Scan barcode
ianridewood's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
itsmelauren's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
ginienova's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
gyeranbbang's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 rounded up because reasons*
For a while, I've been judging Hwang Sok-yong for [b:Familiar Things|33148672|Familiar Things|Hwang Sok-yong|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493332395l/33148672._SY75_.jpg|53838592] and assuming I'd hate everything he's written but, hello, this is me acknowledging I was wrong. I loved his memoir, [b:The Prisoner|56034516|The Prisoner|Hwang Sok-yong|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606249480l/56034516._SY75_.jpg|87275991] because of his recollection about him living, visiting North Korea, and meeting Kim Il-sung, and I found myself adoring Princess Bari for I found it to be a good depiction of what life in North Korea would be. Like, sure life in North Korea is sad, but Hwang could've gone to the grittier bits of the famine and sort of stayed away from them (while acknowledging them).
Princess Bari is a weird migrant story for it is about a North Korean refugee and it covers life in North Korea (the famine + escaping + life in China as an illegal """economic migrant"""), it parallels Korean culture with Muslim culture, deep-dives into illegal migrant communities in London, and it is intrinsically linked with Korean shamanism and the Princess Bari myth. It's a weird mix that still shocks me because it mostly worked? Yet the story flowed weirdly for me.
Anyhow, for what it's worth, I've been wanting to read proper fiction about North Korea for a while and I think this did it for meunlike [b:The Orphan Master's Son|11529868|The Orphan Master's Son|Adam Johnson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327878601l/11529868._SX50_.jpg|16467838]. And I feel Hwang did show his knowledge about North Korea having lived there and visited, but also having been in London around those communities and learning from them. He did his field-work (though unintentionally) and it shows.
For a while, I've been judging Hwang Sok-yong for [b:Familiar Things|33148672|Familiar Things|Hwang Sok-yong|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493332395l/33148672._SY75_.jpg|53838592] and assuming I'd hate everything he's written but, hello, this is me acknowledging I was wrong. I loved his memoir, [b:The Prisoner|56034516|The Prisoner|Hwang Sok-yong|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606249480l/56034516._SY75_.jpg|87275991] because of his recollection about him living, visiting North Korea, and meeting Kim Il-sung, and I found myself adoring Princess Bari for I found it to be a good depiction of what life in North Korea would be. Like, sure life in North Korea is sad, but Hwang could've gone to the grittier bits of the famine and sort of stayed away from them (while acknowledging them).
Princess Bari is a weird migrant story for it is about a North Korean refugee and it covers life in North Korea (the famine + escaping + life in China as an illegal """economic migrant"""), it parallels Korean culture with Muslim culture, deep-dives into illegal migrant communities in London, and it is intrinsically linked with Korean shamanism and the Princess Bari myth. It's a weird mix that still shocks me because it mostly worked? Yet the story flowed weirdly for me.
Anyhow, for what it's worth, I've been wanting to read proper fiction about North Korea for a while and I think this did it for me
erinnreads's review against another edition
4.0
No cabe duda de que estamos ante un autor de renombre y gran calidad literaria.
Esta novela pertenece a la trilogía que escribió en la última fase de su crecimiento como autor, justo después de su paso por el exilio y la cárcel. Se centra en la figura de Bari, que recibe este nombre por las similitudes con la leyenda coreana de la princesa Bari.
La protagonista es la séptima hija de una familia que solo concibe niñas, y desde muy pequeña comienza a dejar entrever sus habilidades heredadas de su abuela como chamana. La historia comienza en Corea del Norte y se va desplazando hacia la frontera con China y traspasándola. La familia a su vez va dispersándose quedando finalmente únicamente ella, que tendrá que pasar por grandes dificultades por sobrevivir. Acaba viajando en barco a Europa, donde se encuentra un mundo totalmente diferente. Alejada de la guerra, las hambrunas y el dolor, acaba encontrando su lugar en una sociedad ajena.
