Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Without You, There Is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea's Elite by Suki Kim

5 reviews

sakisreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense slow-paced

3.5

✨ Thrifted ✨

Definitely not my favourite book I think I’ve ever read; it was very bitty in parts and boring in others (not because of the content, but the way in which it was written). However, Suki Kim does note that this was to get a rare perspective of a Korean-American person having a teaching career in North Korea. The taboo element did feel thrilling in some parts as well, and so I applaud her effort! 👏🏼

The missionary presence at this university also shook me up 😳

3.5 out of 5 stars for me ✨ Thank you!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Religious bigotry

librarymouse's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

5.0

Suki Kim is a gifted story teller and personalized the students she worked with to her readers expertly. The lives of the elite children of North Korea aren't something outsiders have access to, and they feel dystopian in a way that's unfamiliar to a western audience. Despite the unfamiliarity, there is a through line of familiar discontentment. They lack the vocabulary to express their sorrows, fears, and desires in a way that is hard to fathom. I hope that some day the cognitive dissonance that's foundational to the continued survival of the North Korean regime falls to revolution.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Religious bigotry

Minor: Infidelity, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

droggelbecher42's review

challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

4.25

Extremely disturbing read, had to put this down multiple times, it was so disheartening.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Animal death

whatevertheysay's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Moderate: Physical abuse and Slavery

Minor: Sexism, Religious bigotry, and War

skudiklier's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

As someone who knows very little about North Korea, this book was fascinating. I found it incredibly compelling in many ways, and I'm grateful for Kim's bravery in writing and sharing it. I found this book heartbreaking, but also surprisingly enjoyable. I wish I could find out more about how the students' lives have gone on in the time since Kim was with them, but I'm sure she wishes that were possible far more than I do. I would definitely recommend this book as a rare and unique look into the lives of upper class young men in North Korea. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Grief, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Murder