Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

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

25 reviews

astereads's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

SHUT UP I’M CRYING

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Trafficking, and Death of parent

Minor: Confinement

writingcaia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

There’s no right way to review such a memoir.
This is not a life many can ever relate to or even conceive off.
While I was reading I shared some sentences out loud to my partner and this comment he made was really poignant to my review of the book “if you ever heard the words poop thief in any other context (that wasn’t that of the memoir) you’d think people were joking.” Well, it was no joke in North Korea.
Another thing that really hit me hard is that when she finally reaches South Korea, after extreme poverty, famine, fear and repression (to say the least) in North Korea, naively being human trafficked to China, raped at 13, she starts reading a lot to try and catch up and it is then she realizes how limited her vocabulary was. Because, in North Korea the state wants you to live a small limited life, to be so naive as to never conceive of anything besides those teachings, but as she then learned new vocabulary she felt a new world had opened up, new feelings, new expression, new life, freedom.
It is not an easy read as you can tell by the hints I left behind so thread lightly if you’re easily triggered.
This was one of the most eye opening memoirs I’ve read, a reality I knew was bad transformed into something beyond comprehension, because even reading about it gives me only a glimpse of the horrific lives North Koreans are subject to. 
At such a young age Yeonmi is free, an example of fight, love, perseverance, and an advocate for her people. I truly hope she can also one day fulfil the promise she made her grandmother and father, and see her people free and an united Korea.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Trafficking

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Rape, and Suicide

Famine

julia_browns's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This memoir is probably one of the most impactful books I've ever read. Honestly, everybody should read this and educate themselves about the crimes happening daily in that isolated country. If you haven't read this book already, go read it, right now! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Murder

clevelandbookgirl's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Synopsis: Yeonmi Park was born in North Korea. She spent most of her childhood trying to survive the atrocities of the country. One day, Yeonmi's mother decides the family must escape, in order to live. What awaits them during their escape is equally as terrible as the things that happened in North Korea. This true story displays courage, survival, and resiliency. 

I'm so happy I checked out this audiobook from Libby. Yeonmi Park gives insight to what life was like for her in North Korea. 

This story was very hard to listen to. It was tragic, but Yeonmi and her family did what they had to in order to survive, no matter the cost. I will list content warning at the end of this post, because a lot of what Yeonmi and her family survived was extremely brutal.

If you are looking for a memoir for Women's Month this March I would strongly suggest picking up this book. I think this book should be read in political science and sociology classes to showcase politics, survival, and people's ways of thinking. If you're looking for a non-fiction book that will shake you to the core, read In Order to Live.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Abortion, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Cancer and Gore

aus10england's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

The author beautifully tells the tale of her childhood growing up in North Korea, in a way that is honest, raw, and at times very hard to read. You’ll come away from this book with a better understanding of those struggling to escape their homes and what limits they’ll go to to do so. 

I found the pacing really well done up until the end where it seems to wrap up really quickly, but I will happily read anything the author decides to write next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Stalking

elanashyong's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

mxpringle's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

rini's review against another edition

challenging tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Vomit, Abortion, and War

Minor: Ableism and Forced institutionalization

madebyleila's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

tiayaaaa's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and Death of parent

Moderate: Rape, Suicide, and Abortion