Review of The Vanished
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Naomi Nthiga
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Review of The Vanished
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley.]
Embon is the only son of Lady Sougyon, niece to King Gojong, ruler of Korea. He is intelligent and lives a privileged life, enjoying the aristocratic treatment befitting a young prince. He studies in the best schools- Kyungsung Middle school in Seoul and later Hokkaido Imperial University in Japan. Embon is pampered by his mother and servants to a fault, dining out daily at expensive Japanese restaurants and shopping at department stores. As a result, he is oblivious of the hardships facing the Korean people under forced Japanese rule. Embon thrives while Korea is in the middle of a civil uprising against the increasingly oppressive Japanese rule.
At university, Embon meets and befriends fellow Koreans Hain and Yangwoo. Like him, they are from well-to-do families in Korea. However, they are enlightened and unsettled by the state of affairs back in Korea. Outspoken and rearing to bring about political change, Embon is sucked into their pragmatic ways. Separated after university, Hain, Yangwoo, and Embon are reunited years later. They work as translators in the revolutionary Korean government led by Mr. Koo. Soon, Embon, Hain, and Yangwoo find themselves in the front lines of the war against the Japanese. Will they succeed? Will they live to see Korea freed? Will Embon's newfound zeal to liberate Korea last or will he revert to his cushy rich life. One has to read the entire book to the end to find out.
The Vanished by Pejay Bradley is a true page-turner. I loved and appreciated how each character was well developed and connected to the overall story. In addition, the book is easy to read due to the use of short sentences. The dialogues and narrations are easy to follow. The book is also exceptionally well-edited. The use of imagery as a stylistic device is well-applied throughout the book. It helped me see the social and cultural beauty of the times depicted in the book. For example, the author in chapter 1 beautifully describes Lady Sougyon's dressing room, the furniture details, and her intricate dressing routine. It quite literally transports one into the room.
Truthfully, I found nothing negative about this book. It is a solid depiction of people rising against oppression and how men from diverse backgrounds rally around a common goal. The Vanished is a perfect blend of drama, loss, triumph against all odds, and brotherhood. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction. Scholars interested in a fictional take on the annexation of Korea by Japan will also enjoy this book.
******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Embon is the only son of Lady Sougyon, niece to King Gojong, ruler of Korea. He is intelligent and lives a privileged life, enjoying the aristocratic treatment befitting a young prince. He studies in the best schools- Kyungsung Middle school in Seoul and later Hokkaido Imperial University in Japan. Embon is pampered by his mother and servants to a fault, dining out daily at expensive Japanese restaurants and shopping at department stores. As a result, he is oblivious of the hardships facing the Korean people under forced Japanese rule. Embon thrives while Korea is in the middle of a civil uprising against the increasingly oppressive Japanese rule.
At university, Embon meets and befriends fellow Koreans Hain and Yangwoo. Like him, they are from well-to-do families in Korea. However, they are enlightened and unsettled by the state of affairs back in Korea. Outspoken and rearing to bring about political change, Embon is sucked into their pragmatic ways. Separated after university, Hain, Yangwoo, and Embon are reunited years later. They work as translators in the revolutionary Korean government led by Mr. Koo. Soon, Embon, Hain, and Yangwoo find themselves in the front lines of the war against the Japanese. Will they succeed? Will they live to see Korea freed? Will Embon's newfound zeal to liberate Korea last or will he revert to his cushy rich life. One has to read the entire book to the end to find out.
The Vanished by Pejay Bradley is a true page-turner. I loved and appreciated how each character was well developed and connected to the overall story. In addition, the book is easy to read due to the use of short sentences. The dialogues and narrations are easy to follow. The book is also exceptionally well-edited. The use of imagery as a stylistic device is well-applied throughout the book. It helped me see the social and cultural beauty of the times depicted in the book. For example, the author in chapter 1 beautifully describes Lady Sougyon's dressing room, the furniture details, and her intricate dressing routine. It quite literally transports one into the room.
Truthfully, I found nothing negative about this book. It is a solid depiction of people rising against oppression and how men from diverse backgrounds rally around a common goal. The Vanished is a perfect blend of drama, loss, triumph against all odds, and brotherhood. I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction. Scholars interested in a fictional take on the annexation of Korea by Japan will also enjoy this book.
******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: E M P Honeymoon by Dorothy May Mercer
