Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Escapar para vivir by Aida Candelario, Yeonmi Park

6 reviews

mmontemurro's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This was a gripping memoir of Yeonmi Park's harrowing journey out of North Korea. She describes her childhood in a country where having no food for days on end was commonplace, and how they would eat dragonflies for protein when they had nothing else. She describes seeing dead bodies on the side of the road - people who had died of starvation. Her father was taken to a hard labor camp after being caught selling "illegal" goods which in any other place would be considered legal. Her mother left to attempt to retrieve her father from prison, and she was left to care for herself and her sister. While others tried to help them, it sounded as though most people had little to give for food. I was shocked to hear about the government radios which had to be on at all times - it reminded me of 1984 where they were constantly watched and listened to. No one could be trusted but yourself. Her sister left for China, and eventually Yeonmi leaves with her mother too, to hopefully find a better life in China, and get her father out of North Korea. Yeonmi and her mother were trafficked for many years in China, and forced into marriages by Chinese brokers. They were considered second-class citizens - or really not citizens at all in China. Yeonmi secured a deal for herself as a young girl in order to get her mother and father, and hopefully her sister, who was missing, in exchange for becoming a mistress to one broker. She describes painful, terrible rape and having to endure that for her family. Eventually they leave with a Christian missionary group for South Korea. However dangerous, they do eventually make it to South Korea, and are able to become citizens there. Due to a lack in eduation in North Korea, Yeonmi is told that she will never amount to anything, never catch up to other classmates, and never go to university. She surpasses every goal by working extremely hard. Her story is incredible, and she has everlasting hope through all the bleak moments of her life. I hope that this story reaches many, and that her story can inspire others to understand the tragedy of North Korea and understand that anything is achieveable in this life. 
 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

eagerbones's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful

5.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sabrinz's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

This book was given to my by a friend as a present with the words "a friend recommended it to me and said it would make my cry!"

Needless to say, this book and the real story it conveys did make me cry. But not for the brutal honesty with which Yeonmi Park describes her journey to freedom (I was mainly too shocked and heartbroken), but the positive outlook on her future and what she is trying to do with her voice and her story.

Simpyl because of the nature of this joruney, it is not a light read, but very much worth it.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

kirstenpod_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

mxpringle's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

rini's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging tense medium-paced

4.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings