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coreac's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Really insightful and overall interesting read regarding Shin Dong-hyuk's escape from a North Korean labor camp and his journey to freedom in the West. As expected it provided a stark, unflinching look at the brutal conditions within the camp and the broader socio-political environment of North Korea.
One aspect of the book that I found particularly compelling was the inclusion of historical and geo-political interjections. These elements helped me understand the larger context of North Korean history and global politics, enhancing my understanding of the forces at play. However, I understand why some readers might find these interjections disruptive. These interruptions detract from Shin’s personal story, which the title suggests is the primary focus.
Something else that didn't sit right with me is the reliability of Shin as a narrator. His story is undoubtedly remarkable, but his inconsistencies and admitted lies make his account less believable. For me, this unreliability makes it challenging to fully accept his story as truth. My skepticism might also stem from my perception of Shin as a person, even after he found "freedom." He comes across as unlikeable, untrustworthy, and often irresponsible and inconsiderate. While it's impossible to fully grasp the life he endured and the immense physical, mental, and spiritual pain he suffered, his apparent unwillingness to accept the advice and support around him is what I think truly slows his recovery. This reluctance makes it hard to connect with and sympathize with him as a character and to fully embrace the message he and the author are trying to convey.
One aspect of the book that I found particularly compelling was the inclusion of historical and geo-political interjections. These elements helped me understand the larger context of North Korean history and global politics, enhancing my understanding of the forces at play. However, I understand why some readers might find these interjections disruptive. These interruptions detract from Shin’s personal story, which the title suggests is the primary focus.
Something else that didn't sit right with me is the reliability of Shin as a narrator. His story is undoubtedly remarkable, but his inconsistencies and admitted lies make his account less believable. For me, this unreliability makes it challenging to fully accept his story as truth. My skepticism might also stem from my perception of Shin as a person, even after he found "freedom." He comes across as unlikeable, untrustworthy, and often irresponsible and inconsiderate. While it's impossible to fully grasp the life he endured and the immense physical, mental, and spiritual pain he suffered, his apparent unwillingness to accept the advice and support around him is what I think truly slows his recovery. This reluctance makes it hard to connect with and sympathize with him as a character and to fully embrace the message he and the author are trying to convey.
oksanasalatska's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
4.5
ginny23's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.0
Stale. I think the narration ruined it for me.
gardner98's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
5.0
A look into North Korea. Harrowing but important story.
halthemonarch's review against another edition
4.0
Holy Shit. Story 10/10. Harden’s writing style chaffs however. There’s Shin’s incredible story of being born and surviving until adulthood in a political prisoner labor camp. When you hear “political prisoner labor camp” you might think of Nazi Germany, not something that is happening so viciously and casually to an already famine stricken swaths of North Korea. In present day. The chilling account of a guard beating a six year old to death as nothing out of the ordinary, the executions of his mother and brother and subsequent deterioration with his relationship with his father, the reason he was jailed in the first place coming to light, and the fate of Shin’s escape mate was all interspersed with statistics and sterilized overviews of the geopolitical climate in nearby Pyongyang. I wish the account was written statistics first then a start to finish of Shin’s journey with feeling since all the context would have been, in this case, laid out (and perhaps with different word choice in some places). Even still, this is such an important book and I will definitely be thinking about it for weeks.
mertriestoread's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.0
All I can say is let's hope that one day, people of NK will finally have their freedom. Whatever's currently going-on at there is unthinkable and a huge violation of human rights. North Korean lives matter too!
herri1je's review against another edition
2.0
This was okay. I struggled to give it two stars because I don’t want downvote someone’s life story. My problems with the book were not with the narrative account but with the way it was written by the third party author. Often pieces by journalists can be impersonal and lack the “heart and soul” of a book. Harden missed the mark on this one and did Shin a disservice.
Shin’s story is remarkable and I’m planning on finding a more well written account of his story.
Shin’s story is remarkable and I’m planning on finding a more well written account of his story.