Review of The Vanished
Posted: 18 Mar 2023, 22:54
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley.]
It's the year 1912, two years after the occupation of Korea by Japan. The year is called the year of the rat. Kim Embon is born in the mid-summer, at high noon, giving many bad omens to his mother. Kim Embon is the son of Lady Sugyon and the grandson of Prince Ansoon. However, despite all the bad superstitious signs at birth, Kim Embon turns out to be a very handsome and well-behaved child as he grows up. Embon has had a positive and sheltered childhood under his mother's watchful eyes. Embon excelled in his education, which led to his early attendance at the Hokkaido Imperial College in Japan. In there, Embon meets his friends, who turn him from a sheltered aristocratic boy into a youth with a drive to free their country.
The Vanished by Pejay Bradley is a historical fiction based on the years when Korea was under Japanese occupation. The author included historical events and facts in the storyline with a smooth flow. The characters are all well-developed with unique characteristics. And most of these characters played a significant part in Embon's life, with or without their knowledge.
What I liked most about The Vanished is the author's descriptive writing style. The author described each place, person, situation, and societal norm of old Korea. The difference between the aristocrats and the normal people was stark. While regular people could go for a divorce, Lady Sugyon is stuck in a marriage doomed from the start just because she's a prince's daughter. And also, how the women of the time were treated less than men is shown through each character. And the run-down nature of the buildings, like the provincial government building in Shanghai, is described realistically.
What I disliked about the story was the lack of a strong and compassionate female character. I think the girl Embon liked could have had a more significant place rather than disappearing suddenly. Or Insoon could have also turned out to be strong support for Embon. But that's just my preference, not a fault of the story. But it didn't deter me from enjoying The Vanished. And other than that, I couldn't find anything I disliked or wished to see changed in the book.
I didn't notice any errors or mistakes in my reading of the book. So I can say the book is exceptionally well-edited. I give The Vanished by Pejay Bradley a rating of 5 out of 5 stars, considering there's no reason to deduct a star.
I recommend the book to fans of historical fiction. Especially those interested in Asian history during the period would enjoy this one.
******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
It's the year 1912, two years after the occupation of Korea by Japan. The year is called the year of the rat. Kim Embon is born in the mid-summer, at high noon, giving many bad omens to his mother. Kim Embon is the son of Lady Sugyon and the grandson of Prince Ansoon. However, despite all the bad superstitious signs at birth, Kim Embon turns out to be a very handsome and well-behaved child as he grows up. Embon has had a positive and sheltered childhood under his mother's watchful eyes. Embon excelled in his education, which led to his early attendance at the Hokkaido Imperial College in Japan. In there, Embon meets his friends, who turn him from a sheltered aristocratic boy into a youth with a drive to free their country.
The Vanished by Pejay Bradley is a historical fiction based on the years when Korea was under Japanese occupation. The author included historical events and facts in the storyline with a smooth flow. The characters are all well-developed with unique characteristics. And most of these characters played a significant part in Embon's life, with or without their knowledge.
What I liked most about The Vanished is the author's descriptive writing style. The author described each place, person, situation, and societal norm of old Korea. The difference between the aristocrats and the normal people was stark. While regular people could go for a divorce, Lady Sugyon is stuck in a marriage doomed from the start just because she's a prince's daughter. And also, how the women of the time were treated less than men is shown through each character. And the run-down nature of the buildings, like the provincial government building in Shanghai, is described realistically.
What I disliked about the story was the lack of a strong and compassionate female character. I think the girl Embon liked could have had a more significant place rather than disappearing suddenly. Or Insoon could have also turned out to be strong support for Embon. But that's just my preference, not a fault of the story. But it didn't deter me from enjoying The Vanished. And other than that, I couldn't find anything I disliked or wished to see changed in the book.
I didn't notice any errors or mistakes in my reading of the book. So I can say the book is exceptionally well-edited. I give The Vanished by Pejay Bradley a rating of 5 out of 5 stars, considering there's no reason to deduct a star.
I recommend the book to fans of historical fiction. Especially those interested in Asian history during the period would enjoy this one.
******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon