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The Orphan Master's Son
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I just finished it a few weeks ago and I LOVED IT! I don't remember the last time I had trouble putting down a Pulitzer. Nor do I remember the last time my description of a Pulitzer didn't begin with the word "weird".I had seen some films about life in North Korea so was a bit prepared for the total devotion to leaders and the sense of reward that exists for following him.
If I were going to define the book briefly, I'd say the first part is about pain and the second part is about redemption.
If you'd like, I could post my review here.
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Sure- we'd love to see your review! North Korea is pretty amazing, isn't it? Check out some of the links on the One County, One Book website: http://www.saltlakecountyonebook.com/
Pretty surreal, right?
First let me say that, in writing reviews, I don't like to give away the story so little detail about what actually happens ever appears in my reviews. So you won't read about how he, as a young man, got a portrait of the then Commander Ga's wife tattooed on his chest. Nor will you read how, after he had taken over Commander Ga's identity, the wife reacted to seeing that tattoo on the chest of this new Commander Ga. Nor how he managed to be accepted as Commander Ga by everyone, including the Dear Leader. Having said that, here is my review:The last thing I expected when I started reading this book was finding a story so compelling I did not want to put the book down. The last time a Pulitzer winner did that for me was the 2007 winner: The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
The Orphan Master's Son is a book about life in North Korea as initially told by a boy who was an orphan but was not an orphan. Through Pak Jun Doh we experience life as a North Korean doggedly winding the myriad paths of expectations through the realities of North Korean political and social land mines. It seems to say it is a miracle that anyone can do this successfully.
The book divided into two sections: The Biography of Jun Do and The Confessions of Commander Ga. If I were to define each of the two sections with a single word, then the first part is about pain and the second part is about redemption.
The first section is first person as we follow Jun Do's upbringing in a state orphanage and his service to the state, including as a kidnapper of Japanese citizens, and as a signal operator stationed on a fishing boat. He travels to America as part of a diplomatic delegation.
The second section is part first person through a Security Section Interrogator, third person through a story as it's read over the State's propaganda loudspeakers, and third person traditional narrative. In it we learn that Jun Doh has somehow become known to the nation as Commander Ga, Minister of Prison Mines. A high level minister, the rules and pitfalls that confound regular citizens seem, somehow, not applicable. And yet the danger is even greater. Here Commander Ga seeks to redeem some of the damage of his acts as an ordinary citizen as well as those of another high-level government minister.
But, the question is, will he succeed in his quest in time, knowing failure means a return to pain.
I was looking for a modern classics the day I started reading this book, made my research on the web and found this title. What a great find! I'd been worried about NK for a very long time, it means a lot to me, it is the dark side of the post-modern world, a demon we sort of communaly decided to ignore (just like our worst nightmares). But it's there and it's real. More real even than this book story. It was a pleasant reading, it was an enlightning one but, when all the real stories surface into common knowdlege, I mean, when these lives become part of what we call "globalization", what's gonna happen then?You see, as someone pointed out above, this story gives us a fresh perspective of the modern world (in the eye of a contemporary society). Given that, how can we ignore the pain and the suffering of our comerades, our global citizens, our human brothers the North Koreans?
History's in the writing this very moment. The ones who control our society, our resources, our money, they have a slice of responsability on these global situation. If we decide to embrace globalization, we should start giving every human being the same rights and opportunities that we were given. If not, then we're nothing but a horde of hypocrites.
Alex, I totally agree with your comments about North Korea. The Orphan Master's Son really opened my eyes! As I was reading it, I thought -- "Can this country really exist in the 21st century, doing these kinds of things to its citizens?" Though not an easy read, Adam Johnson's book is definitely a MUST read for anyone with a conscious.
Mod
I was interested that you called this "pleasant reading". When I tell people about the book, I quite often hear that they don't want to read something so dark, and I don't quite know how to explain that I didn't really think it was a dark book. I mean, dark subject matter, definitely. But it didn't feel dark to me, at least not overall. Did you feel it was dark, and if not, why not?
Wow, reading the above comments I feel like I must be from another planet; although I've been an avid reader since I was five and consider myself a pretty good judge of writing. I have found quite a few other reviews on Goodreads about this book that more closely summarize my feelings about this book. I'm so disappointed that this book was chosen as the One County, One Book title. I would classify it as awful. Garbage and drivel are other words that come to mind. I know the classic literature authors must be rolling over in their graves, if we are to point that this is called "good" writing.
I read this title with the Atlantic twitter book-club earlier this year. I found it both fascinating, but lacking in structure. This made it difficult to read. I would like to engage in a conversation, not about I liked it or I hated it, but more about how a closed society effects the view of the world, how people adapt in the worst of circumstances, and what is worth sacrificing. I think that it won the award because it leaves spaces for thinking about the greater issues.
