Sungju Lee

CW: Violence, sexual assaults, drugs/alcohol

3.5 Stars

This is an intense memoir, as Sungju tells the story of how he was forced to live on the streets and fend for himself at the age of 12 in North Korea. It is a brutal recollection of growing up in an oppressive society and makes you realize what freedom is.

A powerful and moving story, one I'm very glad I read, even given the occasionally sluggish writing style and pacing.

With simple but powerful language, this first-person memoir describes a once privileged 12-year- old boy’s desperate struggle to survive in famine stricken North Korea after his parents’ disappearance. Glossary.