karenreagan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
elinacre's review against another edition
4.0
UNBELIEVABLE that this story is true, and that it happened in the last 20 years, and that similar atrocities are still happening today. WTF, north korea?! while completely terrible, sickening, and guilt-inducing, shin's story is amazing, well researched by the author, and well written. i can't imagine the full psychological impact being born and raised in a labor camp would have, but this book definitely gives vivid descriptions and makes the reader count their damn lucky stars that it isn't their own life story. 4 stars because it felt rushed at the end and kind of fizzled. (or maybe i am just an awful morbid person and was less interested in the part of the story that took place not in north korea.)
mothman_is_cool's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
athenany's review against another edition
5.0
This is the book that first piqued my interest in North Korea. Before I read it I was aware, of course, that North Korea is an isolated country and that the people were horribly oppressed by the Kim regime. But I knew it in the way I knew something distant and abstract. This book, purchased rather on a whim, really brought it home. It's impossible not to be horrified, enthralled and inspired by Mr. Shin's incredible journey from a miserable upbringing and life in a prison camp, to freedom. A sign of how well-written and captivating this book is is that as I was reading it I found myself feeling cold and hungry, some kind of bizarre sympathy pain. I highly recommend it.
diggitalot's review against another edition
4.0
Det som jag tänker mest på när jag läser den här boken är inte den otroliga flykten från lägret utan snarare vad en människa kan stå ut med och ändå fortsätta vilja leva. Hur Shin kan ha så mycket vilja att leva när inte ens hans mor tycker om honom är helt galet.
Shin historia blandas med de få fakta som finns om hur det faktiskt är att leva i Nordkorea på ett intressant sätt.
Shin historia blandas med de få fakta som finns om hur det faktiskt är att leva i Nordkorea på ett intressant sätt.
stacylmoll's review against another edition
5.0
This should be read by everyone. It is so sad and scary. I kept thinking of my own kids and those that I teach and what children in North Korea deal with.
lori_loves_reading's review against another edition
5.0
This was a terribly difficult book to read at times. How could humans treat each other so badly and why isn't anything done about it in this day and age? Have we not learned anything from Hitler and Stalin and the likes? Shin is a very brave individual. I would recommend this book!