The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson

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The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson



Jun Do was not an orphan but he lived at the orphanage, Longs Tomorrow, with his father the orphan master. He was the oldest boy at the orphanage since his father refused to let anyone take him away. He knew nothing of his mother except that she was a beautiful singer taken to Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. His name is one that he chose from the 114 Grand Martyrs of the Revolution whose stories and names he had all memorized. It was when the famine came, when Jun Do was 14, that the boys were sent to the Army and his fate was sealed. It was because his home was Longs Tomorrow that he was assigned the detail of tunnel soldier. That’s how he learned to fight in the dark. That’s how his reputation spread to attract the attention of those in higher positions. When the officer came looking for him he wasn’t given a choice. Everything in North Korea is done for the good of the country and for the love everyone has for their Dear Leader.
I was mesmerized by this fictional account of life in North Korea. The character of Jun Do is so well developed and so intriguing that I was immediately invested. But it was more than that. The cloud of mystery that hovers over this entire story simply adds to the suspense and the thrill of this novel. Could this really be what’s happening in North Korea? Could a boy perceived to be an orphan, be taught to sweep tunnels and to fight in the dark, in order to defeat any sneak attack by America and South Korea? I have no idea but all I kept telling myself was this can’t be real. Jun Do’s character is so genuine and so full of depth that I couldn’t help but be entranced by his story. It was his strength and his resolve that had me turning the pages.

Johnson took full advantage of the limited information available to the public about North Korea and created a world that is completely believable and ultimately terrifying. Johnson wrote the story in two parts which worked brilliantly. The first explains the life of Jun Do and what trials and tribulations he had experienced until the man we know as Jun Do no longer exists. The second part of this novel takes place in the thick of the North Korean government and forces the reader to decipher the truth within the pages. Both parts were equally intriguing. Both parts offered insight into everyday life in North Korea. The second part was an intimate as the first, but offered various angles to the story. I didn’t want to put this book down. I needed to know what would become of this unknown world and I was thoroughly satisfied. I give this novel 5 out 5 stars. This wasn’t a light read but it was extremely insightful and enjoyable. 

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