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popthebutterfly 's review for:
Brother's Keeper
by Julie Lee
Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher for a tour that is no longer happening. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Brother’s Keeper
Author: Julie Lee
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Korean characters!
Recommended For...: Korean characters, historical fiction, middle grade
Publication Date: July 21, 2020
Genre: MG Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 13+ (war, scary scenes, starvation, death, violence, slight gore, sexism)
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 304
Synopsis: North Korea. December, 1950.
Twelve-year-old Sora and her family live under an iron set of rules: No travel without a permit. No criticism of the government. No absences from Communist meetings. Wear red. Hang pictures of the Great Leader. Don't trust your neighbors. Don't speak your mind. You are being watched.
But war is coming, war between North and South Korea, between the Soviets and the Americans. War causes chaos--and war is the perfect time to escape. The plan is simple: Sora and her family will walk hundreds of miles to the South Korean city of Busan from their tiny mountain village. They just need to avoid napalm, frostbite, border guards, and enemy soldiers.
But they can't. And when an incendiary bombing changes everything, Sora and her little brother Young will have to get to Busan on their own. Can a twelve-year-old girl and her eight-year-old brother survive three hundred miles of warzone in winter?
Haunting, timely, and beautiful, this harrowing novel from a searing new talent offers readers a glimpse into a vanished time and a closed nation.
Review: Overall, I thought this was an incredible novel! I loved the character development and world building. I didn’t know a lot about the Korean War (which I should have learned because my grandfather fought in it) but I loved seeing the events unfold here. The book is also well paced and I loved that the books journey is based on the route the author’s mother took during that same time.
However, this book is a very hard read, which is why I upped the age range. I think this is an important read and should be considered for required reading for middle grade classes, but it’s a very hard book to read at some parts.
Verdict: A very important read!
Book: Brother’s Keeper
Author: Julie Lee
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Korean characters!
Recommended For...: Korean characters, historical fiction, middle grade
Publication Date: July 21, 2020
Genre: MG Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 13+ (war, scary scenes, starvation, death, violence, slight gore, sexism)
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 304
Synopsis: North Korea. December, 1950.
Twelve-year-old Sora and her family live under an iron set of rules: No travel without a permit. No criticism of the government. No absences from Communist meetings. Wear red. Hang pictures of the Great Leader. Don't trust your neighbors. Don't speak your mind. You are being watched.
But war is coming, war between North and South Korea, between the Soviets and the Americans. War causes chaos--and war is the perfect time to escape. The plan is simple: Sora and her family will walk hundreds of miles to the South Korean city of Busan from their tiny mountain village. They just need to avoid napalm, frostbite, border guards, and enemy soldiers.
But they can't. And when an incendiary bombing changes everything, Sora and her little brother Young will have to get to Busan on their own. Can a twelve-year-old girl and her eight-year-old brother survive three hundred miles of warzone in winter?
Haunting, timely, and beautiful, this harrowing novel from a searing new talent offers readers a glimpse into a vanished time and a closed nation.
Review: Overall, I thought this was an incredible novel! I loved the character development and world building. I didn’t know a lot about the Korean War (which I should have learned because my grandfather fought in it) but I loved seeing the events unfold here. The book is also well paced and I loved that the books journey is based on the route the author’s mother took during that same time.
However, this book is a very hard read, which is why I upped the age range. I think this is an important read and should be considered for required reading for middle grade classes, but it’s a very hard book to read at some parts.
Verdict: A very important read!