In Order to Live

I've had In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park on my to-read list for forever and finally got the audiobook from the library. The book description says, "In In Order to Live, Yeonmi Park shines a light not just into the darkest corners of life in North Korea, describing the deprivation and deception she endured and which millions of North Korean people continue to endure to this day, but also onto her own most painful and difficult memories. She tells with bravery and dignity for the first time the story of how she and her mother were betrayed and sold into sexual slavery in China and forced to suffer terrible psychological and physical hardship before they finally made their way to Seoul, South Korea—and to freedom. Park confronts her past with a startling resilience. In spite of everything, she has never stopped being proud of where she is from, and never stopped striving for a better life. Indeed, today she is a human rights activist working determinedly to bring attention to the oppression taking place in her home country. Park’s testimony is heartbreaking and unimaginable, but never without hope. This is the human spirit at its most indomitable."

This was a great read. Yeonmi's story was heartbreaking and unthinkable. She really endured horrifying situations during her childhood in North Korea and escaped to China for a better life but then just found herself a victim of human trafficking as a young teenager. It was a relief that she was eventually able to escape to South Korea with her mother, but that wasn't the end of hardships in her life. Her story was inspiring and helped me see the power of the human spirit to never give up. I think it was a good book as well to just open my eyes to what it's like for those who live in North Korea. The story was compelling and kept me interested throughout.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)