Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park

23 reviews

marinarose3's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

gracie_reads_everything's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

A very powerful and moving story about a North Korean defector turned human rights advocate. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Religious bigotry, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury

Biography, autobiography, memoir, North Korea, human rights, powerful

bethantg's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

Such a worthwhile read. Difficult all the way through, but with a strong current of hope. Grants a lot of insight into what life really is, and what it should never be. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to tell this story over and over, but here it is clear and engaging throughout. Will definitely stick with me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

Minor: Excrement, Alcohol, and War

livay's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Classism, and Deportation

elkiebear's review against another edition

dark emotional informative tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, and War

Moderate: Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Rape

rachreads681's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder

chaya_v's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This is one of the most impactful books I’ve ever read. It is extremely well written and even if it wasn’t the story of her life just grips you.
Park Yeonmi gives us an insight into the life in North Korea and her hellish escape to South-Korea. Park Yeonmi has lived through things most of us can’t imagine. I’ve learned many things by reading her memoirs 

I don’t really have words, you just have to read this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, and Trafficking

Moderate: Death and Rape

kirstenpod_'s review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Trafficking, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Cancer and Terminal illness

Minor: Alcoholism and Genocide

sofiarf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Trafficking, and Kidnapping

ajsterkel's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

I didn't like it, which is a terrible thing to say because it's a memoir. I feel like I'm judging somebody's life. Maybe this is why I don't read more nonfiction.

The author was born in North Korea and didn't have an easy childhood. When she was 13, her and her mother escaped into China and became victims of human trafficking. They jumped from one bad situation into an equally bad situation. It's a brutal story to read.

Aside from the difficult subject matter, most of the book is fine. The writing isn't great, but I can forgive it because the author doesn't have the same education level as other writers.

I think the pacing is too fast. I kept wishing the author would slow down and give more details. I wondered how she learned Mandarin faster than the other kidnapped refugees, and why she was so valuable to human traffickers that they were willing to "go to war" for her, and why her mother allowed a 13-year-old to make so many important decisions for the family. I wanted more information!

Then, a paragraph at the end of the book slightly ruined everything for me. The author admits that her story has changed multiple times. She gave different accounts to different journalists. Instead of telling the truth, she told reporters what she thought they wanted to hear. She says, "I was reacting, improvising like a jazz musician playing the same melody a little differently each time, unaware that there might be people out there keeping score."

My brain went in two directions with this. First, I said, "She obviously lived through something traumatizing. Of course she's not going to spill her secrets to every reporter who asks a question." The second part of me went, "Nooo! North Korea is a vault wrapped in propaganda. Changing your story will muddy the waters and cast doubt on the stories of other refugees." The North Korean government is going to grab these inconsistencies and use them to discredit survivors and keep people trapped.

I don't know what to think about this book. I'm not mad that I read it, but I can't recommend it to other people. I lost trust in the author. How do I know I'm reading the real story right now? Does it even matter if I'm reading the real story? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Abandonment, Colonisation, Classism, and Deportation