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A review by anabel_unker
The Hard Road Out by Jihyun Park, Seh-Lynn Chai
5.0
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
How does one, from a place of privilage and comfort, even begin to discuss the impact of this book? THE HARD ROAD OUT details the harrowing life of Jihyun Park, who grew up in North Korea during the 1970s and 80s. She and her family lived through the Great Famine during the 1990s, the death of Kim Jung-il, and the daily attrocities that come with living in a long-standing dictatorship.
Park, through translator Seh-lynn Chai, talks about growing up not always knowing where the next meal will come from, her mother's entreprenural spirit and how it both endangered her life and saved her family's, the utter devotion towards the regime slowly rotting away as her students began to starve, and the heartbreaking reality of being sold by your older sister into sexual slavery. Park's story is nothing short of heartbreaking, while also being an example of the resilience and overarching kindness of humanity.
While Park never goes into minute detail about her life story, often skipping large chunks of her life to the next big event, this story is not for anyone looking for a sensitized version of what is happening in North Korea. Additionally, interspersed throughout, is added commentary by Chai discussing her own experience in writing this book with Park and the attitudes towards Korean Unification.
From a purely editorial angle, I personally wish Chai's chapters were more distinguishingly marked as seperate from Park's story. It was often jarring to go from 1990s North Korea to modern day England without even a title to warn you. I also wish the ending was less abrupt-- I felt very invested in Park and her son's journey towards South Korea, only to find out what happened in the epilouge rather than the book itself.
All that said, THE HARD ROAD OUT is a must read.
How does one, from a place of privilage and comfort, even begin to discuss the impact of this book? THE HARD ROAD OUT details the harrowing life of Jihyun Park, who grew up in North Korea during the 1970s and 80s. She and her family lived through the Great Famine during the 1990s, the death of Kim Jung-il, and the daily attrocities that come with living in a long-standing dictatorship.
Park, through translator Seh-lynn Chai, talks about growing up not always knowing where the next meal will come from, her mother's entreprenural spirit and how it both endangered her life and saved her family's, the utter devotion towards the regime slowly rotting away as her students began to starve, and the heartbreaking reality of being sold by your older sister into sexual slavery. Park's story is nothing short of heartbreaking, while also being an example of the resilience and overarching kindness of humanity.
While Park never goes into minute detail about her life story, often skipping large chunks of her life to the next big event, this story is not for anyone looking for a sensitized version of what is happening in North Korea. Additionally, interspersed throughout, is added commentary by Chai discussing her own experience in writing this book with Park and the attitudes towards Korean Unification.
From a purely editorial angle, I personally wish Chai's chapters were more distinguishingly marked as seperate from Park's story. It was often jarring to go from 1990s North Korea to modern day England without even a title to warn you. I also wish the ending was less abrupt-- I felt very invested in Park and her son's journey towards South Korea, only to find out what happened in the epilouge rather than the book itself.
All that said, THE HARD ROAD OUT is a must read.