The Orphan Master's Son in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Dec 31, 2016 Denise Cormaney rated it really liked it

Shelves: arlington-55plus-book-group

Reading this book reminded me why I love book clubs. If I had picked this up on my own, I'm sure I would've abandoned it before finishing it. I had a hard time getting into it, and it felt disjointed. But I stuck with it because it's for a book discussion group, and I'm so glad I did. ...more

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Jan 23, 2017 Claire Jefferies rated it liked it

Shelves: own-it

This book is really, really good. I just couldn't connect with it. Great writing, though. ...more

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Mar 30, 2014 Cari rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: literary, pulitzer

4.5 stars, easily rounded up. Ingenious.

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Aug 18, 2013 Cat rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, pulitzer-prize-winners

I found so much of this book disturbing; (view spoiler). I was immersed in the world of this book and it was not a good feeling, unsettling and haunting. Yet for all of the graphic details about repressive North Korean culture, the book felt half finished, like Johnson was writing his way to a plot. The characters felt like caricatures. Despite the interesting point of view shifts in the second ha ...more

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Dec 03, 2013 Felicia Zondlo Ko rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014

I liked this book, especially the first 100 pages or so. But the more of it I read, the more it seemed to be a YA distopian with adult characters. And yet it won a Pulitzer. There were portions of the book where I couldn't put it down, but since it's a work of fiction, I really can't say I have an understanding of life in North Korea, other than I can say it does give a good illustration of "cult of personality." Off to read the non-fiction North Korea book that is mentioned in the pan reviews. ...more

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