A review by ginny23
The Girl with Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee

hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

This is the 2nd book I have read about an escaped North Korean. This author’s story is different from the last one I read (In Order To Live) because she didn’t live in squalor or suffer as much as many do in North Korea. However, much of the book is about her life after escaping which is where her real struggles began. The trials and tribulations she endured (and her successes) almost seem fictional because of how harrowing (or fortuitous) they often were. It’s possible that her writing style is what makes her experiences seem that way. I always looked forward to picking this book up when I could, however her prose isn’t as sophisticated or beautiful as some. Nonetheless, the material and information was compelling and I definitely recommend reading this memoir.