Review by Devalsodha -- The Vanished by Pejay Bradley

[Deval Sodha]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Vanished by Pejay Bradley is an amazing historical fiction book that throws light on the history of Korea in the twentieth century. During this period, Korea was placed under Japanese rule. The politics and economy of Korea were unified with Japan. The Korean Empire became a puppet government of Japan, resulting in the indirect rule of Japan over the country. The Koreans revolted rigorously against Japan to achieve freedom for their country. The book radiates the patriotism of Koreans and the violent clashes between the two countries. The culture and tradition of Korea, the position of women in the society, and their setbacks are diligently penned down by the author. The perfect narrative and wonderful style of storytelling make this book a great read.

Embon, Em for forest, Bon for prosperity, is the prominent character of the story. Embon was the son of a smart, witty, and classy lady Sougyon, daughter of Prince Aansoon. Sougyon was the victim of a bad marriage, but was unable to get a divorce due to societal norms during the era. However, she brought up her son single-handedly with all possible love and care. Embon, a pampered child, grew up to be a genius. He was always ahead of his peers in academic performance since childhood. This led him to his early acceptance in one of the prestigious Japanese universities, Sapporo. It was there that he met Hain and Yangwoo, the budding revolutionaries. Once while discussing the disparities of the country, the boys, unfortunately, got arrested by the police and had to face difficulties.

Embon became severely ill with tuberculosis, and returned home. Later on he learned about the location of his friends and visited them in Shanghai. His friends were fully involved in the revolutionary movement against the Japanese. This meeting brought a great change in Embon’s thinking and he strongly began to yearn for freedom. He was eager to enter into this excited, violent, and stimulating world, unlike his lazy and unfruitful life. What happens next is history.

The author, now a resident of the USA was born in Seoul, Korea. Being a native of Korea, she has wonderfully detailed the events and incidents of that era. She excellently narrates the tradition of arranged marriage, the complexities in the life of women, and their evolving role over the time. The book is a fantastic piece of history penned down in a superb form of a story that captivates the reader till the end.

The thing I liked the most in the book was the character of Embon’s mother, Sougyon. She was a smart and courageous lady, who brought up her child positively against all odds. She passed on all the values to Embon that made him an honest and brave citizen of Korea.

There is nothing that I dislike about the book. The book is rich in vocabulary and the flow of the story is interesting and fascinating. The author brilliantly explains each character, presenting them with unique identities. The story goes swiftly in the mind of the reader and helps him enjoy the depth of the characters and events.

I rate The Vanished by Pejay Bradley 4 out of 4 stars. The author’s narration gives a swirl of emotions from a suppressed woman to a victim of a loveless marriage, and then a proud, responsible, and caring mother. The book exposes the reader to the feelings of a young, intelligent brat who goes through a lot in life and finally finds his soul full of patriotism. It also serves the richness of the era of sacrifice, bravery, courage, patriotism, cultural norms, and royalty as well.

I recommend this book to readers of all ages, specifically those who are interested in historical fiction. It is a wonderful way to pass on the historical stories to the young generation. The pages are full of details about Asian history and culture that teaches patriotism and values of life.

It is commendable that the book is exceptionally well edited. I loved the scene when Mr. Koo asked Hain and Embon to write a memo about their friend’s life and death for the official record. The government had been diligent in keeping records on all fallen countrymen during the revolutionary period. Embon wrote, “A star fell, our hope fell.” Hain wrote, “A new star may rise and a new hope may arise, but nothing will be the same…” This was a sentimental moment.

“Life is a sea of agony, and no man shall escape from it. Life is not to enjoy but to endure. Accept all that comes your way.” “We all live by our palza. No one escapes his fate under the palza.” These are my favorite lines from the book.

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The Vanished
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[Diana Lowery]

I am intrigued with the culture of Korea and enjoy learning through historical fiction. Nice Review!

[Deval Sodha]

I am intrigued with the culture of Korea and enjoy learning through historical fiction. Nice Review!

Thank you for dropping by to read my review

[Chizioboli]

The book's cover got me interested in knowing more about the book. However, its a history based book and I am not inclined to that type of literary genre. Anyway, i love how descriptive your review is. Great review

[Deval Sodha]

The book's cover got me interested in knowing more about the book. However, its a history based book and I am not inclined to that type of literary genre. Anyway, i love how descriptive your review is. Great review

Thank you so much for reading my review and for your kind words ☺

[Amy Luman]

I usually try to stay away from historical fiction. That being said, I would like to learn about Korea before it was divided, North and South. Moreover, I’m curious about what happens to
Embon.