The Orphan Master's Son
by Adam Johnson "Fascinating fictional story about North Korea. Not for the faint of heart but very timely. The author has done immense research so much of it is based on real stories and is haunting." “Hard to describe but a brilliant novel. Set in North Korea (!), it is (as you would expect), very depressing and gives you a sense of what life must be life in that soul-destroying country (far better than the non-fiction books on the country I’ve read). BUT it also a very good NOVEL – great characters, and they remain individuals despite the horrors around them. It is even very funny at times. And the movie ‘Casablanca’ has a strong role. When I say ‘it’s set in North Korea’ everyone immediately thinks that they aren’t in the mood for a downer, and it is a downer – but really worth it.” Another contributor said: “This book haunted me. The realistic details of what it is like to live under the oppression of the North Korean regime mixed with fictional characters and events combined into a page-turner I couldn't put down. Combine this with the non-fiction Escape from Prison 14 by Blaine Harden or The Aquariums of Pyongyang by Chol-hwan Kang (better written and more interesting, in my opinion) and you get a great insight into the insanity of life and survival under the rule of the Kim family.”
