Review by Barbie_sidhu -- The Vanished by Pejay Bradley

[Barbie_sidhu]

[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 took me on a completely unexpected ride. The book belongs to historical fiction genre, set in early 20th century Korea. It involves incidents and struggles people went through when Korea was under Japanese regime. The fight for independence is painted vividly in the story, which is based on a bitter reality. Before reading this book, I was completely unaware of the history between Korea and Japan.

The story begins from the viewpoint of Lady Sougyon, the daughter of a Korean prince. She is married to a man who never cares about his wife; there is no love between them. Lady Sougyon gives birth to a boy, Embon. She is determined to give her son the best she can by bringing him up into a man that will value his family. But, Korea’s political position causes a turn in events. When Embon goes for his higher studies to Japan, he connects with a group of people who share similar ideologies against Japan and its rule over Korea. They mean to be a part of a more significant revolution for the sake of Korea’s freedom. From being the grandson of a prince to a convict, Embon witnesses many ups and downs throughout his life. What did Embon do to end up in prison? Will he and his group of revolutionaries succeed? How did Korea end Japanese rule?

The book is not only a story about a young man’s life; it is a tale I believe most people are unaware of. The trouble that people had to encounter and go through under Japanese rule is boldly written down in the story. It also contains a great deal about the rich Asian culture, which is very enlightening.

The best thing about the book is the writing style of the author. It started on a very calm note, but as I kept on turning the pages, the scenes changed, and the writing resonated perfectly with the changing events in the story. Moreover, it is narrated in both, first and the third person, which is unique. Honestly, there is nothing I dislike about the book. Also, the character of Embon develops through the story with utmost naturality.

I could not spot any major errors or typos in the book. Thus, it is professionally edited. Moreover, there are no instances of profanity or sexuality. The writing is also simple and easy to grab.

On the whole, I would rate this book a 4 out of 4 stars read. The story is captivating; although there are some war scenes with gruesome details, it does not affect the charm of the book. I could not spot any flaws. Hence, the perfect rating.

I would recommend this book to a mature audience only, as the story contains some rough scenes. Historical fiction lovers must read this epic tale, especially those who are interested in Asian history. Fans of war novels should also give this book a try. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

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The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Dzejn_Crvena]

Asia culture is my thing right now, and I've been wanting to read this book.
I want to know what happened to the characters in the story.
Thank you for your review.