Page 1 of 1

Review by athurst123 -- The Vanished by Pejay Bradley

Posted: 19 Jan 2021, 14:56
by athurst123
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley.]
Book Cover
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review


The Vanished by Pejay Bradley tells stories of tradition, values, courage, hardships, and heartbreak. Embon leaves his home in Korea to attend university in Japan. While there, he makes friends with Hain, Insoo, and Yangwoo. The group takes on the task of trying to help Korea gain independence from Japan. Their journey is long, challenging, and full of uncertainty. An explosion in the park changes the boy's journey drastically. After all of the challenges and tribulations that these brave men experienced, I think they deserved better.

Throughout the entire novel, I felt like I was there with Embon and his mother on their entire journey. The beginning of the book talks a lot more about Korean traditions, which I found interesting. I always enjoy learning about other cultures, and this novel was informative. One of the traditions that I found the most shocking and interesting was "many mothers poured hot wax over the bride's eyelids to assure their daughter's eyes would remain closed all day." When I read this sentence, my jaw dropped. I cannot imagine the physical pain that brides have experienced to honor tradition. The ending left me feeling a mix of emotions. I was proud of Embon but sad for him and his friends at the same time.

The one thing I did not like about the book is that the mother seems just to be left behind. I would like to have heard more from her towards the end of the book to wrap up the story fully. I enjoyed learning more about Embon's mother and wished to know more about her story and how she supported her son during his time trying to free his country.

The editing team did a beautiful job with this novel. Out of the whole book, I only found two minor errors. It was a pleasant and easy read since the errors were scarce. There was absolutely no foul language, nor were there any erotic scenes. The book was appropriate, easy to read, and full of wonderful imagery.

After considering editing, feelings about the novel, and the number of errors found throughout the book, I am rating this novel with 4 out of 4 stars. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories of heroism and tradition. Learning about another culture's values and traditions was a wonderful plus to this story. I felt captivated by the writing and emotionally moved by the characters and their journey.

******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon