Children of the Sun by Harry Allen
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Children of the Sun and although it is fiction, I wanted this story to be real. Children of the Sun blends elements of bravery, friendship, and the pursuit of liberty in the face of adversity. It's a story that captivates with its emotional depth while challenging readers to confront the harsh realities of life in North Korea, a society where freedom is an absolute luxury. Ra Eun Seo and her friends' journey is a testament to the human spirit's resilience and unwavering hope for a better future.
Ra Eun Seo and her friends, Min and Nari, find themselves in a gripping tale of courage and survival in a destitute North Korean town in this compelling novel. Their discovery of a forbidden radio broadcasting South Korean music and news opens doors to a world of possibilities but also leads them into a whirlwind of trouble. Seo, gifted with a beautiful voice, takes a daring step by performing at the Festival of the Sun, unaware of the severe consequences of possessing forbidden materials from the South.
Their imprisonment sparks a harrowing journey as they strive to break free from the clutches of the authorities. Locked away and facing an uncertain future in a labor camp, the trio must navigate through unimaginable challenges that test their resilience and determination to secure their freedom. Their journey is both gripping and confronting, offering readers a glimpse into the hardships and dangers faced by those who dare to defy the strict rules of their society.

This is a sharply intelligent and deeply disturbing novel. It lays bare all the alleged humanitarian crimes committed in North Korea, in intimate and graphic detail, making North Korea the epicentre of fear in our deeply troubled world.
The author creates his story around Seo, Mia, Nari and Iseul, four teenagers trapped in a country ruled by violence, hunger and intolerance, where listening to a radio leads to a prison camp and hard labour. These are characters written with care and intense psychological perception.
Deeply disturbing are scenes like the wind moaning through the empty streets and houses of Kijong-Dong, a town created solely for propaganda purposes; and children condemned to serving life sentences for crimes committed by their grandparents long before they were born, and surviving only by eating rats and tree bark.
A brave and extraordinarily memorable book.

This is the story of three teenagers living in North Korea, who end up committing a crime against the state and being imprisoned in a camp for re-education. The author tells us that the story is fiction, but it has clearly been well researched and seems to fit with true accounts I've read. The story is exciting and fast-paced and I thought that the characters were really well written.