Review of The Vanished

[Mercy Bolo]

[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 a historical fiction book set in 20th century Korea. The protagonist is Embon, a young man born into an aristocratic family. The story follows the events leading to his birth, his childhood, his school life, and his early adulthood as a revolutionary fighter.

What I liked most about the book is that the author used both the first and third-person perspectives to narrate the story. Embon’s mother, a princess, narrates her story in the first-person perspective while the other characters’ stories are narrated in the third-person perspective. The shift in point of view provided a welcome break and drew me closer to the princess. I empathized with her struggles and my heart warmed at the love that she had for her only son. Being the victim of a loveless arranged marriage also made the princess relatable to commoners who wallowed in that misery.

The author transports readers to a bygone era and narrates the Japanese invasion of Korea through the eyes of Koreans. Even in this dark period, the population is divided along class lines. The emergence of a new upper class threatens the status quo and the old aristocrats fight to maintain their power. This caste system limits one’s opportunities in education, marriage, and even employment. It was refreshing to watch the young generation adapt new ideas and wriggle from their parents’ grip.

I appreciate that despite being a spoilt brat, Embon utilized every opportunity given to him and excelled in his studies. He developed meaningful friendships along the way, which exposed him to more opportunities after he left school. I was concerned when I learned that the young Embon would join a resistance movement. I knew he would be a fish out of water since he grew up sheltered and pampered. As expected, he gets nauseous at the sight of blood and is disturbed by the thought of taking a life. I admired the resistance fighters’ dedication and often wondered what I would do in a similar situation. The author narrates this story beautifully and leaves readers yearning for more. Since the book came to an abrupt ending, there is room for a second book to make it a series. The cliffhanger left me with a lot of unanswered questions.

Overall there is nothing I disliked about this book. I will award it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars since it deserves nothing less. The text underwent professional editing since I only noticed one error that wasn’t distracting. There are a few gory scenes that narrate gruesome events and may make some readers uneasy. Those who can’t stomach them should be warned. The Vanished is a captivating read that I would recommend to lovers of historical fiction and fans of coming-of-age stories.

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The Vanished
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[Naaya123]

I do love historical fiction and coming-of-age stories always warm my heart, I'll check this book out. Thank you for the lovely review!

[PeterRabitt20]

I enjoy historical fiction that take place in other countries and with different cultures. I should try this book out. Thanks for the review!

[Katie Blackmore]

This book sounds very interesting and intricate from being told from different perspectives to describing the Japanese invasion of Korea. It definitely sounds like one that needs to be added to my list. Well done on your well-written review!