Every Falling Star
- Sunju Lee and Susan McLennand
- Feb 10, 2018
- 3 min read
Publisher: Amulet Books
Page Number: 336
Publication Date: September 13, 2016
Format: Hardcover
SUMMARY
Every Falling Star is the authentic tale of Sungju Lee's life as a Kotjebi on the hazardous streets of North Korea. At the age of twelve, political corruption befell Lee's family; forcing him to fend for himself on the deadly pathways of North Korea. In his tale of survival, Lee meets and befriends a gang of abandoned young boys, all of whom form a covenant of brotherhood as the struggle to escape imprisonment, starvation, and death sneak up on them at every nook and cranny. Sungju recaps his story in the frightful and factual way that it happened; as he enlightens his audience about a land where freedom and comfort are nonexistent.
REVIEW
Sungju Lee told a tale of heart-wrenching captivity; as innocence and integrity are offered as sacrifices to remain impregnable. Lee's rich dialect and honest interpretation make his debut novel a masterpiece; as he presents to the world a story about the danger that comes with survival.
PLOT:
The plot to this novel was astounding; even more so incredible derived from the fact that the black-inked words on paper were Sungju's reality. The action sequence of the novel closely follows the treacherous plights of Sungju and his beloved gang as the brothers carefully navigate their way through the disheveled towns and cities of North Korea, while attempting to escape imprisonment and death in the process. The plot was extremely well-paced and matched Lee's insightful voice perfectly. The plot of the novel was able to be dangerous yet lighthearted,along with heartbreaking and still joyous. The plot was beautifully encapsulated in the reader's mind; as the harsh reality of the broken world of North Korea was vividly created.
CHARACTERS:
Lee beautifully projected each of his brother's lives into the novel. Each gang member was vividly described in a realistic and impressing light. Lee's narrative effectively conveyed each of his brother's personalities and dilemmas into the dangerous situation at hand; along with expertly articulating the close-knit bond that wound all of them together. Lee's portrayal of his brothers was beautifully done. The heartfelt nostalgia Lee felt for all of his brothers was grossly defined as the novel progressed onward into increasingly demanding danger at close proximity.
WRITING STYLE:
Lee's writing style was exuberantly realistic. The tone the author portrayed while conveying his tragic tale of lost childhood never wavered into sugar-coated territory. Lee was able to eloquent a tale of tragedy and despair into a beautiful novel of hope and prosperity. Lee told an honest tale of what life was like growing up as a kotjebi on the hazardous streets of North Korea, while never wavering from the heartfelt tone he used to convey it.
CONCLUSION:
In short, I really loved this book. Every once in a while, a reader will read a book that not just sticks with them, but changes their perspective on the world. This was that book for me. It was clear from the first sentence that this was going to easily find a special place in my heart. I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a book that just might change their life. I would especially recommend this novel to any fans of Dan-El Perdilla Peralta's Undocumented, as the novel deals with a similar theme of maturing in a harsh environment. Thanks so much for reading. :)
