d_sebek's review against another edition
4.0
An incredible view into the world of North Korea. The story took a while to develop but the last two hundred pages were very engaging as the book built towards a great ending.
xxertz's review against another edition
3.0
BLUF: I would not recommend this book simply because it is monotonous; however, I enjoyed the (fictional or not) insight into a country much different than our own.
I have been holding off on review this book, hoping that time would help me wrap my head around how I feel about it. It hasn't.
Overall, I feel indifferent. I am left with a life to think about, which historical fiction (or whatever you would call this) tends to do to me, but I'm not better or worse for reading it.
Why three stars? This book intrigued me from the start. The loudspeaker making announcements to the people hooked me. The story was too life like for me, yet I could not put the story down. The last half of the book dragged for me, but I felt that the end was worth the pain. (The end was the only point of the book I actually felt emotion for/towards any of the characters!)
"Ga thought about reminding the dear leader that they lived in a land where people had been trained to accept any reality presented to them. He considered sharing how there was only one penalty, the ultimate one, for questioning reality. How a citizen could fall into great jeopardy for simply noticing that realities had changed."
I have been holding off on review this book, hoping that time would help me wrap my head around how I feel about it. It hasn't.
Overall, I feel indifferent. I am left with a life to think about, which historical fiction (or whatever you would call this) tends to do to me, but I'm not better or worse for reading it.
Why three stars? This book intrigued me from the start. The loudspeaker making announcements to the people hooked me. The story was too life like for me, yet I could not put the story down. The last half of the book dragged for me, but I felt that the end was worth the pain. (The end was the only point of the book I actually felt emotion for/towards any of the characters!)
schenkelberg's review against another edition
5.0
I've read a lot of books, but never anything like this. Instantly a new all-time favorite, Sun Moon and Commander Ga have all but been tattooed onto my heart by this story. Its brutal and magnificent, like that delicate, lovely white flower at the peak of an ice-cold mountain.
vanillafire's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
subpolka's review against another edition
5.0
I'm stingy with my five-stars reviews, but this book earned every one of them - and then some. Absolute perfection.
act_10's review against another edition
3.0
Read my review here!
http://areadersrapture.blogspot.ca/2014/04/the-orphan-masters-son.html
http://areadersrapture.blogspot.ca/2014/04/the-orphan-masters-son.html
booksofjj's review against another edition
Really couldn't get into the book. Not quite what I was expecting
kilkilshah's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing book. It is a heavy book and sometimes I had to put the book down for a couple of days to prepare myself for what was to come. I am not sure how much the author made up about North Korea but even if this book is 10% true it is a shocking view into life in the country. The book gives a glimpse into many different parts of life in North Korea while keeping a coherent story. Very well written - highly recommended.
laviskrg's review against another edition
5.0
At the moment, I am inconsolable. Heartbroken. Review WILL come soon, when not at work
ktxx22's review against another edition
4.0
Spend time in North Korea at the dawn of the current communist regime. This book was wildly entertaining, dark, and a whole rollercoaster of emotion and endurance. I was surprised how quickly this long book flew by whilst reading.