In the Shadow of the Sun

In the Shadow of the Sun
by Anne Sibley O'Brien
Scholastic, 2017. Fiction. 303 p.
Mia and her brother Simon travel with their father to North Korea. Mia's father has been an aid worker in North Korea for several years, but this trip is supposed to be purely recreational. That all changes when Mia's father is arrested by North Korean police and Mia and Simon flee into the countryside with pictures that the government does not want leaving the country. As Mia and Simon start a long and dangerous trek toward the boarder, they get a taste of what daily life is like for the oppressed people of North Korea and come to understand each other --and themselves--better.

This book gives the reader a peak into what life is like for foreigners and citizens in what has been called the most oppressive dictatorship in the world. O'Brien grew up in South Korea and meticulously researched the details of the landscape and people Mia and Simon encounter. She also does a great job portraying Mia and Simon's strained sibling relationship and gradual reconciliation. This is a great choice for readers who like stories of adventure in exotic lands.

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