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All Woman and Springtime
Before she met Il-sun in an orphanage, Gi was a hollow husk of a girl, broken from growing up in one of North Korea’s forced-labor camps. A mathematical genius, she learned to cope with pain by retreating into a realm of numbers and calculations, an escape from both the past and the present. Gi becomes enamored of the brash and radiant Il-sun, a friend she describes as “all woman and springtime.� But Il-sun’s pursuit of a better life imperils both girls when her suitor spirits them across the Demilitarized Zone and sells them as sex workers, first in South Korea and then in the United States.
All Woman and Springtime takes us behind the iron curtain of the most mysterious country on earth as it weaves a heartbreaking, breath-taking story.
All Woman and Springtime takes us behind the iron curtain of the most mysterious country on earth as it weaves a heartbreaking, breath-taking story.
434 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
184 people are currently reading
1,632 people want to read
About the author
Brandon W. Jones
3Ìýbooks11ÌýfollowersBrandon Jones grew up in the Wood River Valley, in the small town of Bellevue, Idaho where the highland desert meets the Rocky Mountains. There he developed a love of nature alongside an insatiable creative drive, with much support from his small and tight-knit community. He went on to study art and music, first at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, then at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington, and finally at The Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado. He focused for a time on classical guitar, then on music composition.
Right after college Brandon went to Maui, thinking that a few months on the beach would do him some good before returning to join the "real world." Months turned to years, however, and in that time he started a custom metal art business, making all manner of decorative and functional pieces out of copper, brass and steel. Also in that time he began a practice of yoga, and even taught classes with his wife, Michi.
Brandon always harbored a secret desire to write, and in 2009 the space finally opened up in his life to do just that. As soon as the commitment was made to writing All Woman and Springtime, he felt that he had finally found his place in the world.
Currently Brandon lives off-grid in Hawaii, tucked in a small cottage in the jungle with his wife and their beloved cat, Ula. He writes every day, when he is not teaching himself to play the cello, sculpting, working on one of his countless crazy inventions or tending the land in his care. Brandon's greatest wish is that his writing will bring about positive change by spreading empathy and awareness to little-understood parts of humanity and the world.
Right after college Brandon went to Maui, thinking that a few months on the beach would do him some good before returning to join the "real world." Months turned to years, however, and in that time he started a custom metal art business, making all manner of decorative and functional pieces out of copper, brass and steel. Also in that time he began a practice of yoga, and even taught classes with his wife, Michi.
Brandon always harbored a secret desire to write, and in 2009 the space finally opened up in his life to do just that. As soon as the commitment was made to writing All Woman and Springtime, he felt that he had finally found his place in the world.
Currently Brandon lives off-grid in Hawaii, tucked in a small cottage in the jungle with his wife and their beloved cat, Ula. He writes every day, when he is not teaching himself to play the cello, sculpting, working on one of his countless crazy inventions or tending the land in his care. Brandon's greatest wish is that his writing will bring about positive change by spreading empathy and awareness to little-understood parts of humanity and the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
April 16, 2012
One of the worst kind of books, in my opinion--a bad example of what can happen when women are written by white men who think they "get" women and the minority experience. It is the colonialism of 2012, when being overly-PC can exonerate a conscience and mask condescension.
The book is over-thought in every way, starting from the over-explication of the characters' "depth" to the way he shows the positive sides of each situation, including living in North Korea and working as a sex slave in South Korea and America. The only time the novel really seems to flow naturally is when Jones is writing of the sexual appetites of the pimps and brothel patrons. He understands and writes these male characters in a way that he cannot write his female characters.
The prose is saccharine at its worst and unimaginative at its best.
The greatest danger of a book like this, I think, is that some readers will take this book as non-fiction and a realistic portrait of what it is to be an Asian female and a sex slave.
The book is over-thought in every way, starting from the over-explication of the characters' "depth" to the way he shows the positive sides of each situation, including living in North Korea and working as a sex slave in South Korea and America. The only time the novel really seems to flow naturally is when Jones is writing of the sexual appetites of the pimps and brothel patrons. He understands and writes these male characters in a way that he cannot write his female characters.
The prose is saccharine at its worst and unimaginative at its best.
The greatest danger of a book like this, I think, is that some readers will take this book as non-fiction and a realistic portrait of what it is to be an Asian female and a sex slave.
May 12, 2012
The ways in which this book is not good are many. The prose is really overblown. There are some descriptions that truly baffled me with their excessive ornament. Rarely does the story seem authentic. The violence doesn't so much shock as seem... rote. The novel feels more like a book designed to bring an awareness to sexual slavery rather than a story about the women involved. The message of the book is earnest but the message also dominates the story like an after school special. There's no sense of intimacy in the prose. It's hard to feel connected to Gi, but the I should, right, particularly with what she must endure. Her mathematical aptitude is really interesting but it's not enough to elevate this book.
The first part of the novel is really slow and then the rest of the novel is really rushed. We never get to really have a sense of what's going on or the impact of those events on the young women who are supposed to be the heart of this story. The narrative is at points so implausible and the ending, which isn't really an ending, really flies in the face of reality, particularly in this very hostile immigration climate.
With such a gorgeous title, and such an important and intense subject matter, I wanted so much more from this book.
The first part of the novel is really slow and then the rest of the novel is really rushed. We never get to really have a sense of what's going on or the impact of those events on the young women who are supposed to be the heart of this story. The narrative is at points so implausible and the ending, which isn't really an ending, really flies in the face of reality, particularly in this very hostile immigration climate.
With such a gorgeous title, and such an important and intense subject matter, I wanted so much more from this book.
May 20, 2020
This was another really beautiful story about North Korea, sex traffic, and friendship. I saw a recommendation for this book and am so glad I decided to read it. It gives you some insight into North Korea which you already knew was horrible but then the young women were brought to the US and were in for a culture shock but they survived and found a place. I am looking for another book by this author and don't see me. I hope he will write another. He did an exceptional job on this one. Definitely recommend.
April 10, 2013
A mesmerizing book that many will find hard to read. Gi, the main character, changes from a brutalized, terrified 10 year old to a near catatonic teen to a woman of untapped strength in this tale of a North Korean girl condemned and then rescued from a concentration camp. She finds a friend in the orphanage but when it is their time to leave the orphanage and strike out on their own, they are betrayed by Il-Sun’s lover and sold into trafficking in South Korea. When they try to escape they are transported to the US in a sealed container on a ship and become sex slaves. Eventually Gi is able to escape and finds a new life because of her ability with numbers.
North Korea and human trafficking are shown graphically, but not exploitively. The sex (and there is indeed sex) is used to convey the horror and terror of young girls trapped in a life they cannot escape. I read this nearly 400 page book in just two days, compelled to keep reading and sorry when they book ended. Although horrifying, the book is also a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit. Americans may find themselves seeing the homeless and immigrants with a sense of unease and guilt after reading this book.
North Korea and human trafficking are shown graphically, but not exploitively. The sex (and there is indeed sex) is used to convey the horror and terror of young girls trapped in a life they cannot escape. I read this nearly 400 page book in just two days, compelled to keep reading and sorry when they book ended. Although horrifying, the book is also a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit. Americans may find themselves seeing the homeless and immigrants with a sense of unease and guilt after reading this book.
