Reviews tagging 'Murder'

In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park

13 reviews

jbry44's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

ginnycady's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

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

rachreads681's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder

graff_fuller's review against another edition

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

4.25

Do we ever really know why we pick up a book...and start reading it? Was it the cover? Was it the topic? Or could it be that we desire to know the story being told is going to TOUCH us...change the way we feel about [whatever the subject is]. 

I love biographies, but autobiographies are even better. "Straight from the horse's mouth", as they say.

The traumatic escape of Yeon-mi Park from N. Korea, to China, to Mongolia, to S. Korea, onward...to where she now lives in America.

The peak behind the curtain of what is actually going on in N. Korea is amazing (in a bad way). Also, to read about the propaganda machine that is at work in N. Korea...for 70+ years, so that not even S. Koreans know HOW different these two cultures are now.

To hear about empathy and love being devoid in the average N. Korean. Seeing public executions and dead people in the streets...as normal events. Being sold into slavery and prostitution, just to survive and escape...for slavery and prostitution are one thing, but HUNGER is worse. Anything, just to eat food.

None of us in the US can understand these things, which I'm glad for, but we need to educate ourselves. We do not agree with the leadership of N. Korea, but the people of N. Korea are enslaved, themselves to this dynasty and deserve our pity. The need to help other escape this hell hole...as Yeon-mi says, it is the DARKEST place on the earth. If you look at satellite photos of the area...there are very few lights, compared to the bordering countries...it looks like a black hole swallowed the entire country. Shortages of electricity, food, are necessities normal...and this is how the leadership keeps the people in check.

You really have to read it in her own words. She escaped when she was 13, but it wasn't until years later that she truly had freedom from the oppression that ALL people of N. Korea accept as NORMAL.

Share this story to your friends and family. It is a VERY sad tale, but she's come out of it, scars and all...and is trying to shine a light on N. Korea...so the world will come to its (the enslaved people who live in this country, under THIS regime) rescue.

I'm so happy that I picked this book up and read her story. There will be images that I won't be able to get out of my head, but maybe this will help people to help these downtrodden people.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, and Deportation

isla8's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

Breathtaking and inspirational read. Heartbreaking to read about a young woman’s experience in North Korea and in China. Very hopeful and optimistic ending as Yeonmi Park continues her activism as a human rights activist. A difficult but important read.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder

sabrinag98's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

I think most people can't even comprehend the amount of suffering that Yeonmi Park has endured. It is important to share stories like hers. Her journey to freedom is sad, shocking, horrifying, hopeful, and inspiring. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, and Murder

absolute_bookery's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

Harrowing, terrifying, brutally honest and incredibly sad - a story of hope and escape for freedom that will inspire and educate you in equal parts. Just wow.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and War

julia_browns's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This memoir is probably one of the most impactful books I've ever read. Honestly, everybody should read this and educate themselves about the crimes happening daily in that isolated country. If you haven't read this book already, go read it, right now! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Murder

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