Reviews tagging 'Death'

Není co závidět: obyčejné životy v Severní Koreji by Barbara Demick

31 reviews

librarymouse's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

4.0

This was an interesting look into the lives of the average North Korean of a decade and a half ago. The fear mongering of Western media and the violent escalation of North Korean threats against enemy nations and against its own people has made the country into something larger than life in the eyes of the general public. The people of North Korea having to just barely scrape by while their leader lives in luxury and hides the poverty of the average citizen even while seeking aid is horrifying. It's sad to see how little has changed in the last fifteen years.
This book is well written and the firsthand accounts of life in North Korea add weight to the input of what Demick has to add as a foreign journalist.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction, Gun violence, Sexual content, and Abortion

shos's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Colonisation, and Deportation

mildnothing's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War

mhakes's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative fast-paced

5.0

This should be required reading in school! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

racheyohh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

4.75

This was such an interesting educational book and was presented in such a human way that kept me captivated. The stories during the famine were so devastating and read like historical fiction during WWII, the fact that this could happen during a non war time and is even more unspeakable.

I learned so much about the government and daily life. I appreciated the updated afterward in my edition about what the last decade has been like and the changes with new leadership. Seems definitely different but just as horrible for the average North Korean Citizen. 

I really appreciated getting know some of these true characters, all had such heartbreaking accounts of tragedy and death, but the fact that these people were so unbelievably brave, resourceful, and able to find kindness from others and now have changed their lives was incredible. I can’t imagine dealing with that pain or starting over. Also was interesting to read about the defection process and how the different countries handle it. 

I was so happy how well Mrs. Song adjusted and that she was able to have this improved life after all her hardship. Mi-ran and Jun-sang’s story was reminiscent of Past Lives

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

madicastle's review against another edition

dark informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

Moderate: Violence and Xenophobia

cepbreed's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.0

My heart and mind are so heavy. For the first time I’ve struggled to sleep after reading a book. The thought of the thousands of starving children, so destitute they don’t own shoes, never mind even a singular morsel of food to eat. I’ve been interested in learning more about the aftermath of the Korean War for a while but I don’t know if I can continue pursuing the topic. One thought about all of those Korean people does make it hard to think of anything else. 

I appreciate Barbara Demick’s knowledge of the topic and her closed pool of defectors that she interviewed, but some part of this book felt like she wasn’t giving readers enough credit. Some bits were needlessly repeated. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Terminal illness, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Excrement, and Cannibalism

directorpurry's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Grief, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

Minor: Cannibalism, Abandonment, and Deportation

jenniesreadingjourney's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Slavery, Police brutality, Dementia, Medical trauma, Abortion, Gaslighting, and Deportation

marlimeuw's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This is the most informative look on North Korean life before Y2K. If you do not know anything about North Korea, this is a must read.

I wish every person in these stories to live a long, happy, fulfilling future. Thank you all for sharing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Slavery, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Suicide, and Abortion