The Orphan Master's Son

A Novel

By: Adam Johnson

Narrated by: Tim Kang, Josiah D. Lee, James Kyson Lee, Adam Johnson

Length: 19 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize, Fiction, 2013

An epic novel and a thrilling literary discovery, The Orphan Master’s Son follows a young man’s journey through the icy waters, dark tunnels, and eerie spy chambers of the world’s most mysterious dictatorship, North Korea.

Pak Jun Do is the haunted son of a lost mother - a singer “stolen” to Pyongyang - and an influential father who runs Long Tomorrows, a work camp for orphans. There the boy is given his first taste of power, picking which orphans eat first and which will be lent out for manual labor. Recognized for his loyalty and keen instincts, Jun Do comes to the attention of superiors in the state, rises in the ranks, and starts on a road from which there will be no return.

Considering himself “a humble citizen of the greatest nation in the world,” Jun Do becomes a professional kidnapper who must navigate the shifting rules, arbitrary violence, and baffling demands of his Korean overlords in order to stay alive. Driven to the absolute limit of what any human being could endure, he boldly takes on the treacherous role of rival to Kim Jong Il in an attempt to save the woman he loves, Sun Moon, a legendary actress “so pure, she didn’t know what starving people looked like.”

Part breathless thriller, part story of innocence lost, part story of romantic love, The Orphan Master’s Son is also a riveting portrait of a world heretofore hidden from view: a North Korea rife with hunger, corruption, and casual cruelty but also camaraderie, stolen moments of beauty, and love. A towering literary achievement, The Orphan Master’s Son ushers Adam Johnson into the small group of today’s greatest writers.

From the Hardcover edition.

©2011 Adam Johnson (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

• Winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

“An addictive novel of daring ingenuity, a study of sacrifice and freedom in a citizen-eating dynasty, and a timely reminder that anonymous victims of oppression are also human beings who love - The Orphan Master’s Son is a brave and impressive book.” (David Mitchell, author of The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet)

“I’ve never read anything like it. This is truly an amazing reading experience, a tremendous accomplishment. I could spend days talking about how much I love this book. It sounds like overstatement, but no. The Orphan Master’s Son is a masterpiece.” (Charles Bock, author of Beautiful Children)

“Adam Johnson has pulled off literary alchemy, first by setting his novel in North Korea, a country that few of us can imagine, then by producing such compelling characters, whose lives unfold at breakneck speed. I was engrossed right to the amazing conclusion. The result is pure gold, a terrific novel.” (Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone)

bitter but poignant

This book eloquently tells a complex and difficult story, bitter and poignant in equal measure. The characters are multi-layered but not sympathetic. The book is at its best when seen through a wider lens than just as a story about North Korea's authoritarian regime. It is more meaningful but perhaps more depressing as a sad tale about humanity.

Mesmerizing

I read this book and decided that by listening, I could experience the story anew. So worth the time to sink into the author’s characters, so much so that a part 2 would have been welcome…if only.

Unbelievable details

The author mixes fact with fiction so delicately, casually and with such great detail you can’t help but get drawn in. The characters are so dark but you love them because they’re living in the darkness environment imaginable, but then it gets darker. Loved it.

a dark cautionary tale

an excellent listen, although the human behaviors are dark. Author's experience lends credibility to the reality of this story. Beware of those labeled "our great leader/governor". Their definition of democracy may not be the same as yours!

Emotional and beautiful novel

What a book. The narration was great, the story great, writing great. I can see why it won a Pulitzer. Highly recommend.

Won't be popular in North Korea

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

A fascinating look at the workings of North Korea especially at this tense time in diplomatic relations with the North. No wonder westerners have trouble conceiving of the way North Koreans think - the inner workings of this book match with the descriptions of prison life in the North conveyed by a recent life-long prison dweller. Hard to imagine how this culture damages the psyches of its citizens.

What did you like best about this story?

The plot was different than anything I'd ever read before.

Fascinating book

The beginning of the book is a little slow, but still very interesting as we follow a young man from an orphanage through early adulthood. Then it picks up, and is an interesting, exciting read. The end is a little drawn out - the author could have gotten to the ending a little quicker, but all in all a very good book.

I did some research on the author and on North Korea after I read Orphan Master's Son, and by all accounts it appears that the author does a good job of representing life in North Korea. This is a unique book - a very interesting and unusual plot, good characters, good writing, and good narration.

Pulitzer-worthy storytelling

Where does The Orphan Master's Son rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best I have listened to - among the top three, I would say.

What did you like best about this story?

Where do I start? First, I love how well researched it is. I learned something (a lot, actually) about North Korea while being engrossed in a complex, human story. I really cared about the characters and did not want the book to end. I love how it folds back on itself without ever straining to do so. The conclusion is satisfying in a weird way, but feels like the only possible one.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The various narrators help one understand the structure of the story beautifully, and each is a stellar performance.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

In North Korea, the stories you tell are more important than the man you are.

Any additional comments?

I cannot recommend this highly enough. A great read, a great listen and one of the most engrossing, transporting tales I have read in a long, long, time. I'll be telling all my friends to read this one.

WOW!

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

Yes, I have already recommended to friends.

What did you like best about this story?

I could not anticipate any of this. The story captivated me! I replayed portions of this book just to be able to wrap my mind around the circumstances described in the story. Loved the entire story.

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

Not sure, the story was very interesting but I did not read it.

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

Yes. Many moments in this book were quite moving. An entire nation held captive. Uncertainty of situation, status and even family loyalty.

Good Review

This book for the most part is not what it is advertised to be. You get a little bit about the dogs used by the SEAL's and a whole lot of history. Good luck staying awake!