January 5, 2023
This novel told the heartbreaking story of two young North Korean women who were sold into the sex trade � first in South Korea and then in Seattle. One of the young women was a child survivor of the North Korean gulag (her parents did not bow enough to the portrait of the Great Leader), and was completely brainwashed by a supplicant to the North Korean dogma. The other young woman was more lively and less of a rule follower. They were both extremely naïve and unwittingly were led to South Korea where they were forced into prostitution. They tried to escape and were sent in a container to be prostitutes in Seattle. Although they finally escape, life on the streets is their only option. There are parts of this novel - dealing with their incredible suffering, debasement and brutality - which are extremely hard to read. However, this is a story that is happening all over the world today � and one which absolutely needs to be told.
June 20, 2012
Sex trafficking is a horrific and serious global human rights issue, and reading about it is not- all woman and springtime. However, this book was foremost interesting for its depiction of women in North Korea. While I cannot speak to its veracity, it was genuinely shocking and fascinating to learn about the dramatic repression and lies believed by the North Koreans, it is an island onto itself.
The story of these four Korean women and the awful exploitation they experience after being sold into sexual slavery is replete with the expected misogyny and horror, and it should make any person furious that such things do indeed go on everywhere. However, I did not find anything new to reflect on, and I wonder how well a non-Korean white male could really understand what these women experience, kudos for trying.
This is a quick read, the plot moves fast and it is quite entertaining. I am reservations about how realistic the story of especially Gao was, and the book finishes in pat Oprah-book fashion. I recommend it as a good beach read, and especially interesting for the portrayal of North Korea.
The story of these four Korean women and the awful exploitation they experience after being sold into sexual slavery is replete with the expected misogyny and horror, and it should make any person furious that such things do indeed go on everywhere. However, I did not find anything new to reflect on, and I wonder how well a non-Korean white male could really understand what these women experience, kudos for trying.
This is a quick read, the plot moves fast and it is quite entertaining. I am reservations about how realistic the story of especially Gao was, and the book finishes in pat Oprah-book fashion. I recommend it as a good beach read, and especially interesting for the portrayal of North Korea.
May 27, 2012
i think this is Brandon W. Jones' first novel - and it is an excellent one. I have been laying low and just put myself on vakashun, which translates to "inhale books." Key themes/subjects are North Korea, young girls, human trafficking and sexual slavery - and as such, there's a warning in the novel, "may not be suitable for young readers."
It is painful, heartrending, courageous, truthful, and triumphant on some levels. I write this review from Pasadena, California, where a year or so ago, I heard there was a sex slave ring in Glendale, some miles away.
To use the phrasing on the front cover by Alice Walker, "One of the most absorbing, chilling, beautifully written, and important novels I've read in many years."
Brandon W. Jones - if you read by author, you'll want to remember his name.
Best to all readers out there!
It is painful, heartrending, courageous, truthful, and triumphant on some levels. I write this review from Pasadena, California, where a year or so ago, I heard there was a sex slave ring in Glendale, some miles away.
To use the phrasing on the front cover by Alice Walker, "One of the most absorbing, chilling, beautifully written, and important novels I've read in many years."
Brandon W. Jones - if you read by author, you'll want to remember his name.
Best to all readers out there!
May 26, 2012
All woman and springtime is how North Korean orphan Gi sees her friend, the beautiful Il-Sun. They are seventeen and about to leave the orphanage to embark on the closest thing they can expect to have to an independent life under their repressive regime. Without ranking parentage, they cannot expect too much from their impending future, but even these faint hopes are dashed when they find themselves abruptly sold into the sex trade.
I was drawn into their story from the first pages. Jones skillfully sets up the North Korean state as the truly evil antagonist that it is, putting me firmly on the side of the girls before I knew much about them. The insight he provides into daily life inside the bizarre personality cult of that country was the most fascinating part of the book for me. Through Gi in particular, he paints a harrowing portrait of how the mind adapts to a world in which starvation, disappearance and torture are everyday occurrences.
Some have described the prose in this book as being simple, at more of a young adult level. While the writing is simple, it appropriately so - an accurate reflection of the mental state one could expect from people raised within an authoritarian cult, which strives by nature to infantilize its members.
There is nothing young adult about this topic, however. Jones does not hold back as he describes the trials the girls go through as they escape the frying pan of North Korea to the fire of the sex trade, and I found parts of this book very difficult to read.
Despite that, I was never tempted to put the book down because the author provides such fascinating insight into the ways in which our own minds can both free us and enslave us as we face the most dire of circumstances. This is an important and valuable book for anyone looking to understand more about North Korea or sex trafficking, as well as a gripping and ultimately inspiring story.
I was drawn into their story from the first pages. Jones skillfully sets up the North Korean state as the truly evil antagonist that it is, putting me firmly on the side of the girls before I knew much about them. The insight he provides into daily life inside the bizarre personality cult of that country was the most fascinating part of the book for me. Through Gi in particular, he paints a harrowing portrait of how the mind adapts to a world in which starvation, disappearance and torture are everyday occurrences.
Some have described the prose in this book as being simple, at more of a young adult level. While the writing is simple, it appropriately so - an accurate reflection of the mental state one could expect from people raised within an authoritarian cult, which strives by nature to infantilize its members.
There is nothing young adult about this topic, however. Jones does not hold back as he describes the trials the girls go through as they escape the frying pan of North Korea to the fire of the sex trade, and I found parts of this book very difficult to read.
Despite that, I was never tempted to put the book down because the author provides such fascinating insight into the ways in which our own minds can both free us and enslave us as we face the most dire of circumstances. This is an important and valuable book for anyone looking to understand more about North Korea or sex trafficking, as well as a gripping and ultimately inspiring story.
August 6, 2020
The subject matter is a tough one � human trafficking into sex slaves. The author even included a note in the front of the book stating that the content and descriptions may not be suitable for young readers. He’s probably right to include the warning as a few scenes are pretty graphic. If you can get past that though, it is a great book.
The story begins in North Korea where two young, innocent girls live in an orphanage and work in a clothing factory. They are about to age out of the orphanage when their lives take a horrible turn in the wrong direction. They are taken to South Korea and sold into the sex trade. Their innocence and freedoms are stripped from them and they must find ways to adapt to survive. Or at least try to. It is a heart wrenching story that makes you count your blessings multiple times throughout. And even though it is hard to read, you don’t want to stop reading because you need to know how it ends. You don’t want to give up on them. You don’t want to give up hope.
The story begins in North Korea where two young, innocent girls live in an orphanage and work in a clothing factory. They are about to age out of the orphanage when their lives take a horrible turn in the wrong direction. They are taken to South Korea and sold into the sex trade. Their innocence and freedoms are stripped from them and they must find ways to adapt to survive. Or at least try to. It is a heart wrenching story that makes you count your blessings multiple times throughout. And even though it is hard to read, you don’t want to stop reading because you need to know how it ends. You don’t want to give up on them. You don’t want to give up hope.
