Name: Stars Between the Sun and Moon
ISBN: 9780393249224

Susan McClelland

Lucia Jang

An extraordinary memoir by a North Korean woman who defied the government to keep her family alive.

One Woman's Life in North Korea and Escape to Freedom

Stars Between the Sun and Moon

altlovesbooks

This was a sad story about growing up in North Korea, about family loss, and about moving on through grief. Weirdly, this was less about North Korea and more about her and the family she kept returning to. With the exception of the parts in prison, this felt like a story I've read before. While sad, ultimately the book didn't feel particularly unique, especially when compared with other memoirs from North Korea I've read.

Even despite the things she went through, even at the end of the book it didn't sound like she really wanted to leave North Korea either, especially not to South Korea. I guess that's a testament to the brainwashing and gaslighting around her, but it's hard to feel empathy for her when she herself doesn't want to leave.

While still a sad story and absolutely not downplaying the experience she had, I just had a hard time really getting interested in this particular North Korean memoir.

Stars Between the Sun and Moon One Woman's Life in North Korea and Escape to Freedom

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