud bringing to the table the trauma endured by the 'comfort women' of South Korea. This is a much overlooked atrocity. I do believe, after reading the afterward by the author that this book was written for the right reasons. Unfortunately, the book falls extremely flat in it's execution. This is a book written about South Korea by someone who has clearly never lived there, much less been there. Every opportunity to describe something that would clarify the location as specifically Korean was missed. The dialogue was clunky at best, and often often threw out phrases such as "in Korea" when two Korean people, who are in Korea, are talking to each other. The phrase 'typical Korean' made me uncomfortable in the way it was used. So many different very western thinking descriptions were used or actions taken. You can't simply throw out a few words in Hangul in italics and expect that to cover the Korean-ness. Most if not all of the character development between Ja-hee and anyone were missed or explained in retrospect. Rarely were her emotions explained, or her survival instincts explained clearly. She makes an incredibly far walk directly after extreme trauma and it's summarized in one page without any logistical descriptions and little to no explanation of her emotions, thoughts or lack of emotions. I've read many male authors that have managed to pull off complex female emotions and thought processes but I did not feel this was the case with this story. I did find the parallel between the US coming in and using the juicy bars both realistic and upsetting for it's realism. Juicy girls are still common in Korea, only now you find it's more Korean run bars with Filipino girls. Although the author missed the whole reason they are called juicy bars is because to buy time with the women is to buy them expensive non-alcoholic juice drinks. Many things indicated to me that this book was written by someone who read the history but didn't understand the culture. I don't want to pick the book apart, but I will say that the last thing towards the end that really irked me was the idea that with enough money you can just buy a reunion at the DMZ. Furthermore, the idea that any a solider would be working at such a highly charged and politically sensitive area as Panmunjom would be without the slightest awareness of the culture of the local country was simply too much. I realize that moment was completely engineered to show Anna gaining courage, but it was just ridiculously unbelievable. I found the 'dragon comb' distracting, from the main story line of a woman's incredible survival in a time of great upheaval in her country. I do not foresee myself reading the second book.
ndbeyer's review against another edition
5.0
Very disturbing but well written. Recommended read
This story is thought provoking and a bit sad to see how the Korean women were treated during and after the war
This story is thought provoking and a bit sad to see how the Korean women were treated during and after the war
vickyyyyx3's review against another edition
5.0
These book did a really great job of capturing what was happening during this time. The stories although written as non-fiction, I imagine were more horrifying in real life. It kept my attention the whole time!
marie42503's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I've read in years. This book took me on a journey around the world, showed me things I didn't want to see, broke my heart and warmed my heart. This is a book all women should read.
boundlesspagesgabby's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 overall.
Incredible story (with a few small exceptions), but took off half a star for the writing style, which was just a bit flat at times.
Incredible story (with a few small exceptions), but took off half a star for the writing style, which was just a bit flat at times.
sssnoo's review against another edition
4.0
I stayed up late finishing this book and that does not happen often. Books are typically better than a sleeping pill when I am tired, but I was engaged with Anna’s story. Part adoption/birth country journey, part historical fiction, part female coming of age this book is packed. It is marketed as a young adult novel, and the vocabulary supports this designation, but the story is complex and only for mature teens as it explores the horrific history of Korean comfort women. Spanning WWII and the Korean war the book appropriately compares the sexual exploitation and abuse of women by all the invading and occupying forces of the time. It is a hard read, but well done and completely engaging. I strongly recommend this book. It would be of interest to anyone favoring historical fiction and/or adoption themed/family stories. If you don’t see yourself reading young adult fiction - try it, you may like it. This would be a great book club choice as there is much to discuss. I found it surprising that the book was written by a man, but he is the father of a Korean born daughter so he is passionate about the topic.
vestidadecolores's review against another edition
5.0
I grabbed this book with some restrains, Caucasian English Male talking through the voice of a Korean Repressed and Abused Female. I didn't quite buy it.
Bill Andrews shut my mouth big time. He doesn't try to understand the female mind, he just goes through by talking about the "facts" and not trying to explain the in depth feelings of the protagonist. I loved this, he let me the struggle of trying to know what I would have felt in that situation and explore it by myself.
Also, he finishes the book by talking a bit of history as well, explaining the true facts about this comfort woman and how they are still marching every Wednesday for the acknowledge of what happened to them, still shut. Still not recognized by Japanese government.
I recommend this book (I recommend it so much I already talked to friends and family as to urge them to read it).
Bill Andrews shut my mouth big time. He doesn't try to understand the female mind, he just goes through by talking about the "facts" and not trying to explain the in depth feelings of the protagonist. I loved this, he let me the struggle of trying to know what I would have felt in that situation and explore it by myself.
Also, he finishes the book by talking a bit of history as well, explaining the true facts about this comfort woman and how they are still marching every Wednesday for the acknowledge of what happened to them, still shut. Still not recognized by Japanese government.
I recommend this book (I recommend it so much I already talked to friends and family as to urge them to read it).