July 24, 2012
I do love a bleak story and when I read a review of this book about human trafficking in North Korea I thought for sure this book would be for me. And sure enough it opens on a pair of young women living in an orphanage in North Korea and working under an exacting boss at a factory sewing pants. Their lives are meager, their histories disappointing and their futures hold little promise in spite of their personal efforts and charms. In the second part of the book, things go from bad to worse. The girls find themselves caught in a human trafficking scheme, transported to South Korea where they are forced to work in the sex trade. Their dark lives get darker and their small hopes are dimmed further when they are shipped to Seattle where the last third of the book takes place. The entire story is hard and I felt such an emotional connection to the stories of these women, their victimization in Communist North Korea and Capitalist South Korea and the United States. But in the last piece of the book something upsetting happened…the author gave the story a redemptive turn. I know that would probably be satisfying for a lot of readers, and if you enjoy watching characters overcome long odds maybe this book would be for you. If I had stopped about 50 pages short of the end, it would have been for me. But the ways in which the heroine is redeemed and the role the public library plays were a little too sweet for me.
August 1, 2013
All Woman and Springtime is the first novel by Brandon W. Jones who has taken on the topics of North Korea and human trafficking in one big gulp of a story. The story centers on two young women who are about to age out of a women's orphanage in North Korea.
Gi (Gyong-ho) was orphaned in a concentration camp after inadvertently revealing a trivial infraction by her family's care of "the Dear Leader's" portrait hanging in their home...it had dust on it. Her torture in the camp is graphically described and she survives only by withdrawing into a world of math and numbers, an area in which she is a savant.
Il-sun is the daughter of a deceased military officer. Her older brother died in a concentration camp because of his outspoken behavior. She became orphaned when her mother died in her early teens. Il-sun has dreams of marrying well and living happily ever after in so far as that is defined in North Korean terms.
Part 1 of the book details their lives in the orphanage and their work in a sewing factory. The deprivation, hunger, and meanness of spirit is brought home through the narrative and anecdotes. Gi is merely trying to survive and is looking forward to when she and Il-sun will leave the orphanage. Il-sun is acting more like an adolescent that a westerner might recognize. It is Il-sun's flirtations that move the story into the second part of the book.
Part 2 chronicles their transport across the DMZ between North and South Korea under the belief that the North Korean authorities are after them. Instead they, along with another young woman, Cho, are sold as sex slaves to a South Korean thug. Again the narrative brings home the effect of their isolated lives in the North. One anecdote described how startled the women were to see an overweight person and their first interaction with fast food. The rest of this section describes their captivity as sex slaves and the machinery of the porn empire their captor has built. Some of this is brutally described. With the help of another captive woman who is South Korean, they develop an escape plan with a tragic outcome that causes all four of them to be sold.
Part 3 of the book takes place in Seattle in a Korean mafia owned brothel. They are kept indoors and not allowed to wear shoes. They are "branded" with the gang's tattoos as is the madame and the shady doctor who comes to care for them. After more suffering, there is an upbeat ending to the book.
The story is compelling. The author's writing is adequate to the story. In journeying through the story, there are characters that are introduced then left behind. Some reviews fault the author for that, but I suspect that it brings home the nature of human trafficking....people (mostly women and children) disappear and are never heard from again. So we don't learn what happens to the mistress of the orphanage, or the woman who saved Gi from the concentration camp and other characters. Given the topics, it would have been artifice to have them all tied up neatly at the end of this story.
Gi (Gyong-ho) was orphaned in a concentration camp after inadvertently revealing a trivial infraction by her family's care of "the Dear Leader's" portrait hanging in their home...it had dust on it. Her torture in the camp is graphically described and she survives only by withdrawing into a world of math and numbers, an area in which she is a savant.
Il-sun is the daughter of a deceased military officer. Her older brother died in a concentration camp because of his outspoken behavior. She became orphaned when her mother died in her early teens. Il-sun has dreams of marrying well and living happily ever after in so far as that is defined in North Korean terms.
Part 1 of the book details their lives in the orphanage and their work in a sewing factory. The deprivation, hunger, and meanness of spirit is brought home through the narrative and anecdotes. Gi is merely trying to survive and is looking forward to when she and Il-sun will leave the orphanage. Il-sun is acting more like an adolescent that a westerner might recognize. It is Il-sun's flirtations that move the story into the second part of the book.
Part 2 chronicles their transport across the DMZ between North and South Korea under the belief that the North Korean authorities are after them. Instead they, along with another young woman, Cho, are sold as sex slaves to a South Korean thug. Again the narrative brings home the effect of their isolated lives in the North. One anecdote described how startled the women were to see an overweight person and their first interaction with fast food. The rest of this section describes their captivity as sex slaves and the machinery of the porn empire their captor has built. Some of this is brutally described. With the help of another captive woman who is South Korean, they develop an escape plan with a tragic outcome that causes all four of them to be sold.
Part 3 of the book takes place in Seattle in a Korean mafia owned brothel. They are kept indoors and not allowed to wear shoes. They are "branded" with the gang's tattoos as is the madame and the shady doctor who comes to care for them. After more suffering, there is an upbeat ending to the book.
The story is compelling. The author's writing is adequate to the story. In journeying through the story, there are characters that are introduced then left behind. Some reviews fault the author for that, but I suspect that it brings home the nature of human trafficking....people (mostly women and children) disappear and are never heard from again. So we don't learn what happens to the mistress of the orphanage, or the woman who saved Gi from the concentration camp and other characters. Given the topics, it would have been artifice to have them all tied up neatly at the end of this story.
March 18, 2013
Betrayal, brainwashing, corruption, hardships, fear, innocence, and poverty.
These words make up the life of Il-sun and Gi. Il-sun was wealthy at one time, but the death of her parents left her with no songbun and no status. Gi was poor from birth and her family was accused by the government of not being loyal to the Great Leader and put into prison. Both girls ended up in an orphanage and worked in a sewing factory. When a slick trafficker deceives Il-sun, she and Gi end up in South Korea and are put into the sex trade. These two girls, not even twenty years old, move from one horror to another.......their difficult life of fearing their government to the fear and lies of their captors.
Despite the book's gritty topic, it was quite interesting but heartbreaking to learn about the life of the citizens of North and South Korea and how the government had each citizen fearing for his/her life on a daily basis if they didn't work and devote themselves for the Great Leader. The result of the harsh government and brainwashing caused illegal activities and even harsher circumstances for unknowing, innocent young women. The unethical men who took advantage and had control over Il-sun and Gi and other women were despicable. You will feel the shame and hopelessness of these women enslaved in this type of life. You will hate Mr. Choy and feel the pain of these girls.
The author did an excellent job with scene description, with character development, and with portraying the feelings of the characters. There are some graphic parts dealing with the acts performed in the sex trade, but this book is an excellent representation of life as it was for citizens and these girls. More can't be said without giving away the entire story. If you liked Memoirs of a Geisha, you will like this book.
I can't say I liked it, and I can't say I didn't. It was horrible reading the descriptions of the girls' lives who were in Mr. Choy's "camp" and where they were after that, but the history of North and South Korea was fascinating. It is difficult to believe this type of activity goes on. The ending was redeeming...give it a try. 4/5
I received this book from the publisher free of charge and without compensation in return for an honest review.
These words make up the life of Il-sun and Gi. Il-sun was wealthy at one time, but the death of her parents left her with no songbun and no status. Gi was poor from birth and her family was accused by the government of not being loyal to the Great Leader and put into prison. Both girls ended up in an orphanage and worked in a sewing factory. When a slick trafficker deceives Il-sun, she and Gi end up in South Korea and are put into the sex trade. These two girls, not even twenty years old, move from one horror to another.......their difficult life of fearing their government to the fear and lies of their captors.
