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The onset of Covid-19 has coincided with the dramatic rise of a young woman called Kim Yo Jong in North Korea. Stomping the world stage from the shadows of her secretive state, she is creating headlines and fevered speculation about her role and her future. She is the sister of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and, as her murderous regime’s chief propagandist, internal administrator and foreign policymaker, she is the most powerful woman in North Korea’s history. Cruel but charming, she threatens and insults foreign leaders with sardonic wit. A princess by birth with great expectations for her macabre kingdom, she was brought up to believe it is her mission to reunite North Korea with the South, or die trying. She’s pretty, she seems demure, she is cold, and she’s incredibly dangerous.
The Sister is a fascinating, authoritative account of the mysterious world of North Korea and its ruling dynasty – a family whose lust for power entails torturing and starving its people into submission, killing dissenters, and threatening nuclear war.
The Sister is a fascinating, authoritative account of the mysterious world of North Korea and its ruling dynasty – a family whose lust for power entails torturing and starving its people into submission, killing dissenters, and threatening nuclear war.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
May 12, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
“Que do molde tradicional do ditador, num país dominado por homens como a Coreia do Norte, surgisse uma líder do sexo feminino, já é em si mesmo uma bizarria. No entanto, Kim Yo-jong ascendeu para comandar a política do seu governo para com os Estados Unidos e a Coreia do Sul, ao mesmo tempo que fazia tremer e prostrarem-se homens com o dobro da sua idade. Não tem paralelo no mundo contemporâneo.”
Em parte, é isto que trata este livro, divulgar a intervenção de Kim Yo-jong nas relações e negociações com outros países do mundo e a sua influência na política conduzida pelo irmão.
Se estão à espera de conhecer pormenores sobre o seu percurso de vida ou factos pessoais, desenganem-se, muito pouco se sabe, a sua “história” só serviu mesmo para dar nome ao livro.
“Que do molde tradicional do ditador, num país dominado por homens como a Coreia do Norte, surgisse uma líder do sexo feminino, já é em si mesmo uma bizarria. No entanto, Kim Yo-jong ascendeu para comandar a política do seu governo para com os Estados Unidos e a Coreia do Sul, ao mesmo tempo que fazia tremer e prostrarem-se homens com o dobro da sua idade. Não tem paralelo no mundo contemporâneo.”
Em parte, é isto que trata este livro, divulgar a intervenção de Kim Yo-jong nas relações e negociações com outros países do mundo e a sua influência na política conduzida pelo irmão.
Se estão à espera de conhecer pormenores sobre o seu percurso de vida ou factos pessoais, desenganem-se, muito pouco se sabe, a sua “história” só serviu mesmo para dar nome ao livro.
October 11, 2023
The Sister: The Extraordinary Story of Kim Yo Jong, The Most Powerful Woman in North Korea was less extraordinary than I had expected.
I had eagerly been awaiting the release of this book and while it’s an interesting insight the leader and government of North Korea, I felt I had read much of the information before and the book was crowded with unnecessary details.
I listened to this one on audible and while it was adequate I feel I might have got more from the hard copy.
I had eagerly been awaiting the release of this book and while it’s an interesting insight the leader and government of North Korea, I felt I had read much of the information before and the book was crowded with unnecessary details.
I listened to this one on audible and while it was adequate I feel I might have got more from the hard copy.
September 30, 2023
I really need to stop putting books on here as “reading” until I actually start them, because I seem to always have problems editing the dates, lol. Anyway, bear with me on this review… I just finished and am writing from my phone in bed, so these don’t turn out as well as ones typed on a laptop or PC.
Sung-Yoon Lee’s book was indeed well-written and does surprisingly provide the reader with some new information in regard to the reclusive North Korean regime and its new media darling, dictatoress-in-waiting, Kim Yo Jong (beloved little sister of Kim Jong-Un and heir apparent should anything happen to him).
It’s surprising because everyone who knows anything about NK is aware of how closely the Kim family dynasty keep their cards to their chest. When the top global security and intelligence agencies and officials can’t even determine precise birthdates of Jong-Un and Yo Jong, nor whether they’re married, how many children they have, their age(s), etc., you can’t exactly expect a foreign journalist to do so, either.
