The Beloved Daughter

By: Alana Terry

Narrated by: Kathy Garver

Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

In a small North Korean village, a young girl struggles to survive. Catastrophic floods have ravaged her countryside. But it is her father's faith, not the famine of North Hamyong Province, that most threatens Chung-Cha's well-being. Is Chung-Cha's father right to be such a vocal believer? Or is he a fool to bring danger on the head of his only daughter? Chung-Cha is only a girl of twelve and is too young to answer such questions. Yet, she is not too young to face a life of imprisonment and forced labor. Her crime? Being the daughter of a political dissident.

The Beloved Daughter follows Chung-Cha into one of the most notorious prison camps the contemporary free world has known. Will Chung-Cha survive the horrors of Camp 22? And if she does survive, will her faith remain intact?

©2013 Alana Terry (P)2013 Alana Terry

Extremely difficult to get through

Would you try another book from Alana Terry and/or Kathy Garver?

As for the author, maybe,,, As for the narrator, absolutely never. She would be best narrating the wicked witch from Sleeping Beauty. Every character except the main character is done with such a grating tone it's very hard to get through.

Would you recommend The Beloved Daughter to your friends? Why or why not?

No, well, maybe if they read the book. But certainly not the audible version.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

A better question would be in what ways did the narrator enhance the book - she is just plain awful.

Any additional comments?

I listen to audible books nearly every day. Of course I have favorite readers, but I have never encountered one this bad.

Perfect

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Have and will continue too. I love that the characters aren't perfect like in most other Christian books I have read. They struggle and make mistakes.

What other book might you compare The Beloved Daughter to and why?

I would compare it to Francine Rivers books, any of them really (I've read the Mark of the Lion series for example) and the characters in those books are so perfect and don't seem to ever mess up. While they are well written I prefer The Beloved Daughter by far.

Which character – as performed by Kathy Garver – was your favorite?

Well the obvious answer would be the main character... Thats why she is the main character of course. I really liked the old woman though and the husband.

If you could rename The Beloved Daughter, what would you call it?

I really like the current name, it seems so fitting and such a great way to introduce the idea of the book.

Any additional comments?

Highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a good Christian book. It took me awhile to finally read it but when once I started I couldn't stop. I would have finished it in two days instead of four if I didn't have a job I have to go to... I would rather have read this book.

Beautiful

Where does The Beloved Daughter rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is my first audiobook, so I cannot go on as to compare. But I am loving it.

What other book might you compare The Beloved Daughter to and why?

Not sure.

Which scene was your favorite?

Scene 2 so far, I have not listened to it all, however, I am LOVING The Beloved Daughter. I read the ebook and it is one of my favorite books. I am so glad I have it as an audiobook too!

If you could take any character from The Beloved Daughter out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I am not good with names, but it was the old woman.

Any additional comments?

Alana Terry is a great author and The Beloved Daughter is my favorite book thus far. I look forward to reading/listening to her next book! Kathy Garver did a wonderful job narrating The Beloved Daughter.

Great Book!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a thrilling read and so captivating that I couldn't put it down. It tells the truth without being too graphic.

A Good Read

A good read about the religious biases of North Korea. A young girl is sent to prison and raped and beaten over the years because her father was a Christian activist. This is the beginning of her journey that will ultimately lead her into father's footsteps as an activist but now, 10 or so years later, she has a baby daughter she must leave behind in order to take up where her father left off... spreading the gospel. Thus, she write a diary to her beloved daughter so that her child will know how much her mother loved her. Mother does not expect to return to her daughter. A feel good read... okay narration.

Compelling read, important topic, listen and learn

Where does The Beloved Daughter rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The Beloved Daughter ranks near the top of previously listened to Audiobooks

What other book might you compare The Beloved Daughter to and why?

Beyond Sunday Moring, an Audie Award winner compares to The Beloved daughter as both books cover important topical issues in a dramatic fictional way to create make the most impact on the listener.

Which character – as performed by Kathy Garver – was your favorite?

The main character of chu cha was my favorite character. I identified with her as she met the unfolding events in her life. The narrator, Kathy Garver, did an excellent job in making that character realistic and approachable and was very able to convey her changing ages and emotions,

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was very moved by the scenes with the old woman and chu cha
The dynamics of the encounter and the differences in the voices made for emotionally stirring experiences

Any additional comments?

This book was an intriguing insight into a very important issue of Christians being persecuted. The author set a good pace for the book and the twists and turns it took provided many surprising revelations,. The narrator did an excellent job in keeping the suspense through her rhythm and delivery. The voices of the different characters were well defined and added drama to this very dramatic topic. I loved it!

Moving story not just for Christians

What made the experience of listening to The Beloved Daughter the most enjoyable?

I received my copy of "The Beloved Daughter" and.... read the entire thing in one day because I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed the story line as well as how the different characters were connected. It is easy to forget this story is set in modern days and not centuries ago with all the horrific things that happened to the characters (if you haven't read this story - I promise it isn't all bad - there are great messages of love and perseverance). It certainly opens one's eyes to what goes on in our world. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn about it.

Who was the most memorable character of The Beloved Daughter and why?

I did not find the character's names confusing because most characters are only in the novel for a short time and each in a unique situation (all revolving around one main character). They all were memorable.

Any additional comments?

Although not a long book, it covers so much. Religious persecution is very much alive today and this book reminds us of how it happens behind closed doors. A must read (with a box of tissues). Even if you are not a person of faith, this book will still speak to you about love and compassion. My mom borrowed this book and she is agnostic. She enjoyed it as much as I did, so do not be put off by it being written by a Christian author.

Moving and emotional Story

If you could sum up The Beloved Daughter in three words, what would they be?

Inspiring, moving, gripping and completely caught off guard by how awesome this book was!

What other book might you compare The Beloved Daughter to and why?

I can't even begin to compare a different book to The Beloved Daughter because I have never read anything like this. This is not a typical read for me, so I was completely blown away.

What about Kathy Garver’s performance did you like?

Kathy did a fantastic job with her voice inflection and made each character come alive. I could really separate the characters as I was listening to the book. She was amazing! 5 stars for her ability to make the characters come alive.

If you could take any character from The Beloved Daughter out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Chung- Cha. Her story was so compelling and I feel so emotionally attached to her. I would love to sit over coffee with her!

Any additional comments?

I have never listened to an Audiobook, so I was unsure what to expect. When I listen to the radio, I often find myself getting lost in my own thoughts, but this was definitely not the case for " The Beloved Daughter" by Alana Terry.

This audio book, is worth every penny if you're on the hinge of deciding whether you should purchase it or not.
Chung-Cha, a 12 year old girl living in North Korea was arrested because of her fathers faith, which led their family to imprisonment. Her father boldly proclaimed his faith. Eventually, her mother would die at the prison camp and she would learn the realities of her fathers death. At first, I found Myself very sad, anxious and wondering if their would be hope to this story, but as I continued, I found myself gripped by this audiobook. I turned it on while cleaning the house or driving in car, because I wanted to know what was happening to my friend at the prison camp and eventually the detention center.. I never could begin to fathom or understand the persecution those around the world face daily to stand for Jesus.

I thought that this audio book being seven hour long would be Long, but it was so very interesting, filled with historical information, back stabbing of her best friend at the detention center, turning of events, Chung- Cha developing a relationship with the Old Woman and even more turns of events, I would have never seen this all coming.

I appreciate this story so much because like Chung- Cha, it gave me a clear picture of why people give up on God. Chung- Cha was making her decisions of faith based on lies, betrayal, losing her family, her home, her life. She believed what she had to in order to survive the horrible things she faced

Eventually, she would have to choose between bitterness or forgiveness. It reminds me of why some people don't choose God in horrible circumstances and blame him. I also was reminded that I am privileged to live in a country where I can worship God freely without persecution for my faith. I really enjoyed "listening" to this book. It was really well told, with great character development, a rich plot and a wonderful story. I found myself very emotionally attached to Chung - Cha and I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read, going on a long road trip or hooking it up for a long run to listen to this story. It's amazing!

