Sookan’s main struggle is brought about by the Japanese military who try to use dictatorship to control the Koreans civilians. Throughout the entire novel, Sookan and her family fight for their freedom as Koreans and are able to escape the brutal ways of communism. In this novel, the Koreans were stripped of all valuable items in order to aid the communist military.

This Novel is one of my favorite books due to its ability to create such a realistic situation of that time. It wasn’t much different from other books that I read about Korea. As compared to books about Japan during World War II, this book didn’t seem as harsh yet Koreans did have a hard time as well. Most of them refer to Korea as a time of hardship and torment. Based on a typical American view of North Korea, I expected such actions to take place in this book. Most Americans depict North Korea as a place that consists of strict rules which seems to be true based on facts from the novel. For example, a documentary on North Korea that appeared on CNN showed Korea as a place with no freedom and being watched 24/7.

This novel also allowed me to appreciate how fortunate I am to be living in a country that allows freedom and a stable government. It didn’t change the way I think of the world, it mostly opened my eyes to things I already knew yet never experienced. I would recommend this to a friend because it is straightforward and informative. Reading this novel may also show others how fortunate they are.