The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson was the 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction and it doesn’t disappoint. This is the story of Pak Jun Do; the orphan turned kidnapper turned fishing boat signal operator turned diplomat turned commander. Enter the hidden world of North Korea where propaganda and the authority of the Dear Leader are the only things that can be counted on. I am a bit of a Korea buff so finding this wonderfully written and frighteningly real story was a real treat. I tell friends that if they want to get a sense of North Korea to read this book along with Nothing to Envy: ordinary lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick and Dear Leader: poet, spy, escapee by Jin-Sung Jang. (Submitted by Braden).

Johnson’s novel The Orphan Master’s Son deserves placement on a list of contemporary masterpieces that may include such memorable works as Morrison’s Beloved, McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, Robinson’s Gilead, and Diaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. One measure of great literature is its ability to be life-affirming. Johnson challenges our intellectual foundation and unseats our moral capacity by giving us a terrifying glimpse of life inside North Korea. In doing so, he alters our understanding of the extent of human atrocities and amplifies the power of the human heart.

Told primarily through the experiences of the remarkable character of Pak Jun Do, Johnson allows us to feel the horror and violence of one of the world’s most maniacal regimes. Jun Do’s hard life leaves you full of compassion for the pain and suffering he endures. But even while your heartstrings are wrenched, your pulse will be racing as you take the plight with Jun Do into the darkest machinations of the North Korean government. When cruelty and sorrow seem certain to crush Jun Do, his perseverance and courage grow stronger.

Johnson’s narrative is mind-bending with its bizarre circumstances and shifting voices. It is equally thrilling to find out what will happen next. The story ranges from stylistic elements of satire, adventure, survival, and even romance, but its many layers and dimensions only contribute to its greatness. This novel demands a lot from readers, but the rewards are immense. The Orphan Master’s Son is a feat of literary imagination at the highest rank.

This 2013 Pulitzer Prize winning work of fiction is a riveting read. A masterful story-teller, the author moves between the absurd to the obscene while describing life in North Korea and how much suffering and deprivation humans can endure while remaining human. A fast paced, political thriller, if you enjoyed “1984”, “Oryx and Crake” or “The Hunger Games”, give this a try.

Learn something about Korea and read an usual story.

This is about Pak Jun Do a boy whose father is an illegal child labor enforcer in North Korea. Pak soon takes on his father's role and rises through the ranks but because of impossible demands from his superiors, he soon becomes enemies with the dictator Kim Jong Il. But then risks it all to be with the woman he loves, an actress. This book didn't really explore some aspects that I was hoping it would, and when I first picked it up I thought it was going to be from the perspective of one of the actual child slaves escaping. The story itself was very well written, but I wouldn't recommend it to someone else.
- @Florence of the Teen Review Board of the Hamilton Public Library

I recently "tried" to read this book and found it to be poorly written and dreadfully boring not to mention that it was an awful subject. My question is: How did a book like the win the Pulitzer prize? I find that there have been some very obscure books that I picked up and read and really enjoyed and then a prize winning book I can't get through more than 100 pages before putting it down because I just can't plow through it any longer.
I don't recommend this book.

An unimaginable world, beautifully expressed in words.

Such a long novel that I had difficulty finding the motivation to finish. Excellent story teller - I just was hoping to find a purpose/direction to the stories. Perhaps I will finish after a mental break.

In its entirety, The Orphan Master's Son is quite a feat of storytelling. The unraveling! The nuances! Johnson has pieced together details so relevant, so numerous, I imagine I missed so much brilliance. It all fits together so perfectly.

Ironic and thought provoking. Loved it.