Despite the book's gritty topic, it was quite interesting but heartbreaking to learn about the life of the citizens of North and South Korea and how the government had each citizen fearing for his/her life on a daily basis if they didn't work and devote themselves for the Great Leader. The result of the harsh government and brainwashing caused illegal activities and even harsher circumstances for unknowing, innocent young women. The unethical men who took advantage and had control over Il-sun and Gi and other women were despicable. You will feel the shame and hopelessness of these women enslaved in this type of life. You will hate Mr. Choy and feel the pain of these girls.
The author did an excellent job with scene description, with character development, and with portraying the feelings of the characters. There are some graphic parts dealing with the acts performed in the sex trade, but this book is an excellent representation of life as it was for citizens and these girls. More can't be said without giving away the entire story. If you liked Memoirs of a Geisha, you will like this book.
I can't say I liked it, and I can't say I didn't. It was horrible reading the descriptions of the girls' lives who were in Mr. Choy's "camp" and where they were after that, but the history of North and South Korea was fascinating. It is difficult to believe this type of activity goes on. The ending was redeeming...give it a try. 4/5
I received this book from the publisher free of charge and without compensation in return for an honest review.
March 27, 2012
This book shines a light on life in a dictatorial regime (North Korea) as well as the injustice and inhumanity of international sex trafficking, a subject growing in popularity, judging by the number of books and films to address it in the past few years. In this respect, the story compels one to turn pages, despite the horrors witnessed in doing so. While the first third of the story unfolded organically, thereafter it did not. Once the story moved to South Korea, the characters became somewhat flat; they seemed designed to illustrate various facets of the sex industry. The third section absolutely raced by, wrapping up in a somewhat contrived ending that depended on the main character's natural mathematical genius. Overall, an important story that expands awareness about a tragic and appalling condition, but, for this reader, the storytelling faltered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2013
I really wanted to give this 4.5 stars and then I realized I have this bad habit of wanting to mark down books because I don't like the subject material versus it just not being a good book. This book is haunting, horrifying, and next-to-impossible to put down. I started reading it when my kids went down for nap and only planned to read a chapter which turned into 2.5 hours later when my kids want a snack and I'm still tired, but outraged of human trafficking across the world even in the United States. This shouldn't be allowed.
January 8, 2018
Viden er magt
Konstant hjernevask er et glimrende middel til at opnÃ¥ kontrol med et helt land. Med avancerede sociale kontrolinstitutioner, sørgede den nordkoreanske stat for at holde landets borgere under konstant overvÃ¥gning â€� og traf alle væsentlige beslutninger i hver enkelt borgers liv. Staten bestemte,Ìý hvem der mÃ¥tte arbejde med hvad, hvor man mÃ¥tte bo og sikrede (mere eller mindre) mad pÃ¥ bordet. Og var en borger den helt rigtige parti-type, kunne der tildeles et par gulerødder. Pigerne fra Nordkorea giver et lille indblik i verdens mest lukkede og isolerede land.
Ved at holde borgerne i et jerngreb af konstant frygt, lykkedes det diktaturet at overbevise borgerne om, at Nordkorea var verdens mest uovertrufne land, og at resten af verden ser på landet i næsegrus beundring. Ved at indkapsle landet i et lukket informationssystem og sikre mindst muligt ageren med omverdenen, opnåede de forskellige diktatorer den ultimative magt.
“Vores inspektion har afsløret, at I har forsømt at vedligeholde portrætterne af Den Store Leder, Kim Il-sung, og hans ærede søn, Den Kære Leder, Kim Jong-il. I har forsømt at passe ordentligt pÃ¥ de ikoner, der repræsenterer Junche-idealet. Der er støv ovenpÃ¥ rammerne, og portrætterne hænger skævt. Jeres forsømmelse viser jeres mangel pÃ¥ troskab, og er tegn pÃ¥, at I er fare for at blive involveret i oprørsk aktivitet. I er alle hermed arresteret for at have forsømt at udvise passende respekt for Statens autoritetâ€�.Ìý
Handlingen
På Hjemmet for Forældreløse Piger møder vi Gi og Il-Sun. Gi er endt på hjemmet efter et grusomt ophold i en arbejdslejr, da partiet vurdere hendes familie egnet til genopdragelse. Il-Sun er faldet ned af rangstigen efter hendes mors død.
Gi har altid været indelukket og sky. Hun vurderes ikke som værende specielt køn, og hvad hun end havde af livskraft blev grundigt fjernet under opholdet i arbejdslejren. Da hun på hjemmet møder den smukke og livlige Il-Sun finder hun dog et lyspunkt i den ellers så triste dagligdag. Til dagligt knokler de på den statslige klædefabrik og aftnerne tilbringes med de obligatoriske partimøder. De ved, at så længe de sætter partiet og samfundet forrest, så vil Den Kære Leder altid sørge for dem.
Il-Sun har haft en privilegeret opvækst med en lovende fremtid. Efter moderens død er det svært for hende at acceptere, at hun ikke længere har samme privilegier, og hun overskrider gentagne gange samfundets strenge grænser. Hendes opvækst har ikke forberedt hende på livets barske realiteter, og Gi kæmper for at dække over Il-Sun.
Men Il-Sun tænker ikke langsigtet, og da hun involverer sig med den karismatiske Gianni, ender pigerne med at måtte flygte fra Nordkorea. De ender via den demilitariserede zone i Sydkorea � det rædselsfulde og stærkt forarmede land, de har hørt så meget om. Sydkorea er dog slet ikke som de har fået fortalt � men de er endt som ofre for menneskehandel. Sammen med blomsterpigen Cho, tvinges de ud i prostitution, og igen fastholder deres barndoms hjernevask dem i et knusende greb � sydkoreanerne truer dem nemlig med udlevering til amerikanerne; en skæbne de ved, er værre end døden.
Pigerne reagerer på hver deres måde på rædslerne, og kæmper for at finde holdepunkter i tilværelsen. Gi forsøger alt for at fastholde Il-Sun i den virkelige verden, men modsat Gi kan Il-Sun ikke finde trøst i matematikken. Det bliver en kamp for livet, men også en fortælling om sandt venskab og indre styrke.
µþ±ð»åø³¾³¾±ð±ô²õ±ð²Ô
Pigerne fraÌý Nordkorea byder pÃ¥ en af de læseoplevelser, der bliver siddende i kroppen meget længe. Karaktererne er meget troværdige, og sÃ¥ velbeskrevne at man som læser opsluges af deres følelser. Selvom det er meget barsk læsning, sÃ¥ indeholder bogen ogsÃ¥ tegn pÃ¥ stor indre styrke og varme.
Bogen tager læseren med på en rejse, der kommer hele følelsesregisteret rundt. Det er berigende læsning, og beskrivelsen af karakterernes håb og drømme viser, at selv verdens mest lukkede diktatur ikke kan slukke håbets flamme. Uanset hvor fortvivlende situationen ser ud, så finder specielt Gi små glimt af håb og kærlige handlinger.
Som dansker kan det være svært at forstå, præcist hvor isoleret og naiv en opvækst pigerne har haft, men det afsløres tydeligt af deres handlinger og manglende forståelse. Det gør deres oplevelser så meget mere skræmmende, at de på ingen måde ved, hvad der vil ske for dem. Et godt eksempel op opvækstens hjernevask er, da Gi i Sydkorea hiver et billede af Den Kære Leder ud af en avis, Hun hænger det op på væggen i deres værelse, da det er et krav fra Staten, at alle har et billede hængende � selv i Sydkorea har hun ikke sluppet overvågningens lænker.
Alle bør unde sig selv at læse denne bog.
Konstant hjernevask er et glimrende middel til at opnÃ¥ kontrol med et helt land. Med avancerede sociale kontrolinstitutioner, sørgede den nordkoreanske stat for at holde landets borgere under konstant overvÃ¥gning â€� og traf alle væsentlige beslutninger i hver enkelt borgers liv. Staten bestemte,Ìý hvem der mÃ¥tte arbejde med hvad, hvor man mÃ¥tte bo og sikrede (mere eller mindre) mad pÃ¥ bordet. Og var en borger den helt rigtige parti-type, kunne der tildeles et par gulerødder. Pigerne fra Nordkorea giver et lille indblik i verdens mest lukkede og isolerede land.
Ved at holde borgerne i et jerngreb af konstant frygt, lykkedes det diktaturet at overbevise borgerne om, at Nordkorea var verdens mest uovertrufne land, og at resten af verden ser på landet i næsegrus beundring. Ved at indkapsle landet i et lukket informationssystem og sikre mindst muligt ageren med omverdenen, opnåede de forskellige diktatorer den ultimative magt.
“Vores inspektion har afsløret, at I har forsømt at vedligeholde portrætterne af Den Store Leder, Kim Il-sung, og hans ærede søn, Den Kære Leder, Kim Jong-il. I har forsømt at passe ordentligt pÃ¥ de ikoner, der repræsenterer Junche-idealet. Der er støv ovenpÃ¥ rammerne, og portrætterne hænger skævt. Jeres forsømmelse viser jeres mangel pÃ¥ troskab, og er tegn pÃ¥, at I er fare for at blive involveret i oprørsk aktivitet. I er alle hermed arresteret for at have forsømt at udvise passende respekt for Statens autoritetâ€�.Ìý
Handlingen
På Hjemmet for Forældreløse Piger møder vi Gi og Il-Sun. Gi er endt på hjemmet efter et grusomt ophold i en arbejdslejr, da partiet vurdere hendes familie egnet til genopdragelse. Il-Sun er faldet ned af rangstigen efter hendes mors død.
Gi har altid været indelukket og sky. Hun vurderes ikke som værende specielt køn, og hvad hun end havde af livskraft blev grundigt fjernet under opholdet i arbejdslejren. Da hun på hjemmet møder den smukke og livlige Il-Sun finder hun dog et lyspunkt i den ellers så triste dagligdag. Til dagligt knokler de på den statslige klædefabrik og aftnerne tilbringes med de obligatoriske partimøder. De ved, at så længe de sætter partiet og samfundet forrest, så vil Den Kære Leder altid sørge for dem.
Il-Sun har haft en privilegeret opvækst med en lovende fremtid. Efter moderens død er det svært for hende at acceptere, at hun ikke længere har samme privilegier, og hun overskrider gentagne gange samfundets strenge grænser. Hendes opvækst har ikke forberedt hende på livets barske realiteter, og Gi kæmper for at dække over Il-Sun.
Men Il-Sun tænker ikke langsigtet, og da hun involverer sig med den karismatiske Gianni, ender pigerne med at måtte flygte fra Nordkorea. De ender via den demilitariserede zone i Sydkorea � det rædselsfulde og stærkt forarmede land, de har hørt så meget om. Sydkorea er dog slet ikke som de har fået fortalt � men de er endt som ofre for menneskehandel. Sammen med blomsterpigen Cho, tvinges de ud i prostitution, og igen fastholder deres barndoms hjernevask dem i et knusende greb � sydkoreanerne truer dem nemlig med udlevering til amerikanerne; en skæbne de ved, er værre end døden.
Pigerne reagerer på hver deres måde på rædslerne, og kæmper for at finde holdepunkter i tilværelsen. Gi forsøger alt for at fastholde Il-Sun i den virkelige verden, men modsat Gi kan Il-Sun ikke finde trøst i matematikken. Det bliver en kamp for livet, men også en fortælling om sandt venskab og indre styrke.
µþ±ð»åø³¾³¾±ð±ô²õ±ð²Ô
Pigerne fraÌý Nordkorea byder pÃ¥ en af de læseoplevelser, der bliver siddende i kroppen meget længe. Karaktererne er meget troværdige, og sÃ¥ velbeskrevne at man som læser opsluges af deres følelser. Selvom det er meget barsk læsning, sÃ¥ indeholder bogen ogsÃ¥ tegn pÃ¥ stor indre styrke og varme.
Bogen tager læseren med på en rejse, der kommer hele følelsesregisteret rundt. Det er berigende læsning, og beskrivelsen af karakterernes håb og drømme viser, at selv verdens mest lukkede diktatur ikke kan slukke håbets flamme. Uanset hvor fortvivlende situationen ser ud, så finder specielt Gi små glimt af håb og kærlige handlinger.
Som dansker kan det være svært at forstå, præcist hvor isoleret og naiv en opvækst pigerne har haft, men det afsløres tydeligt af deres handlinger og manglende forståelse. Det gør deres oplevelser så meget mere skræmmende, at de på ingen måde ved, hvad der vil ske for dem. Et godt eksempel op opvækstens hjernevask er, da Gi i Sydkorea hiver et billede af Den Kære Leder ud af en avis, Hun hænger det op på væggen i deres værelse, da det er et krav fra Staten, at alle har et billede hængende � selv i Sydkorea har hun ikke sluppet overvågningens lænker.
Alle bør unde sig selv at læse denne bog.
July 11, 2013
What to do with this book? When I first finished the book, I simply thought it wasn’t a great read for me, but as time as has gone on � I am realizing I actively dislike this book for a number of reasons. The book begins as the story of two orphans working in a factory in North Korea. The backstory of how these two girls became orphans and came to the point where we meet them is somewhat lightly sketched, as is some background about the woman running the orphanage, the man overseeing the factory, and some other minor characters. The writing is a little shallow, but beautifully written and we have moments of really feeling connection to each girl (including the title quote describing Il-sun, on the cusp of womanhood and coming into her feminine power, as “all woman and springtime�.
And then � THEN this thing goes completely off the rails. Il-sun’s secret boyfriend sells them into sex slavery in South Korea and the book becomes a litany of torture and abuse. Along with a third girl also lured by the bad boyfriend, the girls are split up and made to work in different parts of a massive, seedy network of flesh peddling. The split happens not so much for any real narrative reason but to give the author a chance to describe three very different paths of horrific victimization and abuse. About this point in the novel we also start losing any real inner perpective on the girls and at times the writing style verges on purple prose in its ridiculousness. At one point one of the girls is overcome with anger and hatred towards their owner/pimp and we are subjected to ruminations about how the hate burned her innocence out of her more than any of the humiliating acts she’d been forced to perform…which…yeah. Also, she manages to make the owner feel overwhelmed with shame and guilt � by glaring at him.
Yes, I realize the author is trying to make a point and shine light on something that is all too common, both here and around the world, but the book turns into a lecture or a bloodless slideshow of abuse so fully, we lose all connection with and compassion for these characters. The last 1/5 of the book is just outright insulting as, through a ridiculous turn of events, the girls end up in the US, escape their enslavement, and get a sort of happy ending that zooms through homelessness right into college enrollment.
