On My Bookshelf

This is the type of novel I love—one where the author has done her research and makes it so believable I question if it’s a memoir halfway through. This is a powerful story exposing rich historical roots in eugenics in the United States. I didn’t know anything about it when I bought it, but once I got into it I basically read it all (or the majority) in one sitting. I highly recommend it.

There’s so much I want to say but thank you, Ms. Kim for sharing your story, despite its cost. So what is it about? The title of the book comes from a song, some sort of anthem to their Eternal Leader. But the author of the book, a South Korean American, intends it to mean: without North Korea, there is no South Korea. The author is an investigative journalist and a non-believer who goes undercover as a Christian missionary at North Korea’s first international university. It’s an enlightening and fascinating read! This book is a true glimpse into the mystery and the madness of North Korea. I felt Kim’s love for her students and frustration over their captivity. I cannot recommend this book enough.

If you’ve ever wondered what life was like for Koreans and Japanese during the war, this is the book. It spans four generations, following the tale of one family. It is steeped in culture and tradition, so you are learning history in cultural context. The characters are lovable and the writing style engaging as well. It’s a long read but I could not put it down.

Subtle spoilers: This book was a page turner and had such a twist! I loved the theme of identity and being seen and ...how that theme played into the plot! This was a welcome change of pace for me.

I loved Sung’s Kinda Korean. It was such a complex portrait of what it is like to live as a minority, specifically as an Asian woman, in the United States. Born as a daughter of immigrants, Sung explores the clash of Korean and American culture within her family unit as well as the implicit biases that many Americans have toward Asian Americans and Asians in general. It was eye-opening to watch her reveal these biases and how they impacted her experience as an Asian American. I also enjoyed watching Sung peel back the layers of her own identity. What does it mean to be Asian American? What does it mean to be Korean-American? What does it mean to be the daughter of Korean immigrants? And what does it mean to be an Asian American woman? I love how she pointed out the differences, injustices, and even the privilege in each layer. This was such an interesting read!

This story! Absolutely mind-blowing! The author appears to be about the same age as me, so to keep in mind what I was doing in the year 1999 and what he was doing (surviving on the streets, fighting in gangs, and trying not to starve to death). I just couldn’t believe we lived in the same world, in the same time period. Having a window into a world like his is priceless. I would love to hear more from this author duo as well. The writing was completely enthralling.

This book was definitely grittier than the TV show, and much more narrow. But still worth the read, and I’ll be reading the rest of the series.

This book was a happy accident, a surprise, and exactly what I have been looking for. I have been wanting to learn more about Korea’s history but through story, not a history book. I know that this is fiction but the historical events are all cited and the author unfolds the story well.