Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

För att kunna leva: en nordkoreansk flickas resa till frihet by Maryanne Vollers, Yeonmi Park

12 reviews

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.

---

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

zoegrace's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I cannot read this book enough times. There is so much substance and power in Yeonmi’s writing and storytelling.  II am so grateful to have read about Yeonmi’s  life and escape from North Korea. 

The narration is steady, clear and easy to understand. I find her voice so soothing which makes the challenging parts of the memoir easier to read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Deportation

axo17's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

4.75

Amazing personal account of her life in North Korea, China, and South Korea. It’s a dark truth, but overall I absolutely loved it. 

I included a lot of disclaimers. It’s a heavy read… lots of content that can be too much to handle at times. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

on_your_raedar's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

I’ll be the first to admit that I never knew what happened in North Korea because I never thought about it. I watched a YouTube video about the 8 ways to defect from the country and this story was mentioned, I knew I had to read it, educate myself about what’s happen in the world.

This entire story is heartbreaking and is a necessary read. It took weeks to get through because things were so hard to stomach but I truly cannot express the appreciation I feel toward Yeonmi for being brave and willing to share her experiences. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Stalking

aguattery's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

This review is more about the book itself then Yeonmi's life story. Her life and journey to freedom was so tragic and complex, and it was beautiful to watch her hold on to hope. 

That being said, the writing style didn't sit well with me. It was VERY choppy and at times I didn't understand how we jumped from one topic to the next. Each chapter felt like reading an essay written by a middle schooler. And maybe that was purposeful to make the story accessible but it didn't work for me. It almost felt like  I almost thought about dnf'ing it because of that but it's such an important story that I finished it anyway. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and Death of parent

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Xenophobia, Stalking, and Abortion

ran_sophia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

The book contains a very powerful story that is worth reading.  Although it was difficult to read, because what the author wrote about and what she experienced was very sad and terrible.  I liked that the story was well written and pointed.  And I also liked that she wasn't afraid to talk openly about what she was going through.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Alcohol

pengi's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexism, Stalking, and War

natreviews's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This is one of the books that should be read in every single high school. This is such an important read, not only for an inside look as to what living in North Korea is like, but to read all of the hardships she and others like her have had to experience. It is one of those books that will make you reflect on your own life, and how good you really have it.

I had only seen the title of this book, heard nothing about it before I read it. That's why I'll keep this review to the bare bones. There are some books out there where the less you know, the better the read is. This is one of those books (although I highly recommend checking out the content warnings before reading).

What I will say is Yeonmi holds nothing back. For that I'm truly grateful. Although it is a hard and challenging read, it wouldn't have the same impact as it does without all of the details. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Excrement, Medical content, Stalking, Death of parent, and Abandonment

horizonous's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Xenophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Fire/Fire injury

◦ Child abuse = Child labour
◦ Emotional abuse = Brainwashing
◦ Mental illness = PTSD
◦ Murder = Execution
◦ Physical abuse = incl. starvation
◦ Sexual violence = Human trafficking

bright_eyed_and_bookish's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Park manages to find the humanity within the inhumanity in the situations and people she faces along her journey. This is a story not only about her experience itself, but also her rapidly changing worldview.

By the end of the book, we get to know her understanding of the power of a story in providing a kind of freedom.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Trafficking

Moderate: Rape, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Suicide and Torture