He may be Korean, but he was fortunate enough to grow up in the South. Without the experience of living in North Korea, he mostly has to rely on other sources and his own interpretations of what the Kim family’s public actions and statements truly mean (and with that, he does a fantastic job of looking past the excitement of a pretty young female leader to correctly analyze her personality and evil intentions).
It still blows my mind that even when politicians in high positions of power have seen completely contradictory evidence, they are still willing to continue giving chances to someone like Kim Yo Jong simply because she’s a woman.
I can’t understand WHY anyone would lack the common sense that precisely BECAUSE she is a woman in a highly patriarchal and misogynistic state, she MUST be ten times more unforgiving, ten times more cruel, ten times more calculating, ten times more dangerous- you get the picture - that her brother and any of her male counterparts (which for now, would only be her brother, as he is the only adult individual aside from her with the mythological - and totally wildly fictitious - “Mount Paektu” blood).
A major downside to having so few concrete facts, of course, is that the book will often be filled with repetition of facts and statements, as well as detailed explanations of things that really aren’t of any importance to the reader (just one instance: the color of the folders and the pens that Mike Pompeo and Kim Yo Jong handed to Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un, respectively, during their 2018 Singapore summit).
I wish I could give it more stars, but just like all books on North Korean government, the information will be incredibly limited through no fault of the author’s. Still, I knew this when purchasing the book, so - as long as you know this going in, it’s still worth a read. The books by the defectors are great, but the one I still find most interesting to this day was “Dear Leader” by Jang Jin-Sung. (I’ll try to remember to link the book to my review when on my PC again!). With that book, you got the inside story of someone who worked AMONG Pyongyang’s “elite”, as North Korea’s former national poet and high-ranking official of their Propaganda Department (not to mention, he also met Kim Jong-Il on several occasions!).
For Yoon Lee’s effort amid incredibly limited resources, I’ll give it 3 1/2 stars. It would be impossible for anyone to pull off a five star book, save for Kim Jong-Un, to write a fully accurate expose on Kim Yo Jong (and for it to be accurate, he would have to defect… yeah, lol…not quite possible!). I’m equally fascinated and horrified by this incredibly demure, sweet looking young woman. She is the epitome of the phrase, “appearances can be deceiving”, that’s for certain.
Sung-Yoon Lee’s book was indeed well-written and does surprisingly provide the reader with some new information in regard to the reclusive North Korean regime and its new media darling, dictatoress-in-waiting, Kim Yo Jong (beloved little sister of Kim Jong-Un and heir apparent should anything happen to him).
It’s surprising because everyone who knows anything about NK is aware of how closely the Kim family dynasty keep their cards to their chest. When the top global security and intelligence agencies and officials can’t even determine precise birthdates of Jong-Un and Yo Jong, nor whether they’re married, how many children they have, their age(s), etc., you can’t exactly expect a foreign journalist to do so, either.
He may be Korean, but he was fortunate enough to grow up in the South. Without the experience of living in North Korea, he mostly has to rely on other sources and his own interpretations of what the Kim family’s public actions and statements truly mean (and with that, he does a fantastic job of looking past the excitement of a pretty young female leader to correctly analyze her personality and evil intentions).
It still blows my mind that even when politicians in high positions of power have seen completely contradictory evidence, they are still willing to continue giving chances to someone like Kim Yo Jong simply because she’s a woman.
I can’t understand WHY anyone would lack the common sense that precisely BECAUSE she is a woman in a highly patriarchal and misogynistic state, she MUST be ten times more unforgiving, ten times more cruel, ten times more calculating, ten times more dangerous- you get the picture - that her brother and any of her male counterparts (which for now, would only be her brother, as he is the only adult individual aside from her with the mythological - and totally wildly fictitious - “Mount Paektu” blood).
A major downside to having so few concrete facts, of course, is that the book will often be filled with repetition of facts and statements, as well as detailed explanations of things that really aren’t of any importance to the reader (just one instance: the color of the folders and the pens that Mike Pompeo and Kim Yo Jong handed to Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un, respectively, during their 2018 Singapore summit).