"The Beloved Daughter" was narrated by Kathy Garver, who had a clear voice, with great tone and voice inflection to reflect the characters who were speaking. Thank you, Alana Terry for making this available!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through at The Book Club Network, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

My review can be found on Deeper Shopping , Barnes& Nobles, Amazon and Audible and will have a 5 star review on all of them.

Once I Started I had to Finish it

The twists and turns of how God orchestrates His will in the lives His servants is reprsented in excellence by Alana. My heart is humbled as a servant of the Lord myself through the pages of her story. A must read book to give you a feel of the struggles and passions our brothers and sisters in Christ face and be bound with them by prayer that involves you in their lives.

The Beloved Daughter Blew Me Away!

If you could sum up The Beloved Daughter in three words, what would they be?

Touching Heart-Rending Story

What did you like best about this story?

I loved that this story brought to light a real-life issue but it was done with such a skill of writing as to be brilliant. Alana Terry took a something horrible that is often swept under the rug and turned it into something both awe-inspiring and beautiful. This story was brought to life with pen and paper. I felt like I was there with Chung-Cha and experienced her pain and heartbreak right along with her.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Chung-Cha was freed from Camp 22 by Moses and I cried at the surprise waiting for her on the other side on the river.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This was a book I couldn't put down!

Any additional comments?

My FULL review:

Chung-Cha's father was firm believer and advocate for God's Word but it was his outspokenness that had her family arrested and sent to the detention center, Camp 22. At only twelve years of age, Chung-Cha suffered horrific physical and mental abuse at the hands of the guards, nearly starved on the meager rations that she was given and, eventually, lost both parents. When she became an officers maid things finally seemed to be getting a little better, the beatings stopped and her rations increased but then she was betrayed by her best friend, Mee-Kyong, and sent back to the detention center. It was there that she met the Old Woman. The Old Woman had been in solitary confinement for twenty two years but, at the same time, she was feared by the guards. It was in their shared cell that Chung-Cha flourished and was reacquainted with God. Though many tragedies and heartaches followed, Chung-Cha remained strong and always kept a tiny bit of hope.

Follow her on her life's journey from imprisonment to freedom, from being a broken soul to having a heart full of hope. Follow her on a path from faithLESS to faithFUL. See how the beautiful story of this young girl unfolds.

This book evoked such feelings in me that I am not quite sure how to put them into words. It was told in the form of a letter from a mother (Chung-Cha) to her daughter (Ae-Cha). Chung-Cha describes the events of her life from the time she was twelve years-old and sent to a detention center called Camp 22. The horrific events she suffered, which included physical as well as metal abuse, go beyond what words I can use to describe them. From the constant beatings and humiliating acts performed by the detention guards to the acts of betrayal by the people she cared for most in the world. They abused her in every way Imaginable but they couldn't kill her strength and desire to live. The courage she displayed was awe inspiring. The one thing I noticed threaded throughout this story was the fact that each time she suffered through some devastating act or betrayal and was in her darkest hours, God brought her comfort and peace through the presence of people. Mee-Kyong, the Old Woman, Shin the detention officer that defected and helped Chung-Cha escape, So-Young, Kwan, Mr. Kim and Moses were all there for her when she needed them most. God can truly bring light into a dark world. I was constantly turning the page and was loathe to put the book down for any length of time. It definitely had twists and turns I was not expecting. When the truth was finally revealed about Moses I literally caught myself smiling from ear to ear, but it was that knowledge that only led to more tragedy. Alana's writing ability is remarkable and this is a story that I will carry with me for a long time. You can't read The Beloved Daughter and not be affected by it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it to anyone that loves stories filled with depth and emotion.

Disclaimer: I would like to thank Miss Alana providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. My review is honest and forthright and, other than a free copy of they book, I was in no way compensated for this review.