Review by RHD -- The Vanished by Pejay Bradley

RHD · Post by **RHD** » 10 Jan 2021, 11:07

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley.]

4 out of 4 stars

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The Vanished: A Novel is a historical fiction book by Pejay Bradley. As a member of the royal family, Prince Aansoon was keen to find a suitable spouse for his beloved daughter. He found Hob. Hob was an orphan and a descendant of the once powerful Andong Kim clan. The product of this arranged marriage was Kim Embon. The mother had high hopes for this new born son of the royal family. At a considerably young age, Embon would go on to join Hokkaido Imperial University in Sapporo. Sapporo was some substantial distance from his kingdom in Seoul. Here, he would meet his lifelong friends from his country. These friends would change his ambitions and views for the long run. How would they change his life and their own? You need to grab this captivating masterpiece for more!

I liked the character development in this book. The characters were few but strong. My favorite was Lady Sougyon. She was a patient mother and never betrayed her estranged husband. A close second was Mr. Koo Daesik. He was a loyal friend as well as a determined independence activist. The plot flowed well. All the four parts were well paced. It was difficult to put down the book. Components of the story link together perfectly. The author touched on various themes and virtues. I think my favorite theme was patriotism. Other themes that were dominant included arranged marriages, true friendships and guerilla warfare. I liked the fact that Pejay included virtues such as selflessness and loyalty in this book. There's a lot to learn from this book. I learnt a lot about Korean history. An example is the annexation treaty of 1910.

One thing I disliked about the book was Hob's character. I dare say that his character was necessary. He represents the ignorant and bitter individuals in the society. However, his character wasn't well developed. Otherwise, there isn't much I disliked about the book.

The book was professionally edited, in my opinion. I found only three errors. These few errors and Hob's character didn't warrant the loss of a single star. Everything else about this book was stellar. Therefore, I rate this piece of work 4 out of 4 stars.

I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction. There's a lot of interesting stuff about Asian history and culture in it. It will also appeal to readers who enjoy books containing romance and strong friendships. The writing style and English are both simple. Hence, it's suitable even for young audiences. Most of the characters subscribe to buddhism, but it may not be distracting to readers from other religions and non-religious ones. There is also some violence, thus making it unsuitable for sensitive audience. Generally, this one is an awesome read.

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The Vanished
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Chigo Nwagboso · Post by **Chigo Nwagboso** » 16 Jan 2021, 01:26

The keyword I love in this review is "Patriotism" some us lack it due to bad governance. Thanks for a beautiful review.

Saint Bruno · Post by **Saint Bruno** » 28 Jan 2021, 16:57

I am interested in the history of Korea, so I think I would enjoy this book. Thanks for the detailed and insightful review.

Excel 2021 · Post by **Excel 2021** » 28 Jan 2021, 20:20

To fully understand the dynamics of any nation and her neighbour, one cannot do without first understanding their history. This book is just perfect for that. It's not interesting but very educational. Great review.

María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda · 28 Jan 2021, 22:58

I completely agree with you. My favorite character is Lady Sougyon, too. I know she made mistakes, but she was such a strong woman! And I think analyzing Hob could've been interesting, in opposition to more driven characters, but it's an aspect that the author left underdeveloped for some reason. Great review!

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 29 Jan 2021, 01:44

Your point about Hob is well taken. I had not thought about how little his character was developed. I was always so irritated when he showed up. Thank you for an excellent review!

Mbrooks2518 · Post by **Mbrooks2518** » 29 Jan 2021, 21:49

Seems like there is a lot of great information about Korean history and culture. Great review!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 06 Feb 2021, 21:14

I agree with your comments about Sougyon. She was portrayed as an admirable person who had high hopes for her son. It would be nice if the author wrote a sequel to let readers know how life continues for Embon and his mother. Thanks for your wonderful review!

Mtibza eM · Post by **Mtibza eM** » 07 Feb 2021, 04:26

Thank you for sharing this honest review. I have read and enjoyed this book that I, too, rated it 4 out of 4 stars. People who are interested in Asian or just South Korean history will love it.

Kelyn · Post by **Kelyn** » 15 Feb 2021, 16:03

It sounds like Hob's presence in the book was blessedly brief. Character development is something I look for in books that I read, especially background stories. The author apparently did a good job in this case. I'm not much of a historian, however, so I will pass on this one. Thanks for the great review!