Superbly written, the reader is swept into a captivating narrative of life in North Korea through the traumatic events of its protagonist, Jun Do. Adam Johnson has shown his talent as a writer by using various points of view and techniques that weave reality into an endearing story. Though the contents are disturbing at times, it is a well researched documentation of the political and sociological culture it portrays.

Overall, I would recommend this book for its writing and character development. While the reader may search for a sequential timeline as a genealogical reference point, they may miss some points in the process, for the characters lives could be those of every family, and the issues they face, timeless. The author has a gift for storytelling.