We collectively disliked this book. We thought the first half was better than the 2nd, but we all really wished we had picked something else. All of us said that we found it very hard to "want" to read the book and most did not actually finish it. There were some interesting aspects, learning about North Korea, and the authors descriptions were very good in helping understand much about a place and subject we knew nothing about. Overall the book was extremely dark and depressing. We realize the subject matter is not intended to be a light one, but we were all bothered by how bleak the story was. The book is well written, but we just could not LIKE it.

At first it is tough to follow and it is a difficult topic; however if you stick with it, it is a wonderful dramatic story that is happening right now in our own time. Read the back of the book for the author's interview to learn more about his research, absolutely amazing.

A view of life in North Korea.
This book gives a glimpse into a world virtually unknown by outsiders. A good book for discussion.