Nancy A. (Chocoholic) reviewed on 1/5/2014 + 291 more book reviews

As the title suggests, this book is about the lives of six people living in totalitarian North Korea. Though this book is nonfiction, it reads like a fictional book, with "characters" who just happen to really exist, plot and rising tension, and climactic decisions that change their lives forever. Author Barbara Demick deftly weaves together the stories of these six, together with information about life in North Korea, including a brief history of Korea, the Kim family's rise to power, healthcare in North Korea, a typical workday, a typical home, and the famine that I believe is still ongoing. Though this book was deeply disturbing from a human rights perspective, I think it is an important book to read to understand what is happening in our world. A really great read with lots of interesting information.

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