In the end, I have a number of problems with this book. I am uncomfortable with the way the details of these women’s enslavement and victimization are presented as lurid entertainment without much character development. It’s right on the edge of torture porn for me � which ewwww. Second, having these girls grow up in North Korea provided a brilliant framework in which to explore the secondary ways in which this group is further victimized by their government � that even when they escape, they can sometimes be perfect victims after a lifetime of learning to deny reality and show absolute obedience. Great idea � and one that I realize *I* projected onto the writing, not one the author actually presented. And lastly, I am livid at the way the story wraps up in neat little bows with not a single acknowledgement of the struggle these young women would face in regaining any sort of normal life or solid mental health. It’s like the author wants us to think that the minute the rapes or beatings stop, everything is great. I not only disagree with this idea, but I find it actually offensive and potentially harmful to the real victims of these sorts of abuses.
And then � THEN this thing goes completely off the rails. Il-sun’s secret boyfriend sells them into sex slavery in South Korea and the book becomes a litany of torture and abuse. Along with a third girl also lured by the bad boyfriend, the girls are split up and made to work in different parts of a massive, seedy network of flesh peddling. The split happens not so much for any real narrative reason but to give the author a chance to describe three very different paths of horrific victimization and abuse. About this point in the novel we also start losing any real inner perpective on the girls and at times the writing style verges on purple prose in its ridiculousness. At one point one of the girls is overcome with anger and hatred towards their owner/pimp and we are subjected to ruminations about how the hate burned her innocence out of her more than any of the humiliating acts she’d been forced to perform…which…yeah. Also, she manages to make the owner feel overwhelmed with shame and guilt � by glaring at him.
Yes, I realize the author is trying to make a point and shine light on something that is all too common, both here and around the world, but the book turns into a lecture or a bloodless slideshow of abuse so fully, we lose all connection with and compassion for these characters. The last 1/5 of the book is just outright insulting as, through a ridiculous turn of events, the girls end up in the US, escape their enslavement, and get a sort of happy ending that zooms through homelessness right into college enrollment.
In the end, I have a number of problems with this book. I am uncomfortable with the way the details of these women’s enslavement and victimization are presented as lurid entertainment without much character development. It’s right on the edge of torture porn for me � which ewwww. Second, having these girls grow up in North Korea provided a brilliant framework in which to explore the secondary ways in which this group is further victimized by their government � that even when they escape, they can sometimes be perfect victims after a lifetime of learning to deny reality and show absolute obedience. Great idea � and one that I realize *I* projected onto the writing, not one the author actually presented. And lastly, I am livid at the way the story wraps up in neat little bows with not a single acknowledgement of the struggle these young women would face in regaining any sort of normal life or solid mental health. It’s like the author wants us to think that the minute the rapes or beatings stop, everything is great. I not only disagree with this idea, but I find it actually offensive and potentially harmful to the real victims of these sorts of abuses.
August 16, 2013
I have mixed feelings about this book. It is the author's first novel, so I should indulge some mistakes here and there. I'm bothered by too many perspectives. I would have liked to have had more focus on the two main characters. Sometimes I feel they got lost in the story, and what I mean by that, is my emotional connection to them got lost. Jones hits the mark by exposing the sexual trafficking of young girls, and especially unflinchingly ties prostitution directly to Internet pornography. Good for him. More people (men) should get this connection.
But even with the heart-wrenching and graphic depictions of these two characters' lives, somewhere there is a loss of connection to them. I think there are broad leaps in time that we just have to take it on faith that the main character changes. He tells us this; he doesn't show us this. (Interestingly, having met the author the other night at a book club meeting, I learned this was in part due to editing requirements.) Moreover, I cringed at the "American teen slang" in the dialogue in Part I. Dialogue is hard to write, especially dialogue from another culture. But to fall into Americanized language devices simply because they were teen girls seemed wrong on so many levels. (When I asked about the decision to use Americanized slang, Jones had a thoughtful response. He did not want the book to be a culture piece but one that had a more universal appeal. Plus the book is for a decidedly American audience.)
Alice Walker wrote a byline for this book that said the following: "One of the most absorbing, chilling, beautifully written and important novels I've read in many years." I kept wondering if I had read a different version than she did, for although there are some lovely places in the writing, I'm pretty dumbfounded by her remarks. Granted, it's topically important, but unless you just didn't know anything about North Korea and sex trafficking, I'd give this a slightly above average.
Again, it's his first novel, in fact his first publication of any kind. I'm truly happy for his success and hope he continues to pursue such meaningful topics. It may be I'm so critical because I'm in the hyper-critical process with my own work. I would recommend the book if you have yet to discover the brutal world of sex trafficking or want to learn about the dark repression of North Korea. But be prepared to be sickened by the world we turn a blind eye to.
But even with the heart-wrenching and graphic depictions of these two characters' lives, somewhere there is a loss of connection to them. I think there are broad leaps in time that we just have to take it on faith that the main character changes. He tells us this; he doesn't show us this. (Interestingly, having met the author the other night at a book club meeting, I learned this was in part due to editing requirements.) Moreover, I cringed at the "American teen slang" in the dialogue in Part I. Dialogue is hard to write, especially dialogue from another culture. But to fall into Americanized language devices simply because they were teen girls seemed wrong on so many levels. (When I asked about the decision to use Americanized slang, Jones had a thoughtful response. He did not want the book to be a culture piece but one that had a more universal appeal. Plus the book is for a decidedly American audience.)
Alice Walker wrote a byline for this book that said the following: "One of the most absorbing, chilling, beautifully written and important novels I've read in many years." I kept wondering if I had read a different version than she did, for although there are some lovely places in the writing, I'm pretty dumbfounded by her remarks. Granted, it's topically important, but unless you just didn't know anything about North Korea and sex trafficking, I'd give this a slightly above average.
Again, it's his first novel, in fact his first publication of any kind. I'm truly happy for his success and hope he continues to pursue such meaningful topics. It may be I'm so critical because I'm in the hyper-critical process with my own work. I would recommend the book if you have yet to discover the brutal world of sex trafficking or want to learn about the dark repression of North Korea. But be prepared to be sickened by the world we turn a blind eye to.
December 5, 2013
I am not a huge fan of contemporary stories - I prefer historical fiction. This wonderful story was lyrical, insightful and full of troubled characters. Mind control, political expediency, war and poverty all play a role in the victimized-victims and the victimizing-victims. The pain inflicted on others when self-preservation is the largest goal - is a double edged sword - cutting and clearing a path of human emotions and compassion leaving behind, dangling, bruised and hardened hearted people - who create multiple personalities to formula - new selves. WOW!
I learned alot about the suffering of women in Hanguk and about the Chosun - I wish the author had included a brief historical essay about north and south Korea for clarity - there was a cursory mention - otherwise, I had to go to the internet. The story telling was riveting and I was up until 1a finshing the last 130 pages because I could not wait for another day to pass between newspapers and emails to preclude me getting to the end - which could be another beginning in so many ways.
By and large - a provocative summer read - one that makes me see immigrant women differently - through female eyes that have an intellectual understanding about misfortune and being physically the unattractive one - yet never having the visceral reality hammered home. Great job - a great read - greater lesson learned - thanks for giving these women and men voice and depth.