Es particularmente interesante el hecho de mezclar una historia folclórica, problemas del mundo actual y el elemento de la esencia coreana en una única obra, haciéndola sublime. La globalización, la pérdida de identidad, la realidad de Corea del Norte o los efectos de las guerras, rodean esta novela y suelen ser temas recurrentes en las obras del autor, que desea plasmar los problemas que aquejan a la sociedad actual.
Sin duda leer a Hwang Sok-yong es indispensable para atisbar la realidad norcoreana, pues es un autor que tiene una estrecha relación con dicho país. Además de utilizar sus novelas como armas para criticar aspectos de la sociedad, como la globalización, el capitalismo...
Estoy deseando leer más obras suyas.
Esta novela pertenece a la trilogía que escribió en la última fase de su crecimiento como autor, justo después de su paso por el exilio y la cárcel. Se centra en la figura de Bari, que recibe este nombre por las similitudes con la leyenda coreana de la princesa Bari.
La protagonista es la séptima hija de una familia que solo concibe niñas, y desde muy pequeña comienza a dejar entrever sus habilidades heredadas de su abuela como chamana. La historia comienza en Corea del Norte y se va desplazando hacia la frontera con China y traspasándola. La familia a su vez va dispersándose quedando finalmente únicamente ella, que tendrá que pasar por grandes dificultades por sobrevivir. Acaba viajando en barco a Europa, donde se encuentra un mundo totalmente diferente. Alejada de la guerra, las hambrunas y el dolor, acaba encontrando su lugar en una sociedad ajena.
Es particularmente interesante el hecho de mezclar una historia folclórica, problemas del mundo actual y el elemento de la esencia coreana en una única obra, haciéndola sublime. La globalización, la pérdida de identidad, la realidad de Corea del Norte o los efectos de las guerras, rodean esta novela y suelen ser temas recurrentes en las obras del autor, que desea plasmar los problemas que aquejan a la sociedad actual.
Sin duda leer a Hwang Sok-yong es indispensable para atisbar la realidad norcoreana, pues es un autor que tiene una estrecha relación con dicho país. Además de utilizar sus novelas como armas para criticar aspectos de la sociedad, como la globalización, el capitalismo...
Estoy deseando leer más obras suyas.
alexandrialm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
vlada_n's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
greeniezona's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this up off the NEW shelves at the library, mostly because it was in translation from Korean, and also because it starts off in North Korea, a place I know almost nothing about.
Bari is born an unwanted seventh daughter. Shortly after her birth, her mother discards her, only to be rescued by her grandmother (and the family dog.) Her grandmother then names her Bari after the Korean legend of Princess Bari -- who is also discarded and unwanted.
Bari grows up with some spiritual powers, but it isn't until North Korea collapses into famine and death and Bari escapes to China that her life starts to follow the Princess's legend. Even China isn't safe for long, and she escapes again, this time on a cargo ship transporting undocumented immigrants. Not everyone survives the journey, but when Bari arrives in London, she uses her mysterious spiritual powers combined with the skills she has picked up as a foot masseuse to eek out a living, but also to bring comfort (both body and soul) to those she encounters.
It's a story of immigration, suffering, and survival. I found the ending a bit abrupt, but I did appreciate and take to heart much of what the book said about immigration and fear and the things we let divide us.
Bari is born an unwanted seventh daughter. Shortly after her birth, her mother discards her, only to be rescued by her grandmother (and the family dog.) Her grandmother then names her Bari after the Korean legend of Princess Bari -- who is also discarded and unwanted.
Bari grows up with some spiritual powers, but it isn't until North Korea collapses into famine and death and Bari escapes to China that her life starts to follow the Princess's legend. Even China isn't safe for long, and she escapes again, this time on a cargo ship transporting undocumented immigrants. Not everyone survives the journey, but when Bari arrives in London, she uses her mysterious spiritual powers combined with the skills she has picked up as a foot masseuse to eek out a living, but also to bring comfort (both body and soul) to those she encounters.
It's a story of immigration, suffering, and survival. I found the ending a bit abrupt, but I did appreciate and take to heart much of what the book said about immigration and fear and the things we let divide us.
hichooni's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5