Overall rating and opinion of "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley

Use this forum to discuss the January 2021 Book of the month, "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley
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Fola Moni
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Re: Overall rating and opinion of "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley

Post by Fola Moni »

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and actually read it twice. I love history and learning about different cultures and traditions.

For instance, the fact that it is shameful for royal families to divorce fascinated me. Regardless of how terrible the marriage is (and in Lady Sougyon's case, it was horrible as she had to bear the cost of her husband's debts which almost ruined her, the shame of his philandering and also his absence in their son's life), they have to simply put up with it or risk shaming their families for generations to come.

Another intriguing culture is where married couples keep separate bedrooms after the age of 40. These and all other fascinating tidbits are why I love this book. If you love historical fiction, this book will keep you entertained.
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Serenity2010
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Post by Serenity2010 »

I gave the book a 3 out of 4 stars. I loved how in-depth the author goes into Korean culture and history. However, the ending of the book was too inconclusive for me. I would have loved to ee something more in detail as to what direction Embon's like went.
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Lucille27
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Post by Lucille27 »

I gave this book a 4 out of 4. I enjoyed this book a lot. It was an amazing portratal of Korean culture. I think it explores some of their values with a lot of respect and without judgment. The flow of the reading was really good. I really enjoyed to see more about their history and how this affects different social classes. Something I talk about in my review, and something that caught my attention, was that when we follow different characters, they concerns and narrative styles also change.
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Post by MeleMallory »

I really, really wanted to like this book. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and I didn't know much about the Japanese occupation of Korea. But I couldn't connect to the characters. They were 2 dimensional. The dialogue was stiff. People do not speak like that. Either the slang they used was too modern or they included too much exposition while speaking. The descriptions were like those in an academic essay or a Wikipedia entry instead of a novel. It was too wooden and clunky. I wish it had all flowed better and just been easier to read. I also didn't like how the author chose to use first-person POV for the princess but 3rd person for everyone else. It didn't make narrative sense.
But I loved the setting of the story. I liked the characters she chose to focus on, I just wish she had developed them more. I am definitely inspired to learn more about this era in Korean history.
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Post by Leti77 »

This book was definitely a page turner. I wanted to find out more about the story and the characters. I found it interesting and intriguing. It makes one appreciate the modern conveniences of today, while also being able to appreciate the sacrifices others have made over time, so that we are able to have the conveniences of today. It gave a glimpse into history, while compelling to the humane side. The ending is set up perfectly for a sequel.
I would recommend this book as one to read.
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Post by favalomane »

It is an interesting book that opens ones mind towards the Korean culture.I liked how the people's spirit to fight was displayed especially from different people of various backgrounds. I definitely enjoyed Lady Sougyon approach at dealing with the husband.
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Post by Anthony__ »

I actually gave the book 3 out of 4 stars. The author did a very good job in the character-plot coherence. However, the ending ended abrutly. That was why I give it 3 out 4 stars, and also I found some grammatical errors as well.
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Post by viczboy16 »

The author did a great job with this book as he has proven to have undergone proper research before writing this magnificent historical fiction. It widened my knowledge about the history of Korea and talks about the struggle to be an independent nation. I was pleased about the level of details given in the book, such as names of food, plants etc. I rate it 3 out of 4 stars because I was a bit confused as the story was cut short numerous times while narating. I would recommend to history lovers.
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Post by Gabby S14 »

I'm so glad I read this book. It was really eye-opening to see the social and political tolls Korean citizens suffered while occupied by Japan. The story tackled both large scale and small scale issues. I particularly liked how Embon represented the Korean spirit through most of the story, being an intelligent up-and-comer while also having to figure out who he wanted to be. We watched, mostly from his mother's eyes, this boy become a man, and we saw him confront the hardships that come with manhood while being part of a marginalized group.

My only complaint with this book is the ending. I really liked how Embon dealt with his father once he learned his side of the story, why he left Embon's mother. Embon's perception of claiming responsibility for one's own actions was very insightful and inspiring. It made him a better person to decide for himself what he thought of his estranged father. But the thing I have an issue with is that Embon appeared to have more closure with his estranged father than with his devoted mother. I felt like she virtually disappeared in the second half of the book, and was very disappointed for it. I wish there could have been more to show that Embon was still in communication with his mother, despite being a renegade.

All in all, I still highly recommend the book: I rated it 3 out of 4 stars.
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Post by Damian Keyes »

This was a decent book that kept me interested throughout. I've already given it 4 out if 4 stars in my review for how the author stayed consistent on the cause for Korea's independence. Everything it this book was superb, down from the cultural norms to how government played a huge part in their society. I couldn't find nothing I hated about this book; I actually want a second part to this story. People who does not know about how oppressed Koreans were when the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty happened is who I will recommend this book to. I never knew it was this bad back in the day that the Japanese government where trying to eliminate the Korean culture.
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Post by prakritisingh »

I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. The story is amazing. The book dives deeply into the life of Koreans under Japanese rule. Though, the beginning of the story was quite boring but I soon realized that the author did it to make us understand the characters well. The overall storyline was amazing. How the story covers different parts of the world and their cultures is applaudable. The book make the reader more aware about history. The author's choice of characters did justice to the plot and it was interesting to see different personalities/views about a same situation. I found the book very resourceful and interesting.
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Post by Cwaganagwa Dorothy »

The Vanished by Pejay Bradley is a thought catching story in my opinion. This is because the author mixed colonial history and the way of life of the people of Korea. I love that the author did not deviate away from telling us that political freedom is what any society back in day wanted and will always, though our societies also get to suffer due to personal weaknesses in our own chosen leaders. I recommend this story to those who love a mix of a fictitious way of life, yet it was the way of life back then, and what we learn about our societies as history today.
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Post by Ahbed Nadir »

I originally rated this book 3 out of 4 but after a second read, I simply had to go ahead and give them 4 stars out of 4. This was a lovely read and one of the most impactful books I've read in recent times. The author wrote a fascinating historical novel depicting the struggle of Korea to stand against their oppressor Japan and preserve their culture against an overwhelming tide of enemies. It was a very accurate narration and it gave life to the Korean struggle in a way I've never experienced before while also illustrating the strong Korean culture and lifestyle.
"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends"- Albus Dumbledore
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Post by britcott30 »

yes, I would recommend this book to readers who love historical and cultural novels. This novel give us much knowledge around Korean culture.
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Post by jaqp »

I found this book historically interesting, but also felt it lacked a satisfying conclusion. I know that history doesn't always have satisfying conclusions, but I really wanted to see Embon develop further. And what about his wife? I was under the impression she would have been on board with his association with the Korean government in exile. Does anyone know if there is a sequel?
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