In Order to Live

"Easily my favorite memoir, and one of those books I will carry with me for a really long time. It can be difficult to read (because of heavy content not because the book is lacking) but it's so worth it"

"I’ve read a number of survival stories, but this one is up there for most extraordinary perseverance. Her story of escaping North Korea literally gets worse each step of the way. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in memoirs, particularly from oppressive countries and regimes. "

"Wow. This is the true story of how a very young teen escaped North Korea, survived sex trafficking in China, endured a dangerous journey to Mongolia, and then finally landed in South Korea. Kudos to her instinct for survival and her ability to thrive in her new found freedom."

"Incredible story about escaping life in North Korea!!!"

"Great read, but hard to take in at times. Especially when she talks about her experiences in China. I commend her so much for telling this story, as I’m sure it isn’t easy to recall these events. "

"I loved her story. It’s so heartbreaking but also eye opening to real issues we have going on in the world right now. "

"The Monster of Eldendhaven is a deliciously perverse read about characters turned monsters from their insatiable thirst for vengeance. I had not the slightest clue of what this book was truly about, however, the synopsis intrigued me and it would have been a mistake on my part had I failed to pick it up. Giesbrecht crafts such a wondrously horrific world on the edge of its disappearance paired with lush and vivid prose. These two constituents were integral to the overall effect of the novel and paired with a wrenchingly depraved relationship made up for the lack of length and relatively abrupt ending. Johann, the literal portrayal of a monster and inhabitant of the shadows, delights in endeavors of turpitude for amusement all the while without purpose or direction. Florian, however, is a delicate man of echelon and thus, an unsuspected monster in his own right. The two are dichotomous but as fate would have it, are parts of a whole. Florian is set on burning the world with everyone in it while Johann ostensibly follows blindly. Although there is a power imbalance, the sheer tenderness of their dynamic conveys the loneliness and incompletion of their own highly flawed characters. I had initially believed that there was simply not enough time to establish a compelling relationship, however, I was confounded that I was nearly able to overlook this matter simply because the relationship was constructed with such a beautiful complexity that it made it riveting. The same can be said for the overall novella and I can confidently state that this book has become a contender for my favorite reads of 2022. "

"This was a highly anticipated read of mine and I was not disappointed. Yeonmi Park's book In Order to Live is an evocative and poignant autobiography of a young girl’s experience under North Korea’s repressive regime and her daunting journey to freedom. It may be a story that knows pain, misery and inhumanity but it simultaneously knows passion, love and perseverance. We perceive North Korea as a developing country controlled by dictators but cannot fathom the realities of its residents which Park sheds light on with vivid imagery and personal anecdotes. At parts, I forgot I was reading about a genuine nation, one that has oppressed its people for generations. The egregious conditions and level of corruption were akin to what I may find in a horrific dystopian novel but this is the reality of some 26 million people. However, the pain that Park describes could never be contrived like that of fictitious works. Her journey to freedom and the mental one subsequent, that led her to share her story with the world is incredibly inspiring and furthermore, the fact that Yeonmi and her mother managed to maintain their humanity and resilience through all the tribulation imposed upon them is truly miraculous. Overall an incredibly important and beautiful account of a North Korean girl’s story of survival. "

"A must read"

"Great book, could not put it down until it was complete "