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

Kinda Over-The-Top, But Fairly Good

This is a jolly good book (wait, maybe jolly isn't the proper word for a book like this...?), but it's a bit over-dramatic. I don't for a second doubt the human rights abuses, the camps, the torture, the religious persecution; I think it came down to Kathy Garver's excessive snarling and growling of men/"bad guy" voices. And there are sooooo many of those that it throws the narrative and flow off.
But this is a good listen, an enlightening listen, and while I sorta had a knee jerk response when I discovered that I just purchased something that could be considered Christian literature (I know, I'm a narrow-minded toad; no offense to toads meant), I was quite pleased that the characters in the story lived their faith more than preached it. That's the way I was taught to live and I found it refreshing and inspiring.
While I thought the ending was abrupt at the time, after thinking about it for a time (and trust me, this book is good enough that you will truly think about it quite a bit), I realize that it ended the only way it could.
Read this book if you get a chance, but only as a Daily Deal, or a discount. Or do a kindle unlimited/audible bundle deal. This is a story that will get to you-if you're interested in North Korea/human rights/survival of the human spirit. Even love.

very talented narrator

What does Kathy Garver bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator captures the intensity in each scene and the complexity of each character. I was especially impressed with the way she made her voice "age" from the beginning of the book (when the narrator is still a child) to the end (when the narrator is a young adult). "The Beloved Daughter" is such an intense book, but the narrator does a great job not over-doing it. She has great characterizations and great drama, but she doesn't go over the top and detract from the story.

Any additional comments?

I saw a previous review that mentioned the chapters being out of order. This issue seems to be resolved. My audiobook downloaded without any problems.

Evangelical

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

I think that if you are looking for a Christian story of challenge and bravery, this might appeal to you. However, it was a superficial telling of a powerful story, with a preachy feeling. The reader was annoying

Do you think The Beloved Daughter needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Not one I'd read

Eye Opening and Powerful

Any additional comments?

This was a powerful story. I am ashamed to admit that I have never really given a lot of thought to religious persecution. Of course I know it exists today, but it is so foreign to me that I really never thought about what it really means to those who suffer from it. This is a fictional account of a girl who is imprisoned for her fathers beliefs, and her life in the prison and out. It opened my eyes to the sickening reality of so many believers and it grieved me. But this is also a very compelling story, one which you do not have to be a Christian to appreciate. The characters are flawed individuals and not idealized Christians (which I really appreciated), trying to survive their circumstances. The writing was not rave worthy, but I would highly recommend it because it was solidly good, it was a good story with eye opening subject matter.
All that being said, I did not like the narrator, her voice annoyed me, but not enough to not recommend it.

Burden of a Beloved Daughter

This book has left me hopeless and hopeful; faithful and struggling; full and half-empty. As it should - the reality of the situations where the gospel is not freely preached and is a secret commodity, where war is internal and intimate, where faith is a moment by moment choice are scary, unglamorous and sacrificial. The author is amazing in telling the story and the narrator superb. This book bears historical significance.

Many parts of this book were excellent.

This is a good example of two things being true. The subject of the book is an important one, and these stories need to be told. As a member of a persecuted faith, myself, (Bahai) , I am very much aware of the horrific decision that many people are forced to make every day in so many places in the world, right now In 2023. The decision to renounce ones faith or suffer, unspeakable horrors and torture, and often times death and even worse than the making of that decision is knowledge that they are undoubtedly putting their loved ones in danger, as well as themselves. I give thanks to God every day that I live in a country where I can worship God and follow my heart openly, and without fear. I wonder how many Americans truly appreciate how fortunate we are. My hope is that we never take this important freedom for granted or allow others to diminish the strength of this freedom by those who believe that their way is the only valid way. I also believe that we are all connected and that until we are ALL free to worship God as our hearts and conscious’s guide us, that none of us are truly free. That being said, I’m very glad I read the book.
It is also true that many parts of the book were disappointing . It could have been so much better. I felt many of the characters were only partially developed, leaving me with so many questions and an incomplete feeling. It also seemed to me that several characters had the potential for being very inspiring but were written in such a way that it was hard to understand, relate, or look up to them.
I thought this was a big missed opportunity for the author. Even the very basis for the narrative, the letter to the daughter, left me feeling a lack of completion, a sort of emptiness. It left me questioning the point. The point I presume being that we (Must love God, even more than our own children or our own families. That we must put serving God first) But sadly none of the characters in the book were developed strongly enough or written, convincingly enough to inspire that conviction.
Many characters had the potential to do so, and almost did, with the imprisoned revered grandmother coming closest. However sadly none quite got there. That was the most disappointing part of the book for me. The narration was also difficult for me. The voice of the guards and police were almost all the same and I found them portrayed in such an over the top “caricature” that it lacked believability thus making it hard to take a very serious situation seriously.
I noticed in some other reviews, the statement being made that it was unbelievable that someone would choose their faith first in a situation like this . This made me sad because if the book had accomplished, it’s goal, the readers would have known that many people DO make that decision every day, and that decision is torturous in itself. But there is also often a profound sense of peace and even joy found by these authentic, sincere martyrs that I find truly inspirational.

Was anyone awake?

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

It is too long and might have been better in short story form. The segments did not develop sympathy for the characters who were experiencing terrible situations. The reader's voice added nothing of the sorrow, and impending doom.

What could Alana Terry have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Hired a good editor.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Flat voice, little inflection

What character would you cut from The Beloved Daughter?

The mother - she could have been described only

Any additional comments?

The story needed tightening, characters had
powerful messages but they were ho hum except for the old lady.

Heavy Christian messaging, narrator not good

What disappointed you about The Beloved Daughter?

I am not a religous person, but I generally have no problem reading about a protagonist with religous undertones. However, the people in this book made so many mindboggling decisions only based on their faith that it completely alienated me from the story.

What didn’t you like about Kathy Garver’s performance?

First of all I thought her voice sounded too old for a 12+ year old girl, but I could get used to that. However, when there were any men speaking, she twisted her voice so that every male character sounded like a bad Disney-villain. Every single man. She also spoke in baby-voice when reading the lines of a 17 year old girl.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I think it had a lot of potential, but the narration completely ruined it for me. I might look into reading the actual book though, to see if I might like it better.

Unexpected religious content

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I don't know if there is anything that would make this a higher starred listening experience for me. I don't enjoy religious books and this is definitely one of them! I just wish I had realized what the content would be before I purchased it.

Would you ever listen to anything by Alana Terry again?

I doubt it, unless the story was more secular.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator was fine. It's the material I didn't like - the religious preaching imbedded in the story.

A huge disappointment...

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

No

Has The Beloved Daughter turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

Would you be willing to try another one of Kathy Garver’s performances?

Never in a million years!

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The plot could have been crafted into a great book, but as it is, it's just an okay story that is horribly narrated. Almost painfully so.