Review by Intuitive Catalyst -- The Vanished
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Intuitive Catalyst
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- Latest Review: The Vanished by Pejay Bradley
Review by Intuitive Catalyst -- The Vanished
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley.]
The Vanished is an authentic portrayal by Pejay Bradley of Korean life in the early 20th century. It is beautifully written and makes for a deliciously lyrical read as it chronicles the life and times in Korean history under Japanese domination with the resulting rebellion and carnage. The story follows Embon, born into an all-powerful aristocratic family, who matures into an intelligent, privileged, and lazy adult. He is offered a coveted spot at a prestigious Japanese university where he makes friends with other wealthy Koreans outside of his class. They expose the miserable lives of their farmers, the indefensible cruelty of the Japanese reign and what it means to be Korean. Fired up, Embon joins the underground resistance, was arrested, imprisoned and contracted tuberculosis. Following his release, he returned home, recuperated, wed a woman from a lower class family then returned to Japan to continue where he left off. Ensuing events impelled him to embrace his nationality as never before.
I enjoyed the story’s rhythmic, continuous flow. It was easy to read. Although this is a work of fiction, I investigated parts of the story out of curiosity to ascertain the author’s accuracy since I knew nothing about South Korea. She seamlessly weaves in historical data which provides substance to the tale. All of the characters are fully fleshed out and their lives well-represented. The appalling misery of farmers’ lives and the mindless cruelty of both the Korean aristocracy, unknown up to this point, and the imposition of laws forbidding all Koreans to speak and write in their native tongue roused a fire in my belly.
Pejay Bradley skillfully directs the reader every step of the way thereby enabling us to understand and appreciate the issues involved and the resulting turmoil. I empathized, cringed, was horrified, saddened and angered by events in various parts of the book. She captured and masterfully engaged me within those pages up to the glorious end.
I had stopped reading historical fiction a long time ago and now I wonder about what escaped me based on this fabulous product. There was nothing to dislike in this well-edited book. It receives 4 out of 4 stars.
This wonderful book is enthusiastically recommended to Koreans, friends of Korea, fans of a well-told tale and lovers of historical fiction. However, the graphic, gory details of blood, war and sacrifice make it unsuitable for young adults. It should stay on adults’ reading shelves.
******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Vanished is an authentic portrayal by Pejay Bradley of Korean life in the early 20th century. It is beautifully written and makes for a deliciously lyrical read as it chronicles the life and times in Korean history under Japanese domination with the resulting rebellion and carnage. The story follows Embon, born into an all-powerful aristocratic family, who matures into an intelligent, privileged, and lazy adult. He is offered a coveted spot at a prestigious Japanese university where he makes friends with other wealthy Koreans outside of his class. They expose the miserable lives of their farmers, the indefensible cruelty of the Japanese reign and what it means to be Korean. Fired up, Embon joins the underground resistance, was arrested, imprisoned and contracted tuberculosis. Following his release, he returned home, recuperated, wed a woman from a lower class family then returned to Japan to continue where he left off. Ensuing events impelled him to embrace his nationality as never before.
I enjoyed the story’s rhythmic, continuous flow. It was easy to read. Although this is a work of fiction, I investigated parts of the story out of curiosity to ascertain the author’s accuracy since I knew nothing about South Korea. She seamlessly weaves in historical data which provides substance to the tale. All of the characters are fully fleshed out and their lives well-represented. The appalling misery of farmers’ lives and the mindless cruelty of both the Korean aristocracy, unknown up to this point, and the imposition of laws forbidding all Koreans to speak and write in their native tongue roused a fire in my belly.
Pejay Bradley skillfully directs the reader every step of the way thereby enabling us to understand and appreciate the issues involved and the resulting turmoil. I empathized, cringed, was horrified, saddened and angered by events in various parts of the book. She captured and masterfully engaged me within those pages up to the glorious end.
I had stopped reading historical fiction a long time ago and now I wonder about what escaped me based on this fabulous product. There was nothing to dislike in this well-edited book. It receives 4 out of 4 stars.
This wonderful book is enthusiastically recommended to Koreans, friends of Korea, fans of a well-told tale and lovers of historical fiction. However, the graphic, gory details of blood, war and sacrifice make it unsuitable for young adults. It should stay on adults’ reading shelves.
******
The Vanished
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Vanished by Pejay Bradley