I learned alot about the suffering of women in Hanguk and about the Chosun - I wish the author had included a brief historical essay about north and south Korea for clarity - there was a cursory mention - otherwise, I had to go to the internet. The story telling was riveting and I was up until 1a finshing the last 130 pages because I could not wait for another day to pass between newspapers and emails to preclude me getting to the end - which could be another beginning in so many ways.
By and large - a provocative summer read - one that makes me see immigrant women differently - through female eyes that have an intellectual understanding about misfortune and being physically the unattractive one - yet never having the visceral reality hammered home. Great job - a great read - greater lesson learned - thanks for giving these women and men voice and depth.
July 14, 2012
Lately, I've been fascinated by Korean culture. All of this stemmed from reading a book set in Korea. I chose this book as a result of my recent interest. Also, this book was partially set in North Korea and this appealed to me even more.
I was a bit worried when I read the cover and realized the main characters were eventually sold into sex slavery. It was a subject I didnt particularly want to read about. Mainly, because I know it is real and happens under our noses.
I am happy that I chose to read this book. Yes, some of the themes are hard. But, the author did well at balancing the lighter sides of the book with the more darker sides.
I really felt for the main characters. I wanted them to make it and to experience a good life.
The only real negative comment I have is that the book is too short. I wanted more. I wanted to know what happened next.
I was a bit worried when I read the cover and realized the main characters were eventually sold into sex slavery. It was a subject I didnt particularly want to read about. Mainly, because I know it is real and happens under our noses.
I am happy that I chose to read this book. Yes, some of the themes are hard. But, the author did well at balancing the lighter sides of the book with the more darker sides.
I really felt for the main characters. I wanted them to make it and to experience a good life.
The only real negative comment I have is that the book is too short. I wanted more. I wanted to know what happened next.
June 14, 2012
DNF. the horror of human trafficking and sexual enslavement of young women in North Korea to South Korea and beyond could not overcome the stilted writing. this book is a prime example of how the "show, not tell" rule was violated many a time. actions by characters, esp. the villains, were over explained.
"The foreman stood in front of the busy seamstresses, scowling. The joints of his damaged leg were aching with particular vengeance. There must be a storm coming, he thought. He was a man who made use of his pain. Many other men would have become lesser people, useless and whining. Instead, he used it to propel himself forward, to make himself stronger." (pg. 78)
this is just one example that drove me to distraction.
"The foreman stood in front of the busy seamstresses, scowling. The joints of his damaged leg were aching with particular vengeance. There must be a storm coming, he thought. He was a man who made use of his pain. Many other men would have become lesser people, useless and whining. Instead, he used it to propel himself forward, to make himself stronger." (pg. 78)
this is just one example that drove me to distraction.
March 26, 2022
Read for Spring into Reading
If this would have been a book written by an Asian female it would have been giving more stars. I don't want to read a male's perspective of what it is like to be a woman.
If this would have been a book written by an Asian female it would have been giving more stars. I don't want to read a male's perspective of what it is like to be a woman.
April 5, 2022
This book just did not sit well with me. Missing authenticity (though who am I to judge). Gratuitous violence. And the characters were not really developed.
I also would have liked to see some community resources at the end for victims of sex trafficking.
I also would have liked to see some community resources at the end for victims of sex trafficking.
October 22, 2024
Very mixed feelings on this book- I liked the style and narrative but the ending felt very rushed after a brutal story.
December 18, 2018
An interesting story about the international human trafficking and the sex industry. A bit flat in character development, but interesting nonetheless.
June 8, 2012
Story Description:
Algonquin Books|April 25, 2012|Hardcover|ISBN: 978-1-61620-077-0
Before she met Il-sun in an orphanage, Gi was a hollow husk of a girl, broken from growing up in one of North Korea’s forced labour camps. A mathematical genius, she has learned to cope with pain by retreating into a realm of numbers and calculations, an escape from both the past and present. Gi becomes enamored of the brash and radiant II-sun, a friend she describes as all woman and springtime. But II-sun’s pursuit of a better life imperils both girls when her suitor spirits them across the Demilitarized Zone and sells them as sex workers, first in South Korea and then in the United States. This spellbinding debut, reminiscent of ‘Memoirs of a Geisha�, depicts with chilling accuracy life behind North Korea’s iron curtain. But for Gi and II-sun, forced into the underworld of human trafficking, their captivity outside North Korea is far crueler than the tight control of their Dear Leader. Tender-hearted Gi, just on the verge of womanhood, is consigned to a fate that threatens not only her body but her mind. How she and II-sun endure, how they find a path to healing, is what drives this absorbing and exquisite novel from an exciting young Algonquin discovery to its perfectly imagined conclusion.
My Review:
This was a fascinating, fast-paced story without a minute to put the book down! Being caught up in the lives of Jasmine, Gi, II-sun and Cho was undeniably real. I felt like I was being tugged along with these four women as they struggled through their daily lives, trying to make sense of who and what they are. Being sold into prostitution was a huge blow to their ego’s and their inexperience was shamelessly embarrassing to watch. My heart bled for these young women as they were forced into things they never even dreamed about. Stripped bare of their innocence and purity was hard to swallow.
Brandon W. Jones hit the mark with this one, showcasing the realities of human trafficking and what that type of life does to a person. The ending was so sad and one I never saw coming and cried over. All that angelic innocence lost forever. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, don’t miss it!!
Algonquin Books|April 25, 2012|Hardcover|ISBN: 978-1-61620-077-0
Before she met Il-sun in an orphanage, Gi was a hollow husk of a girl, broken from growing up in one of North Korea’s forced labour camps. A mathematical genius, she has learned to cope with pain by retreating into a realm of numbers and calculations, an escape from both the past and present. Gi becomes enamored of the brash and radiant II-sun, a friend she describes as all woman and springtime. But II-sun’s pursuit of a better life imperils both girls when her suitor spirits them across the Demilitarized Zone and sells them as sex workers, first in South Korea and then in the United States. This spellbinding debut, reminiscent of ‘Memoirs of a Geisha�, depicts with chilling accuracy life behind North Korea’s iron curtain. But for Gi and II-sun, forced into the underworld of human trafficking, their captivity outside North Korea is far crueler than the tight control of their Dear Leader. Tender-hearted Gi, just on the verge of womanhood, is consigned to a fate that threatens not only her body but her mind. How she and II-sun endure, how they find a path to healing, is what drives this absorbing and exquisite novel from an exciting young Algonquin discovery to its perfectly imagined conclusion.
My Review:
This was a fascinating, fast-paced story without a minute to put the book down! Being caught up in the lives of Jasmine, Gi, II-sun and Cho was undeniably real. I felt like I was being tugged along with these four women as they struggled through their daily lives, trying to make sense of who and what they are. Being sold into prostitution was a huge blow to their ego’s and their inexperience was shamelessly embarrassing to watch. My heart bled for these young women as they were forced into things they never even dreamed about. Stripped bare of their innocence and purity was hard to swallow.
Brandon W. Jones hit the mark with this one, showcasing the realities of human trafficking and what that type of life does to a person. The ending was so sad and one I never saw coming and cried over. All that angelic innocence lost forever. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, don’t miss it!!
