Reviews

Without You, There Is No Us: Undercover Among the Sons of North Korea's Elite by Suki Kim

sngsweelian's review against another edition

4.0

This book makes me feel so sad for the youths in North Korea, how their minds and bodies are trapped in the repressive hermit kingdom, and yet they do not know it; how they refused to learn anything about other countries (why bother when your own country is the best in the world?); how they've been lied to for so long they don't even know how to search for the truth. Ignorance, in such a situation, is not bliss. Rather, it is used to control, manipulate and subjugate the innocent, until they become like robots. I feel a sense of disgust, that we could be hosting their evil leader on our shores soon. My only hope is that something good will come out of it.

emhilman's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative sad medium-paced

4.5

Great read!! I normally can't read non fiction but this was so interesting and so sad. Like reading a dystopian novel but the dystopia was real life. 

kflavoie's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

3.0

onlylonelystars's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

This book, which narrates events mostly taking place in the year 2011, makes me wonder what has happened in North Korea in the intervening 13 years. Kim did a very good job engaging me as a reader, and Song was a very good narrator. I wonder how the impact of this book would differ if I spoke Korean or was more familiar with the culture; Kim made it very approachable and understandable. If only the students she taught had the same opportunity.

breadandmushrooms's review

informative medium-paced

2.25

binky931's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

emmaaazing's review against another edition

4.0

Really interesting and shows a different look into the daily lives of "regular" kids in North Korea. The dialogue and interactions between Suki and the students really makes it heart wrenching to read.

deschatjes's review against another edition

4.0

#Korea (North) #education
Tough read about a year spent in a N-Korean university teaching elite. The extent of the lack of freedom is actually quite mind boggling until you hear it blow by blow. As it the fact that a nation can continue to eliminates itself from the rest of the world.
written about events in 2011 it would be very interesting to have an update (impossible) but I would also have appreciated a little bit of retrospective background as to why the students left the normal universities at that time.

jennc's review

5.0

This was funny and at other times heart breaking. I can’t imagine the isolation the author dealt with. She really made you feel for the people of North Korea. The missionaries were pretty awful. The thing that really got to me was the author agonizing over whether it was a good thing to enlighten the students to the rest of the world. - The good vs the harm it could do.

mmooo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

4.25