I wish I could give it more stars, but just like all books on North Korean government, the information will be incredibly limited through no fault of the author’s. Still, I knew this when purchasing the book, so - as long as you know this going in, it’s still worth a read. The books by the defectors are great, but the one I still find most interesting to this day was “Dear Leader” by Jang Jin-Sung. (I’ll try to remember to link the book to my review when on my PC again!). With that book, you got the inside story of someone who worked AMONG Pyongyang’s “elite”, as North Korea’s former national poet and high-ranking official of their Propaganda Department (not to mention, he also met Kim Jong-Il on several occasions!).
For Yoon Lee’s effort amid incredibly limited resources, I’ll give it 3 1/2 stars. It would be impossible for anyone to pull off a five star book, save for Kim Jong-Un, to write a fully accurate expose on Kim Yo Jong (and for it to be accurate, he would have to defect… yeah, lol…not quite possible!). I’m equally fascinated and horrified by this incredibly demure, sweet looking young woman. She is the epitome of the phrase, “appearances can be deceiving”, that’s for certain.
October 7, 2023
I don’t think I’ve learnt much from this, but it does a good job at placing Kim Yojong in KJU’s timeline and highlight what she’s done and said.
It felt a bit sensationalistic and slightly biased in favor of the US. Calling KYJ ‘princess’ and ‘beautiful aid’ was a bit too frequent, like I get she’s a woman, but I was expecting maybe a bit more chewing on blood ties and not her make up/looks/gender. And for all the attention on that, no mention about how she used the same headband for ages? Am I the only one obsessed with that?
After reading the book, I don’t know if I see why KYJ is the most dangerous woman in the world either.
It felt a bit sensationalistic and slightly biased in favor of the US. Calling KYJ ‘princess’ and ‘beautiful aid’ was a bit too frequent, like I get she’s a woman, but I was expecting maybe a bit more chewing on blood ties and not her make up/looks/gender. And for all the attention on that, no mention about how she used the same headband for ages? Am I the only one obsessed with that?
After reading the book, I don’t know if I see why KYJ is the most dangerous woman in the world either.
August 9, 2025
The Sister, the extraordinary story of Kim Yo Jong, the most powerful woman in North Korea, by Sung-Yoon Lee, not only tells us the story of Kim Il-sung and his family but also the tale of Kim Yo Jong, daughter of Kim Jong-il and younger sister of Kim Jong-un, who has shown through her words and actions that when it comes to propaganda, brutality, deception, and ensuring the hold of her family over the reins of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), she's second to none. Do read this book if you are interested in reading about North Korea, which is a land of misery as well as mystery.
June 4, 2024
Bet labai tikiuosi, kad išauš ta diena, kai Šiaurės Korėjos gyventojai nebebadaus ir galų gale atgaus laisvę.
December 22, 2023
If you are looking for a history of the Mount Paektu family then pick this up. If you are looking for new details about Kim Yo Jong (as would be expected based on the title) then skip this. Really, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise given how little information comes out of the DPRK, but I was hoping we’d get new details not just the author guessing what Yo Jong was thinking at any given moment. Often you’ll get a whole chapter on a specific topic (such as Yo Jong’s father) and then only one line about Yo Jong, such as “And in the North Korean officialdom, there is no one who can disguise this brutish ethos as effectively as the young, beautiful, and occasionally smiling princess of Pyongyang.”
I think this does a good job of situating Yo Jong within historical discourse, but beyond that you can pick up much better books with accounts from defectors. Also, there are so many comments on her appearance (smile, blush, makeup).
Finally, I understand that a linear narrative of history is not always the most effective way of conveying a story/information, however, the way this author jumped around was whiplash inducing. For example, in a span of just two pages we went from 2012 to 1994 to 2001 to 2003 to 2009 to 2008 to 2009 to 1996 to 2018
to 1996 to 2014-16 and finally to the 1980s.
I think this does a good job of situating Yo Jong within historical discourse, but beyond that you can pick up much better books with accounts from defectors. Also, there are so many comments on her appearance (smile, blush, makeup).