April 29, 2012
North Korea is a place of severe hardship, where food is in very short supply and the hierarchy of life is a given. The life of the people in North Korea is known as Chosun and Songbun is their status. "Juche was the cornerstone on which the great Chosun nation was founded. It was a philosophy of self-sufficiency and cultural superiority - the ideal socialism". All the citizens are expected to worship the Great Leader and not prostrating oneself in front of a photograph of him is enough to be sent to jail. If the photographs are hung up unevenly or not dusted well enough, that too is enough to be jailed. The people all know that their country is lacking in food and work but they must pretend that things are okay. It is a life of pretense and fear. "The facade of the functioning of the state was more important than the well-being of the people."
This is a novel of fear and totalitarianism. It is the story of white slavery and the abuse of women by those in power. It is an eye-opening novel of a nation's terrorism and sadism toward people who do not act the right way.
It is also the story of Gyong-Ho and Il-Sun, two seventeen year-old women who have been together in an orphanage since they were children. There they had little to eat and few possessions. They worked in a factory sewing clothes and had no right to expect to advance further than this though Il-Sun wants more for herself. Il-Sun is very outgoing and beautiful while Gyong-Ho is a savant with number, craving to learn about the physical world. They end up being traded into the world of sex slavery.
The book is somewhat simplified in its writing, as though it were written down so that it could attract a larger audience. I felt that there was a young adult feel to the writing though the subjects and themes of the book are very adult.
This is a novel of fear and totalitarianism. It is the story of white slavery and the abuse of women by those in power. It is an eye-opening novel of a nation's terrorism and sadism toward people who do not act the right way.
It is also the story of Gyong-Ho and Il-Sun, two seventeen year-old women who have been together in an orphanage since they were children. There they had little to eat and few possessions. They worked in a factory sewing clothes and had no right to expect to advance further than this though Il-Sun wants more for herself. Il-Sun is very outgoing and beautiful while Gyong-Ho is a savant with number, craving to learn about the physical world. They end up being traded into the world of sex slavery.
The book is somewhat simplified in its writing, as though it were written down so that it could attract a larger audience. I felt that there was a young adult feel to the writing though the subjects and themes of the book are very adult.
August 30, 2021
The first thing I have to say is the 2 queer characters have something in common. They both take advantage of the situation intentionally or not and sexually assault a person. But it's never really talked again which upseted me, I really wanted Gyong-ho to hold herself accountable.
The pacing of this book was irregular. The sexual abuse was taking up a lot of space which makes sense this book was trying to bring light to sexual assault victims but there was not enough time for the characters to heal and get character development.
Just badly written female characters. They felt shallow. Like there was a direction that the author was trying to take but then it just halted. And that's the thing, the author over explains the situation or just halts some topics, especially character development or serious topics like sexually assaulting your close friend...
Please just leave Gyong-ho alone it pains me to see her getting sexually assaulted and then becoming one herself. What she really needs at this moment right now is a therapist way more than a degree on mathematics. The other thing I found problematic is that the author knows that Gyong-ho has been sexually assaulted in the past so why would you blatantly tell the audience that she's fruity by dedicating a whole chapter of her sexually assaulting her best friend without her consent while she was ASLEEP... That sends a bad message and stigmatizes the LGBTQ+ community even further.
In conclusion the author definitely has a lot of room to improve and to learn from. In my opinion I wouldn't recommend this book. One advice I'll give is this, don't write about characters in the minority group when you aren't one. Thank you for reading this comment in advance I'm just very frustrated and tired.
The pacing of this book was irregular. The sexual abuse was taking up a lot of space which makes sense this book was trying to bring light to sexual assault victims but there was not enough time for the characters to heal and get character development.
Just badly written female characters. They felt shallow. Like there was a direction that the author was trying to take but then it just halted. And that's the thing, the author over explains the situation or just halts some topics, especially character development or serious topics like sexually assaulting your close friend...
Please just leave Gyong-ho alone it pains me to see her getting sexually assaulted and then becoming one herself. What she really needs at this moment right now is a therapist way more than a degree on mathematics. The other thing I found problematic is that the author knows that Gyong-ho has been sexually assaulted in the past so why would you blatantly tell the audience that she's fruity by dedicating a whole chapter of her sexually assaulting her best friend without her consent while she was ASLEEP... That sends a bad message and stigmatizes the LGBTQ+ community even further.
In conclusion the author definitely has a lot of room to improve and to learn from. In my opinion I wouldn't recommend this book. One advice I'll give is this, don't write about characters in the minority group when you aren't one. Thank you for reading this comment in advance I'm just very frustrated and tired.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2021
I’m a little late to the game here. I think this book was written about a decade ago, but sex trafficking is still a big issue and so this book remains relevant. In any event, I thought it was going to read a bit more like a memoir.
There were three distinct parts to this book. The first part of the book takes place in an orphanage in North Korea. The second part takes place after the girls are sold into the sex trade in South Korea. The final third takes place in the United States and the final plight of the main characters.
The problem is none of it seemed authentic. There was something off from the brutality, to the experiences of the sex workers, to the final chapters when Gi discovers she’s a mathematical genius. The characters start to come to life and then become two dimensional. Having said all that, the book was a page turner in a can’t look away from the train wreck kind of way.
There were three distinct parts to this book. The first part of the book takes place in an orphanage in North Korea. The second part takes place after the girls are sold into the sex trade in South Korea. The final third takes place in the United States and the final plight of the main characters.
The problem is none of it seemed authentic. There was something off from the brutality, to the experiences of the sex workers, to the final chapters when Gi discovers she’s a mathematical genius. The characters start to come to life and then become two dimensional. Having said all that, the book was a page turner in a can’t look away from the train wreck kind of way.
June 27, 2012
An eye-opening read, All Woman in Springtime tells the story of two North Korean orphans who are tricked and sold into the sex trade in South Korea and eventually, America. Dealing with unfathomable abuses and personal battles of identity, friendship gives the two heroines strength and together, they hold onto hope for a future of freedom, whatever that is.
Excellent character development but a highly improbable ending, All Woman moves at a decent and steady pace after getting off to a slow start. The naivety of the girls can be frustrating at times and Jones gives away some motives that might have been better revealed through character action rather than simply laying it out there for the reader. All in all, an insightful yet somewhat disturbing read due to the nature of Jones’s topic.
Excellent character development but a highly improbable ending, All Woman moves at a decent and steady pace after getting off to a slow start. The naivety of the girls can be frustrating at times and Jones gives away some motives that might have been better revealed through character action rather than simply laying it out there for the reader. All in all, an insightful yet somewhat disturbing read due to the nature of Jones’s topic.
November 1, 2012
A story about two young women Gyonh-ho and Il-sun in a North Korean orphanage who end up unwittingly being sold into sex slavery in South Korea. It had the potential of being a really good story but the writing was contrived and stilted. It lacked authenticity of voice from two the main characters- so it created a disconnect even in light of the horrific and tragic circumstances they came to be in. The other characters in the book also seem to pass through, and you wonder what the author was thinking by introducing them and then just letting them go. For example, the orphanage mistress’s character was introduced, it almost seemed like there was a story there and then nothing.
The topic is a serious one internationally - it is a pity that the writer missed an opportunity to make his characters real to the situation they were in. The ending killed me …Really now? Happily ever after?
The topic is a serious one internationally - it is a pity that the writer missed an opportunity to make his characters real to the situation they were in. The ending killed me …Really now? Happily ever after?
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