The Orphan Master's Son

A very readable dystopia about North Korea that was at times impressive, though maybe just a bit too long to make it one for the ages. I say that as I had seen prior to reading comparisons to Orwell's 1984 and that for this reader was a bridge too far. I wish it was so, but it was not.

Split into 2 half's the first, The Biography of Jun Do was outstanding. I read the entire part, all 220 pages in one session such was its power. I would add that if it had ended there, it would have been close to me declaring it a masterpiece. The life of the orphan was researched by the author, and he told a truly tragic tale of state power using and abusing in the hermit kingdom.
The 2nd part though an interesting tale of subterfuge and at times a graphic read just seemed a touch too contrived and long to this reader.

Be that as it may there was a certain element that was typical of what many novelists say in that they tell a story from truths they know of and events in this book, such as the kidnapping of foreign citizens by North Korean agents for example, had me scouring the internet to see the author had indeed researched his story extremely well.

Recommended to those that read dystopian literature.