Iammostgratefulfortwothings:thatIwasborninNorthKorea,andthatIescapedfromNorthKorea.’
YeonmiParkwasnotdreamingoffreedomwhensheescapedfromNorthKorea.Shedidn’tevenknowwhatitmeanttobefree.Allsheknewwasthatshewasrunningforherlife,thatifsheandherfamilystayedbehindtheywoulddie-fromstarvation,ordisease,orevenexecution.
ThisbookisthestoryofPark’sstruggletosurviveinthedarkest,mostrepressivecountryonearth;herharrowingescapethroughChina’sunderworldofsmugglersandhumantraffickers;andthenherescapefromChinaacrosstheGobideserttoMongolia,withonlythestarstoguideherway,andfromtheretoSouthKoreaandatlasttofreedom;andfinallyheremergenceasaleadinghumanrightsactivist-allbeforeher21stbirthday.
