A review by jonmayb
El huérfano by Adam Johnson

challenging sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a truly enjoyable read. The story was compelling and engaging, however it was tedious and dragged on at times, and it wasn't always clear what was going on. Additionally, my main qualm with this book is that Johnson based it off of a tour he took of North Korea. Kim Jong-Il is even a prominent character in the book. It can be nearly certain that Johnson's depiction of North Korea isn't entirely accurate, nor is his depiction of Kim Jong-Il. While for the most part, I enjoyed reading it, I found myself having to pretend I was reading a story about a man living in a fictional country with a fictional dictator to not feel slightly uncomfortable reading it.
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