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jenmangler's review against another edition
3.0
Even though I've read quite a bit about life in North Korea, this book had a lot to teach me. The suffering endured by the people of North Korea seems to know no bounds, and it seems the world stands by, helpless to do something about it. Books like this break my heart, because I don't see things getting better anytime soon.
christinakann's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Alcoholism
reader4evr's review against another edition
3.0
This book reminded me a lot like Unbroken and The boy on the wooden box.
I can't imagine going through this kind of trama when I was twelve. I don't know if I could have lasted as long as Sungju did.
On the other hand, this was a really interesting book because I don't know that much about North Korea but parts of it were really repetitive and I just felt like something else could have been done about that.
I'm glad that he was reunited with his dad and grandfather but that's crazy how they still can't find the mother.
Do I think a reluctant reader would pick this up and I like it, of course!
I can't imagine going through this kind of trama when I was twelve. I don't know if I could have lasted as long as Sungju did.
On the other hand, this was a really interesting book because I don't know that much about North Korea but parts of it were really repetitive and I just felt like something else could have been done about that.
I'm glad that he was reunited with his dad and grandfather but that's crazy how they still can't find the mother.
Do I think a reluctant reader would pick this up and I like it, of course!
tammyanne's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.5
megwilliams573's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
beetsoup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Read for School
fionak's review
informative
slow-paced
3.0
I wanted to like this more than I did. Sungju's life story is fascinating but the writing doesn't fit properly; there are numerous word choices that are not in keeping with a Korean ESL narrator and the tone was uneven. There are definitely better written and more engaging books about North Korea than this one.
el_entrenador_loco's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
4.0