This fast-paced story will likely compel its readers to learn more about North Korea after finishing it
A pampered son of the elite survives a nightmarish ordeal in this page-turner of a memoir.
Sungju Lee’s carefree life, playing with his rare pedigreed dog and watching cartoons, comes to an abrupt end at age 11 when his family is banished to a remote seaside town after his army officer father transgresses in unspecified ways. The mid-1990s famine that eventually killed over 1 million North Koreans soon takes its toll, as each of his parents leaves in search of food and does not return. Teaming up with several friends, Lee travels the country—stealing in markets; fighting other gangs for territory; smoking, drinking, and using opium; getting arrested and imprisoned; finding clients for a madam’s “nightflowers”; and losing two of his friends in brutal attacks. Straightforward prose prevents this harrowing tale from overwhelming readers, but at times it may emotionally distance them. Over time the boys shed their faith in the regime but never give up on dreams of reunion with their families. A short foreword offers readers some historical context, but the story’s emphasis on the dangers of daily survival mirrors Lee’s lack of awareness at the time of larger political events.
This fast-paced story will likely compel its readers to learn more about North Korea after finishing it . (Memoir. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4197-2132-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
Challenging but replete with stimulating insights.
Interweaving prose and graphic art, Hendrix explores the lives, faith, intellectual world, and long, complex friendship of two titans of modern fantasy.
As in The Faithful Spy (2018), Hendrix’s hybrid-format biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, this volume charges hard into deep and difficult territory—tracking, for instance, C.S. “Jack” Lewis’ progression from naïve believer to staunch atheist to profoundly religious thinker and probing reasons for the friction that grew between him and his close friend J.R.R. “Tollers” Tolkien in the 1950s. Tracing the shaping of their novels while contrasting the styles and personalities of the pair as they egged one another on, Hendrix also fills in the intellectual background with discursions into the differences between fairy tales and myths, largely delivered in extended graphic segments by an affectionately caricatured wizard and lion as they squire readers through a metaphorical series of significantly labeled doors. Though the author sets off direct quotes with asterisks and carefully sources them, he invents some dialogue; for a happily-ever-after ending, he’s also invented a loving reconciliation scene. Hendrix’s claim (although rooted in Eurocentric bias) that “these two tweedy middle-aged academics just so happened to re-enchant the world” carries plenty of heft. The monochrome art is charming and cues a younger audience than the text, which is complex conceptually as well as in its vocabulary and cultural and historical references.
Challenging but replete with stimulating insights. (author’s note, context on myths and fairy tales, notes on research and authenticity, glossary, endnotes, bibliography, index) (Graphic biography. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9781419746345
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Abrams Fanfare
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A straightforward and effective exploration of a remarkable scholar and her influence.
A charmingly illustrated biography that highlights psychologist Carol Gilligan’s life and achievements.
Gilligan is famed for her contributions to understanding people’s voices: “how they were used, not used, and even silenced.” As a young woman involved in the Civil Rights Movement, she pondered why the voices of certain groups, especially women and people of color, were routinely ignored or dismissed by members of various professional fields ranging from law to psychology, education, and medicine. In part through the 1982 publication of her book In a Different Voice, Gilligan established a model of moral decision-making and reasoning that she called an Ethic of Care (in contrast to the widely used Ethic of Justice model that privileged traditionally male processes). She also developed a revolutionary interview style she dubbed the Listening Guide Method. Beyond discussing Gilligan’s life and studies, Cole highlights key figures and psychological concepts in the world of psychology, explaining them in digestible segments. Green’s soft and expressive artwork brings additional life to this easy-to-follow biography. Tools that encourage readers to think more deeply about the content are interspersed throughout the book, providing further learning opportunities. Individual readers and educators alike will find the balance of information, suggested activities, and additional fun facts to be an effective way to learn about this pioneer of inclusivity in psychology.
A straightforward and effective exploration of a remarkable scholar and her influence. (timeline, glossary, further reading, bibliography, photo credits) (Biography. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9781433843532
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Magination/American Psychological Association
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
