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kylaoren's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
kirus's review against another edition
5.0
Régóta érdekel Észak-Korea, és a diktatórikus rendszerek működése, úgyhogy ez már sokadik könyvem ebben a témában, de ez az első, ahol a szerző nem a szökés után írja a művet, hanem még mindig Észak-Koreában élve. Rengeteget adott az egész könyvélményhez, hogy megosztották a kézirat kicsempészésének és külföldön megjelentetésének a történetét is. Maguk a novellák remekül szemléltetik az önkényuralmat, a hazugságokból való kiábrándulást, a mindennapi embert próbáló életet.
reneoro's review against another edition
5.0
Allí... ¡Todavía hay una de esas allí! ¡Oiga! ¡Arranque esa seta roja antes de continuar por ese camino! ¡Esa seta da miedo! Oiga...
kingarooski's review against another edition
4.0
Series of short stories about life in North Korea, written by a North Korean writer and then smuggled into China. Very atmospheric, but clunky in places. However, the descriptions of life in North Korea and the effects of the regime on the daily lives of its citizens were vivid.
_ash0_'s review against another edition
5.0
”How could the screams and cries of such a mass of people be transformed into ‘happy laughter’ without a cruel sorcery being at work?”
”... a man who had sacrificed everything he had, and been rewarded by having even hope taken away from him”
The stories in this book were smuggled out of North Korea and the author is still living in North Korea even today. The last section in the book says how the book was smuggled out. These heart wrenching stories give us a tiny glimpse of the sufferings of hundreds of thousands of people in that country. It is probably the worst place to live in right now. I was constantly reminded of 1984 and Animal Farm - works of Orwell while reading these stories. There is no fairness and at the drop of a hat, people are deported to labor camps for silly reasons. Some of the stories were gut wrenching. I think everyone should read this book just to feel lucky that you are not living in this hell. And I really feel bad for the people who are going through this hell. I found it difficult to put the book down. My first short story collection where I read from beginning to end in one go.
My updates for each story:
Story 1: 4 stars. So sad :(
Story 2 : wow, that was shocking. 5 stars
Story 3: saddest and best story so far. 5 stars
Story 4: Gut wrenching. How can a country treat its citizens so badly?! :((
Story 4: How can a country treat its citizens so badly?! Gut wrenching 5 stars. :((
Story 5: a story where the great leader himself makes an appearance calls for 5 stars
Story 6: loved what the son had to say. 4 stars
”... a man who had sacrificed everything he had, and been rewarded by having even hope taken away from him”
The stories in this book were smuggled out of North Korea and the author is still living in North Korea even today. The last section in the book says how the book was smuggled out. These heart wrenching stories give us a tiny glimpse of the sufferings of hundreds of thousands of people in that country. It is probably the worst place to live in right now. I was constantly reminded of 1984 and Animal Farm - works of Orwell while reading these stories. There is no fairness and at the drop of a hat, people are deported to labor camps for silly reasons. Some of the stories were gut wrenching. I think everyone should read this book just to feel lucky that you are not living in this hell. And I really feel bad for the people who are going through this hell. I found it difficult to put the book down. My first short story collection where I read from beginning to end in one go.
My updates for each story:
Story 1: 4 stars. So sad :(
Story 2 : wow, that was shocking. 5 stars
Story 3: saddest and best story so far. 5 stars
Story 4: Gut wrenching. How can a country treat its citizens so badly?! :((
Story 4: How can a country treat its citizens so badly?! Gut wrenching 5 stars. :((
Story 5: a story where the great leader himself makes an appearance calls for 5 stars
Story 6: loved what the son had to say. 4 stars
fscolli93's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
mattleesharp's review against another edition
4.0
I think there is an allure to things we're not allowed access to, obviously, and that's why North Korea is so preoccupying for many outsiders. I've watched all of Vice's excellent reporting on the country. A couple of years ago I read Guy Delisle's revealing but kinda lifeless <>Pyongyang. I weirdly still remember a decade old Oprah segment (maybe?) where someone posed as a nurse with an NGO. It's a thing that's hard to change the channel on.
All of those accounts, though, had in common that they were an outsider's perspective. So much was revealed in what we're never allowed to see. Restaurants are carefully staged where clearly no one eats. Tours are given of six designated locations and nowhere else. You can only take pictures from certain angles. Because the people are human you occasionally catch a moment where the mask falls, and that's what you were watching for.
This book is the opposite. These stories come from deep within the country and from behind the masks. They are stories of fears and ambitions and frustration and love. Every act is political in a country like North Korea, but these aren't political stories. They're human ones. And they're necessary for a fuller understanding of the North Korean people. Some stories are weaker than others. It's an imperfect collection, but I think it is definitely worth reading.
All of those accounts, though, had in common that they were an outsider's perspective. So much was revealed in what we're never allowed to see. Restaurants are carefully staged where clearly no one eats. Tours are given of six designated locations and nowhere else. You can only take pictures from certain angles. Because the people are human you occasionally catch a moment where the mask falls, and that's what you were watching for.
This book is the opposite. These stories come from deep within the country and from behind the masks. They are stories of fears and ambitions and frustration and love. Every act is political in a country like North Korea, but these aren't political stories. They're human ones. And they're necessary for a fuller understanding of the North Korean people. Some stories are weaker than others. It's an imperfect collection, but I think it is definitely worth reading.
missai's review against another edition
4.0
“Once upon a time there was a garden, surrounded on all sides by a great, high fence. In that garden, an old demon ruled over thousands upon thousands of slaves. But the surprising thing was that the only sound ever to be heard within those high walls was the sound of merry laughter. Hahaha and hohoho and hear round—because of the laughing magic which the old demon used on his slaves.
Why did he use such magic on them? To conceal his evil mistreatment of them, of course, and also to create a deception, saying, ‘This is how happy the people in our garden are.’ And that's also why he put the fences up, so that the people in other gardens couldn't see over or come in. So, well, think about it. Where in the world might you find such a garden, such a den of evil magic, where cries of pain and sadness were wrenched from the mouths of its people and distorted into laughter?”
When Shakespeare said, “All the world's a stage,” this certainly isn't what he meant. The Accusation is a collection of seven short stories, works of fiction, written in the style of memoirs of those living under the Kim Il-sung regime. It covers the tales of over a dozen characters, each a player in the elaborate production of North Korean life. Each story takes you on a journey of turmoil, refusing to let you feel any release before being plunged into the next; this structure parallels the frustration and powerlessness felt under the thumb of authoritarian rule.
“Yeong-il could sense that Yong-su hadn't said all that he might have, that the words he'd ended with had others hidden inside. From the moment he'd entered Yong-su's house, he'd felt as though he were engaged in some form of conversational hide-and-seek.”
Although each story is short, the voice of every character is clear and distinct from the first sentence. Each character leads a radically different life, but they are all tied together under their country. There is much left unsaid in this novella. Certainly, the fates of each character is unknown, but more striking is the lack of true dissent or rebellion. Despite feeling the conviction delivered by every word, every sentence that rings out denunciations, by the end, the reader is left without any sense that there is a way to challenge the dictator. However, this lack of resolution or feeling of closure is precisely the point.
“He knew that even crying could be construed as an act of rebellion, for which, in this country, there was only one outcome—a swift and ruthless death. And so it was the law of the land to smile even when you were racked with pain, to swallow down whatever burned your throat.”
The Accusation tells several beautiful stories about acts of compassion and self-sacrifice, even when the individual knows that they will not be rewarded. In this way, although these stories are a political commentary, they are also testimonials of humanity. The Accusation carries a hopeful message: that in the darkest of nights, there will be a candle to light the way, even at its own expense; that in the face of hate and fear, we should fight back with love.
“The greater your heart, the greater your sorrows.”
“People write books and sing songs claiming that love is this or that. But to me, love was indistinguishable from sympathy.”
The title of this book is one of the most fitting that I have ever seen. It carries a meaning that penetrates throughout the entire novel, down to the book's own journey to publication, and even the purpose for which it was written. The circular nature of the title makes a poignant statement about both the power and the futility of an accusation.
Overall, each story is written eloquently and depicts invaluable scenes on the set of North Korean history. The thought and sacrifice put into every page compels the reader to feel a responsibility to these stories, and to pass the book on so that it reaches as many eyes as possible.