Finally, I understand that a linear narrative of history is not always the most effective way of conveying a story/information, however, the way this author jumped around was whiplash inducing. For example, in a span of just two pages we went from 2012 to 1994 to 2001 to 2003 to 2009 to 2008 to 2009 to 1996 to 2018
to 1996 to 2014-16 and finally to the 1980s.
October 5, 2023
In 1991 I lived in South Korea with my then military husband and two preschool children. I knew little of the history of Korea and being pre-internet did not have ready access to information about it. When I saw this book on Netgalley with the sister of the now leader of North Korea at the forefront, I knew I had to read it. I have not read any non-fiction books on the topic prior to this and found the information in it fascinating.
"The Sister" gives a history of the conflict in Korea, how the separation occurred and how Russia and the United States got involved. Kim Yo Jong is the sister of the Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and is the "most powerful woman in North Korea's History" according to the book summary. While there are other siblings/half siblings mentioned in this book, none have more access to the dictator than the sister. Examples of her cruelty (reportedly) include having people executed for "getting on her nerves." She is not be crossed, or even noticed by. She is in charge of the propaganda for the first family and is not afraid to insult world leaders.
Especially interesting is the comparison of the two of them working together almost in a good cop, bad cop way with powerful countries and leaders. The examples of how they get South Korea to restrict its own citizens are chilling. This book, though non-fiction, was a page turner for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.
"The Sister" gives a history of the conflict in Korea, how the separation occurred and how Russia and the United States got involved. Kim Yo Jong is the sister of the Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and is the "most powerful woman in North Korea's History" according to the book summary. While there are other siblings/half siblings mentioned in this book, none have more access to the dictator than the sister. Examples of her cruelty (reportedly) include having people executed for "getting on her nerves." She is not be crossed, or even noticed by. She is in charge of the propaganda for the first family and is not afraid to insult world leaders.
Especially interesting is the comparison of the two of them working together almost in a good cop, bad cop way with powerful countries and leaders. The examples of how they get South Korea to restrict its own citizens are chilling. This book, though non-fiction, was a page turner for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.
October 23, 2023
I picked this book up primarily because I have both of Ms. Yeongmi's Park's books on deck and because I know so very little about the DPRK and of the current regime. I was especially interested in reading more about the U.S. Trump administration's dealings with Kim Jong-Un. Ms. Kim Yo Jong's role in the government is very interesting and scary. Like other reviewers have stated, not much is known about her personally as access to that sort of information is carefully guarded.
October 7, 2023
I think we are all pretty aware that Kim Jong Un is a psychopath just like his father and grandfather. But don't worry, if you are afraid we will run out of murderous despots if the Supreme Leader croaks, his sociopath little sister is ready in the wings! Say hello to Kim Yo Jong!
The Sister by Sung-Yoon Lee is a fantastic look at how Kim Yo Jong is basically her brother's other half. Now, other reviewers have pointed out that there is precious little information in the book about Kim Yo Jong as a person. This is true, but it's not the fault of Lee, but it is certainly the fault of the North Korean political apparatus. Lee fills in as much as he can, but what I truly loved about this book is that Lee interprets the actions of North Korea for people unfamiliar with the culture. Multiple times Lee states the facts of an event, summit, or message and then explains what they actually mean and how those actions illuminate the duplicity of North Korea.
To put it simply, Lee doesn't just tell a story. He also educates. And he does so in such simple and clear language that I was sad when the book ended. Unfortunately, I think Kim Yo Jung may give Lee more fodder for a second book very soon.
(This book was provided as a courtesy copy by the publisher.)
The Sister by Sung-Yoon Lee is a fantastic look at how Kim Yo Jong is basically her brother's other half. Now, other reviewers have pointed out that there is precious little information in the book about Kim Yo Jong as a person. This is true, but it's not the fault of Lee, but it is certainly the fault of the North Korean political apparatus. Lee fills in as much as he can, but what I truly loved about this book is that Lee interprets the actions of North Korea for people unfamiliar with the culture. Multiple times Lee states the facts of an event, summit, or message and then explains what they actually mean and how those actions illuminate the duplicity of North Korea.
To put it simply, Lee doesn't just tell a story. He also educates. And he does so in such simple and clear language that I was sad when the book ended. Unfortunately, I think Kim Yo Jung may give Lee more fodder for a second book very soon.
