The Last Exiles by Ann Shin

 

Book set in North Korea or with a North-Korean inspiration are rare those days. The secretive repressive nature of the regime that turned the country into a prison hard to escape from deter some people from finding freedom. Those who did, probably are rather interested in sharing their stories as nonfiction, in memoirs or movies. 

Hence, my high interest in reading The Last Exiles, by movie maker and author Ann Shin. A love story set on the background of an unlikely couple caught in the everyday life absurdities of the repressive system, it resonates with every other stories of people growing up in dictatorships. The repressive system controlling the lives and content of the cupboards of the citizens is nurtured by abuse and corruption that will stay for a long time in the soul of the people, independenlty of their will.

Jin and Suja met at the university where they are studying together journalism. He is on a scholarship from people with modest background, she is the only daughter of a powerful media owner, close to the establishment. While on vacation visiting his parents, there is a raid taking place, during which the food rations of his parents are stolen. Jin will try to make justice on his own, but no one is on his own in a totalitarian regime. He ends up in a penitentiary colony but he will escape to China. 

Driven by love, Suja will escape using a complicated network of smugglers only to end up as a victim of human trafficking. After many unhappy adventures, the two of them will meet again and will leave behind China and North Korea, hoping to start a new life abroad.

Inspired by true events, The Last Exiles is an emotional story of random human cruelty but also of empathy and hope. Although I felt that som, e moments that I expected to be highly tensed as the escape through the river of both of the main characters were treated too fast - personally I was really curious how they did it, being fed many stories of escaping dictatorships by the way of swimming as well - the book is well and empathically written.

I would be curious to read more - also in nonfiction - about the human trafficking stories at the border with China, but first and foremost, would love to hear more stories about everyday life in North Korea and the escape stories. The Last Exiles just arose my curiosity to discover more, although it is not always easy for me to carry to weight of all those broken destinies only because born in the wrong moment, under the worse political regime.

Rating: 4 stars