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The Orphan Master's Son,
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Jana
I read some interviews with the author who addressed this question. His depiction of N Korea is based on interviews with defectors and a personal visit to the DPRK. He admits that accurate information is extremely hard to come by because it's only as good as the witness giving it, which we all know is subjective. As for what he observed on his visit to DPRK, his visit was tightly controlled and completely orchestrated by his hosts to show what they wanted to show. Johnson was unable to speak to anyone who had not been coached & trained on how to speak to Americans. Some of the propaganda included in the novel was straight out of newspapers from DPRK. He also said that people from Pyongyang never talk to outsiders and do not defect so very little is known about their lives. Consequently, most of the details of the life of the interrogator were made up. With that character, Johnson wanted to explore what secrecy and paranoia can do to family relationships. The work details were something Johnson witnessed on his visit, but he also said that Pyongyang is filled with the nation's elite and they lead largely normal lives. He saw families out having picnics and people socializing in the city. If you do an internet search for interviews with Adam Johnson, you can read more about the subject. He is very forthcoming about what is fact & fiction.
Raisa
To answer the hesitation of some people who do not believe to Adam Johnson's characters and his story line in the book because he did not live in North Korea and saw this country only on authorized visit: I emigrated to the US from Russia 23 years ago, so I know what an oppressive regime is like. The North Korean living conditions Adam describes were similar to those in Russia around the time of the 1930s and 1940s. Totalitarian rule is similar is most states, and yes, I believe in author’s intuition, his talent of describing details based only on some knowledge of the facts, because I am personally familiar with these types of conditions. Often times when I read or listen to a long book, I want to stop and switch to read some other story, just because it is too long, even if the book is good. This thought about turning to something else never comes to mind while listening to The Orphan Master's Son. This is very strong writing, very good story, and I absolutely agree with author’s awards for this book.
Carolyn
You might be interested in the non-fiction book, Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick which gives greater insight into the background and daily lives of several people.
Andy
I don't, but being born in a country that two decades before was almost as closed as North Korea is today I believe it to be a very accurate depiction. The similarity of my feelings when I was growing up in my native country and those that I get while I am reading the book is uncanny.
Jen
Barbara Demick, who wrote an amazing non-fiction book about North Korea based on the accounts of more than 100 defectors, reviewed this book. Her verdict seems to be that the portrayal of life in North Korea is fairly accurate, especially in the first half of the book. But the extent of torture described in the second half was probably exaggerated: https://www.theguardian.com/books/201....
Michele
I have read several books on North Korea (it fascinates me!) including the ones listed below. My absolute favorite is "The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story" by Hyeonseo Lee. I literally "felt" like I lived in North Korea while reading her book–the dark isolation, the cold mountains, the loneliness, the hunger and the abject poverty. She loves her home country and she shares that as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to "experience" life in North Korea.
Susan
Having read . Nothing to Envy' I would say this is pretty true to life. I cannot imagine living in such a horrendous place!
Fab
I'd recommend doing a bit of research and coming up with your own conclusions as to its authenticity as a true representation of N Korea. This is a novel and should be viewed as such; a really good novel in my opinion.
False
Yes its quite accurate; i have verified it through various sources. This is a very very well written book and i dont say that for many.
You might also want to read a similar but true life story book about DPRK.
Escape from Camp 14. Thts the name yes. Die Kim!
You might also want to read a similar but true life story book about DPRK.
Escape from Camp 14. Thts the name yes. Die Kim!
Jon Howard
I think Johnson's ability to imagine a complete world contracted around total authoritarian control is even more interesting that his accuracy (although I also wondered how much was based on known fact).
Barbie Mckelvey
I think all we have to do is look at Otto Warmbier to know that a good deal of what we are reading is true. The North Koreans have no regard for life as we know it.......
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