Review of The Vanished
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Mvjdarling
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Review of The Vanished
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley.]
Do you love historical fiction and books that incisively explore the culture and traditions of various places? The Vanished is a 196-page novel by Pejay Bradley that explores the themes of epic cultures, traditions, familial love and duty, and colonialism.
Lady Sougyon was a royal aristocrat that lived in twentieth-century Korea during the turbulent era of the Japanese annexation of Korea. She had dreams of raising a child that will become powerful, but her son had other plans. Korea at the time was a nation that the Japanese overlords were increasingly stifling. Despite the capitulation of the elite, the nation would not sit by and watch the extermination of their culture and identity by the Japanese. To find out how Embon, Lady Sougyon's son, and the new class of resistance strove to control their homeland, The Vanished is a book to read.
The book was divided into four parts across twenty-three chapters. I loved how Pejay Bradley's book gave a real insight into the norms of a very conservative Korean society. The godly reverence with which the king and royalty were held showed the deep devotion they demanded. Everyone knew their place in society and acted accordingly. Overall, the dominant theme was the domination of the way of life of Koreans by Japanese invaders.
Prince Aansoon was my favorite character. His words and actions were proof of his love for his daughter and country. He afforded Lady Sougyon the financial independence she needed to thrive despite her challenges. I was impressed by his progressive views about women despite the disenfranchisement prevalent in society at the time. I particularly appreciated the seeming link between the book's title and how it related to the story plot. I believed that many Korean agitators must have vanished during this era of struggle against the Japanese.
The book was professionally edited, as I observed only an error. The plot came well together, but the abrupt change in the relationship between Embon and his mother was a bit odd to me.
Therefore, I rate The Vanished 4 out of 4 stars for a compelling description of the environment and characters striking their role. I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and history buffs, especially those interested in the political events of the twentieth century on the Asian continent. It will also be a good read for people curious about Korean culture and how the class system functions. I learned a lot about the customs and ideals of Korea of time past from reading this book.
******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Do you love historical fiction and books that incisively explore the culture and traditions of various places? The Vanished is a 196-page novel by Pejay Bradley that explores the themes of epic cultures, traditions, familial love and duty, and colonialism.
Lady Sougyon was a royal aristocrat that lived in twentieth-century Korea during the turbulent era of the Japanese annexation of Korea. She had dreams of raising a child that will become powerful, but her son had other plans. Korea at the time was a nation that the Japanese overlords were increasingly stifling. Despite the capitulation of the elite, the nation would not sit by and watch the extermination of their culture and identity by the Japanese. To find out how Embon, Lady Sougyon's son, and the new class of resistance strove to control their homeland, The Vanished is a book to read.
The book was divided into four parts across twenty-three chapters. I loved how Pejay Bradley's book gave a real insight into the norms of a very conservative Korean society. The godly reverence with which the king and royalty were held showed the deep devotion they demanded. Everyone knew their place in society and acted accordingly. Overall, the dominant theme was the domination of the way of life of Koreans by Japanese invaders.
Prince Aansoon was my favorite character. His words and actions were proof of his love for his daughter and country. He afforded Lady Sougyon the financial independence she needed to thrive despite her challenges. I was impressed by his progressive views about women despite the disenfranchisement prevalent in society at the time. I particularly appreciated the seeming link between the book's title and how it related to the story plot. I believed that many Korean agitators must have vanished during this era of struggle against the Japanese.
The book was professionally edited, as I observed only an error. The plot came well together, but the abrupt change in the relationship between Embon and his mother was a bit odd to me.
Therefore, I rate The Vanished 4 out of 4 stars for a compelling description of the environment and characters striking their role. I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and history buffs, especially those interested in the political events of the twentieth century on the Asian continent. It will also be a good read for people curious about Korean culture and how the class system functions. I learned a lot about the customs and ideals of Korea of time past from reading this book.
******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise by John K Danenbarger
