The Orphan Master’s Son is a 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winning novel by American Adam Johnson. It is a fictional journey into the North Korean dictatorial Communist world.
The main character, Jun Do, is raised harshly in an orphanage by his father when his mother abandons him. He becomes a soldier, then a kidnapper, then a surveillance officer, all roles imposed on him by his state. “If a farmer is declared a music virtuoso by the state, everyone had better start calling him maestro. And secretly, he’d be wise to start practicing the piano”.
Such is the world of propaganda where South Korea, Japan, and the United States perpetuate evil against the virtuous and benevolent country of North Korea. It took me some time to catch on to the use of magical realism in this novel. Indeed I had first thought it to be loosely based on a true life account. However as time passes, our main character, Jun Do, falls victim to the state such that his life is in true danger and we the readers find ourselves rooting for him and grieving with him.
I actually enjoyed this novel with all its craziness, implausibilities, and impossibilities.
A lover of mangoes. A woman - smart, without pretense, lefthanded, Afropolitan - navigating this thing called life. An unapologetic believer in social justice and karma. Choosing to radiate positive energy and be true to myself. Here, my musings.
Share Your Thoughts