(This book was provided as a courtesy copy by the publisher.)
August 11, 2024
Keista, kad pavadinimas "Sesuo", nes vargu, ar bent 50% knygos buvo apie seseri. Negrozine literatura visiskai ne mano, bet apie Siaures Koreja man lb idomu skaityt. Ypac jei tai zmoniu papasakotos tikros istorijos. Deja, si knyga pasirode labiau kaip sausu faktu kratinys.
May 23, 2024
After watching an interview with the author, I wanted to read this book, hoping to learn about a country that is so cut off and unknown from the Western World. Now at the end of it, I regret getting it. All of the author’s “evidence” of the potential next leader of North Korea is based on public announcements, photographs, and events. There is no insider knowledge or interviews with anyone. Just a lot of assumptions repeated enough times to appear (at first) insightful. And by looping around in time so much, it was hard to track patterns or see a progression over time. This author has “learned” exactly what that country’s leadership wanted him to.
May 6, 2025
Just now updating my Goodreads (a quarter into the year, lol) This book could’ve been shorter but if you don’t know anything about the North Korean royals, it’s a page-turner!
August 21, 2025
Про все і ні про що. Центральна фігура точно не сестра, книга скоріше про стосунки КНДР з зовнішнім світом. Плюс автору за те, що показує начебто очевидну річ - не можна поступатись шантажисту, він буде повертатись і просити більше. Мінус за враження наче це не книга , а жовта преса, через постійне звернення до чуток тощо.
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July 31, 2024Man pritrūko inside informacijos apie tikrąją sesers galią. Daug spėlionių, kūno kalbos analizės, mažai faktų. Bet visai įdomiai susiskaitė apie pačios Šiaurės Korėjos politiką, jos santykius su Pietų Korėja bei JAV.
August 13, 2024
3.5 stars! I think the book is a good resource on learning more about the history of North Korean politics. I wish there was a little more emphasis on the main subject instead of the entire Kim family.
April 29, 2024
Sung-Yoon Lee is professor in Koreaanse geschiedenis en doceerde voorheen aan de Tufts Universiteit van Boston. Hij wordt gezien als een expert op het vlak van Noord-Koreaanse politieke situatie en er verschenen reeds heel wat artikelen van hem in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal en The Washington Post.
Kim Yo-jong is de zus van de meest gevreesde, gehate leider en dictator ter wereld Kim Jong-Un. Ze heeft een hechte band met haar broer, wat haar uiterst gevaarlijk maakt. Ze bedreigt andere landen met nucleaire bombardementen, laat vroegere vertrouwelingen vermoorden en anderen verbant ze naar detentiekampen. Regeringsfunctionarissen waar ze het niet meer mee kan vinden verdwijnen plots. De titel van dit boek De zus verwijst dan ook naar haar en als lezer verwacht je dan ook dat het grotendeels over haar zal gaan. Echter, Sung-Yoon Lee is historicus en zal in dit werk de moderne geschiedenis van Noord-Korea vertellen met de focus op Kim Yo-jong. Hoewel dit boek inhoudelijk anders is dan je zou verwachten, legt de auteur de complexe, moderne Noord-Koreaanse geschiedenis op een eenvoudige en toegankelijke manier uit. Hij begint met een lijst van de belangrijkste personages rondom Kim Jong-Un en zijn zus. Hiernaast maakt hij ook nog een schematische voorstelling van de stamboom van de Kim-familie. Beide zijn een zeer handige leidraad voor de rest van het boek.
Hierna begint Sun-Yoon Lee via leuke anekdotes en interessante weetjes aan zijn betoog over de geschiedenis van het land sinds Kim Jong-Un zijn vader opvolgde en aan de macht kwam. Vooral het verhaal van Kenji Fujimoto fascineerde mij. Hij was de privé sushi chef van de Kim familie en slaagde erin te ontkomen aan het regime en zijn verhaal naar buiten te brengen. Zoveel burgers werden van de straat geplukt, in binnen-en buitenland, om de dictator te dienen en zijn verhaal is er maar één uit de duizenden. Velen zullen hun verhaal nooit zelf kunnen vertellen zoals Kenji, want ze worden nog steeds gegijzeld in het onbereikbare land.