I read this awhile back. I liked it a lot. What others have complained about is what really has stuck with me. It has such a unique structure (or lack of structure) and development of character. At times I felt a bit lost but it all added to the overall experience of the book. A strange, fascinating, twisted story. Loved it.
Mod
I thought the unique/lack of structure was a really interesting reflection of one of the great themes of the story: what it means to have a personal narrative and how the people of North Korea don't have one. In the author's interview on PBS News Hour, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entert..., he spoke about his opinion that in North Korea, there is only one personal narrative (the Dear Leader) and that the rest of the country are just bit players in his story. I read the disconnected narrative of Jun Do as a manifestation of that. Even the name Jun Do points to it- he's a John Doe who could be anyone and whose story doesn't really belong to himself.
Well put, Jennifer. I felt the same way about 'personal narrative' as I read it.
Jason wrote: "I read this awhile back. I liked it a lot. What others have complained about is what really has stuck with me. It has such a unique structure (or lack of structure) and development of character. A..."I completely agree. Part of the haunting quality of this book is the unusual style in which it was written, and Jennifer I love your comment about Jun Do's name. That hadn't occurred to me, but I think you're spot on. Any author who can juggle three distinct points of view, a non-linear style of telling the story including flashbacks, getting the historical (and contemporary) details right and make the characters so compelling is really a master storyteller. I couldn't put it down, and since finishing it I find myself still thinking about it. It's a challenging read, which I think is one of the reasons it was chosen for the One Book, but I suspect it's one of those that polarizes readers - either you're going to really enjoy it or not. It's so stylized in form that it certainly isn't for everyone's reading taste. Part of the reason I'm glad it was chosen was, just like previous One Book selections like Life of Pi and The Book Thief, it's not a book I would have ever gravitated toward on my own, not being the kind of thing I normally read. But WOW, am I ever glad I took the time - I find it an unforgettable, timely book - just like so much classic literature. Adam Johnson was recently at the National Book Festival in D.C., and when you hear him speak about the book and his writing/research process, and see/hear the interviews with him online, you start to realize all the layers in this novel. Plus, like some other readers have mentioned, it led me to other books and information online about North Korea - the Ted talk by the author of Escape From Camp 14 comes to mind. What an eye-opener about the horrors of living in that country. Reading a book like this certainly makes me grateful for being able to call America my home.
Marilyn wrote: "I read this title with the Atlantic twitter book-club earlier this year. I found it both fascinating, but lacking in structure. This made it difficult to read. I would like to engage in a conversa..."Well said, Marilyn. Actually we will be having several more book discussions about The Orphan Master's Son. The next one is Thurs Oct 17 @ 7pm at the Sandy Library. Two other ones will be Thurs Nov 7th @ 7pm at Whitmore; and Thurs Nov 12 @ 7pm at Columbus Center Library. Hope you can come to one!
I'm sad I didn't get to read it until after all the discussions were over (and the closest one to me anyway was in September) but I found this an interesting choice for the "One County, One Book." Was it because it was a Pulitzer? It was a HUGE eye opener for me. At one point I found myself questioning if the circumstances in North Korea are really this horrific in our century or whether it was just Western propaganda (I really got THAT swept into the story!). It really is full of twists and sickening immorality and cruelty. It's not for the faint of heart.
I know what you mean, Becky. I found myself thinking: "This should be sci-fi! North Korea must be on another planet -- or in an alternate universe! Can this really happen in the 21st century?" Sadly, what Mr Johnson portrayed in the book IS true -- he just changed the names and some of the places -- but most of these things are really happening!
Mod
Yeah- me too, but then: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2...
So how come we (as a country / our government) attack the Taliban for the terrorizing their people but we ignore these absolute attacks on freedom and democracy? I guess its because there is oil in the Middle East.
Mod
It is interesting to see where we intervene and where we don't, isn't it?
Maybe because we already fought a war there where we lost 35,000 American lives? Which helped, at least, to keep South Korea free...
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This is on my to-read list. Along with a couple hundred other books. I do want to get to this one soon though.
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This provocative tour de force gives readers a riveting portrait of a world overflowing with hunger, corruption and cruelty, but also stolen moments of camaraderie, beauty and love. Part adventure, part coming-of-age novel and part romance, this richly-layered book gives us plenty to talk about.
To participate in the One County, One Book program, read The Orphan Master's Son and join in a discussion here on the Salt Lake County Library Services Goodreads group or attend one of the special events being held at libraries across the county.