Book No. 7 of 2020
This book hollowed me out and left me totally haunted. It follows the life story of an orphan in North Korea, told three ways: through his eyes, from the point of view of a government interrogator, and through propaganda.
Not going to lie, this book is bleak. But it’s also hopeful and peppered with moments of razor-sharp black humor—there were multiple times when I laughed and then felt horrified at laughing.
Similar Reads
I thought this book had a very similar vibe as Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Sympathizer; both offer a look at a country’s political turmoil through the protagonist’s eyes, offer biting commentary on media and propaganda, and daze you with drawn out scenes of interrogation. They also show you the value of human connection and give you perspective on what makes life worth living and people worth saving.