Je merkt dat de auteur heel wat ervaring heeft in het brengen van complexe verhalen op een eenvoudige begrijpelijke manier. Als je nog niet veel weet over de Noord-Koreaanse geschiedenis en je wil er graag meer over weten dan is De zus zeker een aanrader. De auteur weet geschiedenis interessant te maken en doet je zin krijgen naar meer. Doch als je al kennis hebt van Noord-Koreaanse geschiedenis en de politieke situatie zal er veel herhaling zijn en blijf je ook wat op je honger zitten, omdat het hoofdpersonage waar de titel naar verwijst niet prominent aanwezig blijkt te zijn in het boek zelf.
De zus geeft mij een dubbel gevoel, waardoor ik het ook moeilijk kan beoordelen. Enerzijds had ik verwacht dat dit meer een biografie of uiteenzetting zou zijn over Kim Yo-jong, wie zij is en wat zij allemaal heeft gedaan (vb waar ze studeerde, wie haar vrienden zijn, haar kinderen, echtgenoot, … ). Deze vragen bleven onbeantwoord, gezien het boek eerder de moderne geschiedenis van Noord-Korea uit de doeken doet. Anderzijds is dit een sterk en knap historisch werk met een hoge historische waarde. Misschien heeft de auteur gewoon een verkeerde titel gekozen en zijn focus verkeerd gelegd? 3 sterren.
Kim Yo-jong is de zus van de meest gevreesde, gehate leider en dictator ter wereld Kim Jong-Un. Ze heeft een hechte band met haar broer, wat haar uiterst gevaarlijk maakt. Ze bedreigt andere landen met nucleaire bombardementen, laat vroegere vertrouwelingen vermoorden en anderen verbant ze naar detentiekampen. Regeringsfunctionarissen waar ze het niet meer mee kan vinden verdwijnen plots. De titel van dit boek De zus verwijst dan ook naar haar en als lezer verwacht je dan ook dat het grotendeels over haar zal gaan. Echter, Sung-Yoon Lee is historicus en zal in dit werk de moderne geschiedenis van Noord-Korea vertellen met de focus op Kim Yo-jong. Hoewel dit boek inhoudelijk anders is dan je zou verwachten, legt de auteur de complexe, moderne Noord-Koreaanse geschiedenis op een eenvoudige en toegankelijke manier uit. Hij begint met een lijst van de belangrijkste personages rondom Kim Jong-Un en zijn zus. Hiernaast maakt hij ook nog een schematische voorstelling van de stamboom van de Kim-familie. Beide zijn een zeer handige leidraad voor de rest van het boek.
Hierna begint Sun-Yoon Lee via leuke anekdotes en interessante weetjes aan zijn betoog over de geschiedenis van het land sinds Kim Jong-Un zijn vader opvolgde en aan de macht kwam. Vooral het verhaal van Kenji Fujimoto fascineerde mij. Hij was de privé sushi chef van de Kim familie en slaagde erin te ontkomen aan het regime en zijn verhaal naar buiten te brengen. Zoveel burgers werden van de straat geplukt, in binnen-en buitenland, om de dictator te dienen en zijn verhaal is er maar één uit de duizenden. Velen zullen hun verhaal nooit zelf kunnen vertellen zoals Kenji, want ze worden nog steeds gegijzeld in het onbereikbare land.
Je merkt dat de auteur heel wat ervaring heeft in het brengen van complexe verhalen op een eenvoudige begrijpelijke manier. Als je nog niet veel weet over de Noord-Koreaanse geschiedenis en je wil er graag meer over weten dan is De zus zeker een aanrader. De auteur weet geschiedenis interessant te maken en doet je zin krijgen naar meer. Doch als je al kennis hebt van Noord-Koreaanse geschiedenis en de politieke situatie zal er veel herhaling zijn en blijf je ook wat op je honger zitten, omdat het hoofdpersonage waar de titel naar verwijst niet prominent aanwezig blijkt te zijn in het boek zelf.
De zus geeft mij een dubbel gevoel, waardoor ik het ook moeilijk kan beoordelen. Enerzijds had ik verwacht dat dit meer een biografie of uiteenzetting zou zijn over Kim Yo-jong, wie zij is en wat zij allemaal heeft gedaan (vb waar ze studeerde, wie haar vrienden zijn, haar kinderen, echtgenoot, … ). Deze vragen bleven onbeantwoord, gezien het boek eerder de moderne geschiedenis van Noord-Korea uit de doeken doet. Anderzijds is dit een sterk en knap historisch werk met een hoge historische waarde. Misschien heeft de auteur gewoon een verkeerde titel gekozen en zijn focus verkeerd gelegd? 3 sterren.
April 3, 2024
2.5 stars
It was just okay. Nothing exciting. To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed. I guess I was looking forward to learning A LOT about the "First Sister". I did learn a few things, but nothing gratifying. A lot of the descriptions about her were also too repetitive. It feels like the author was just trying to fill up the pages of the book.
Yes, I get that North Korea is not the best or safest country to live in, but I felt like the author could be a bit more objective when writing about it. It's one thing to state facts, but it's another thing to imbue too muchhate criticism. (Or at least it felt like that to me.) Or maybe this was written, not so much to inform or educate about North Korea, but to disparage, to criticize. I wonder if the author has ever stepped foot in the country, or maybe he's just commenting based on what everyone else is seeing or being shown.
Nevertheless, this book at least made me more aware of the "First Sister", Kim Yo Jong. I've learn her name, for one. I've learn a bit about the "history" of their family, the "politics" in North Korea and its "peaceful, but artificial" (or maybe on-and-off) relationship with South Korea, US and UN and other close countries. So I think the next time there's a major news about North Korea, she's a character I'll definitely watch out for.
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No one openly asks about the royal family: citizens are conditioned from early childhood to know that exhibiting curiosity about the Mount Paektu family tree beyond what one is told by the state is a blasphemy. More than that, divulging even unarguable facts about the royal family can be career-ending.... To reveal salacious facts about the royal family upon permanently leaving North Korea may be fulfilling. It is certainly in the public interest. But it can also be life-ending.
It was just okay. Nothing exciting. To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed. I guess I was looking forward to learning A LOT about the "First Sister". I did learn a few things, but nothing gratifying. A lot of the descriptions about her were also too repetitive. It feels like the author was just trying to fill up the pages of the book.
Yes, I get that North Korea is not the best or safest country to live in, but I felt like the author could be a bit more objective when writing about it. It's one thing to state facts, but it's another thing to imbue too much
Nevertheless, this book at least made me more aware of the "First Sister", Kim Yo Jong. I've learn her name, for one. I've learn a bit about the "history" of their family, the "politics" in North Korea and its "peaceful, but artificial" (or maybe on-and-off) relationship with South Korea, US and UN and other close countries. So I think the next time there's a major news about North Korea, she's a character I'll definitely watch out for.
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No one openly asks about the royal family: citizens are conditioned from early childhood to know that exhibiting curiosity about the Mount Paektu family tree beyond what one is told by the state is a blasphemy. More than that, divulging even unarguable facts about the royal family can be career-ending.... To reveal salacious facts about the royal family upon permanently leaving North Korea may be fulfilling. It is certainly in the public interest. But it can also be life-ending.
August 23, 2025
There is ultimately little we know about the sister. While I appreciated this book’s discussion of more current events regarding North Korea, the authors bias was distracting. In order to support their thesis that the sister is more dangerous than many world leaders think, it felt that every event was interpreted narrowly. For example, many world leaders have repeatedly chosen to respond to North Koreas provocations with placation rather than punishment. While I agree with the author that this can and has emboldened North Korea’s leaders, they fail to acknowledge the reasons leaders have chosen to do so (trying to avoid a strike on South Korea for example). Rather than simply depicting world leaders as foolish and underestimating North Korea, the book could have had more nuance.
November 8, 2025
Knyga „Sesuo“ įdomiai pasakoja apie diktatoriaus Kim Jong Uno seserį Kim Yo Jong ir jos kelią į valdžią Šiaurės Korėjoje. Patiko tai, kad autorius atskleidžia, kaip ji tapo svarbia figūra šalyje ir papasakojo, kaip “veikia”Kimų šeimos valdžia bei tradicijos.
Anaiptol, man pritrūko daugiau informacijos apie jos tikrą galią ir vaidmenį režimo viduje, o būtent to ir tikėjausi iš šios knygos. 🌟🌟🌟
P.S. labai maišėsi vardai, nes beveik visų prasideda “Kim” :D
Anaiptol, man pritrūko daugiau informacijos apie jos tikrą galią ir vaidmenį režimo viduje, o būtent to ir tikėjausi iš šios knygos. 🌟🌟🌟
P.S. labai maišėsi vardai, nes beveik visų prasideda “Kim” :D
February 20, 2025
I was severely dissapointed after reading this. The first third focuses heavily on the Kim family and their history before going on to look at the foreign affairs of North Korea. The book offers no new information on Kim Yo Jong and mostly focuses on other unnecessary details and such it is a huge strech to have titeled the book "The sister". There is very little to talk about her, and certainly not enough for a whole book. "The Sister" is a great look into North Korea's politics for those interested but the title is just a marketing gimmick. In my opinion the reading experience would have been much better had the book been titled something akin to "the Kim Siblings".
December 6, 2023
An audiobook, not well narrated or possibly a poor translation? However whilst I am sure a lot is supposition (as little real information is forthcoming from North Korea) it is a depressing book. Having recently finished Ken Follet’s ‘Never’ the possibility of North Korea wanting to show their power makes nuclear warfare extremely likely.
February 21, 2025
Boeiend onderwerp, maar de schrijver maakt het boek bijna onleesbaar. Zinnen die veel te lang zijn, onlogische kadans... Ik breng daar een ster voor in mindering.
Een groot gedeelte gaat trouwens over broer en de voorvaderen, slechts enkele hoofdstukken zoomen echt in op Kim Yo-jong zelf. Dat is ook best logisch: uiteindelijk blijkt ze voornamelijk veel te schelden op en tegen politiek leiders. De achtergronden zijn daarom broodnodig, anders was de schrijver na 50 pagina's wel uitgeschreven.
Een groot gedeelte gaat trouwens over broer en de voorvaderen, slechts enkele hoofdstukken zoomen echt in op Kim Yo-jong zelf. Dat is ook best logisch: uiteindelijk blijkt ze voornamelijk veel te schelden op en tegen politiek leiders. De achtergronden zijn daarom broodnodig, anders was de schrijver na 50 pagina's wel uitgeschreven.
August 10, 2023
This is a great study of the Kim family. I would recommend diving into this one if you are already familiar with North Korean politics and society. It also helps to have a family tree in front of you. Overall a really interesting read, especially with the inclusion of recent events
October 24, 2023
incredible
Sung-Yoon Lee was my professor at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He is extremely knowledgeable and has a unique ability to capture audiences for hours. This book was no exception.
Sung-Yoon Lee was my professor at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He is extremely knowledgeable and has a unique ability to capture audiences for hours. This book was no exception.
December 12, 2024
محتوای کتاب با عنوان جذاب کتاب، اصلا تناسب ندارن. ارائه یسری اطلاعات تکرای کلی از روابط کره شمالی و جنوبی و آمریکا، با اشاره هایی جزئی از حضور خواهر.
چیزی بنام زندگی نامه یا شرح زندگی خیلی روشن، در دسترس نیست..
چیزی بنام زندگی نامه یا شرح زندگی خیلی روشن، در دسترس نیست..
February 8, 2025
Duidelijk geschreven. Vind dit soort boeken top om op een makkelijke manier meer te leren over de wereld. Maar dat terzijde, echt insane.
May 3, 2025
kurzweilig
gibt Einblicke in koreanisches Denken
etwas seicht
gibt Einblicke in koreanisches Denken
etwas seicht
October 16, 2023
The book was a quick, informative, and engaging read, and it left me grateful that I will never encounter the Kims in my life.
May 16, 2024
Hyvä kirja sinänsä, täynnä järkyttävän paljon pieniä kirjoitusvirheitä jotka pistävät helposti silmään.
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