Reviews The Girl With Seven Names

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The Girl With Seven Names Summary

The Girl With Seven Names teaches about Korean culture and all actions have consequences, Hyeonseo’s journey to a different country fulfills her curiosity about outside countries. The novel The Girl With Seven Names is told from the author’s point of view, the main character Hyeonseo is also the writer of the book. The Girl With Seven Names is truly a fascinating read. With all of the news coverage about North Korea, there are thousands of little details which can only be learned from someone who grew up there. The first half of Ms. Lee's story is her childhood. She describes the importance of 'sonbung,' the caste system. Review: 'The Girl With Seven Names,' by Hyeonseo Lee, with David John; North Korean defector's life on the run. In 2009, a little over a decade after she left North Korea at age 18, the opportunity arose for Hyeonseo Lee to get her mother and brother out, taking them on a long, extremely risky route through China to Laos or Thailand.

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Preview — The Girl with Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee

An extraordinary insight into life under one of the world’s most ruthless and secretive dictatorships – and the story of one woman’s terrifying struggle to avoid capture/repatriation and guide her family to freedom.
As a child growing up in North Korea, Hyeonseo Lee was one of millions trapped by a secretive and brutal totalitarian regime. Her home on the border with China..more

Published July 2nd 2015 by William Collins

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The Girl With Seven Names Summary

Jul 17, 2015Sungeun Jin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Full Disclosure: I am a South Korean and I have encountered with a number of readings, TED-talks, Youtube videos on life in North Korea, testimonies of North Korean defectors on horrific lives in our neighbor country. However, I found this book intriguing, unique and inspiring.
What Hyeonseo offers in this book is quite different from other N.Korean defector's story. She's from a family with high class, had a relatively comfortable life to North Korean standard, and did not leave her country and..more

Oct 22, 2016abby rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

By the time she turned 29, Hyeonseo Lee had spent a decade living on the run and in hiding. She had escaped a brothel, survived a kidnapping, run away from a loveless engagement, and changed her name four times. She was attacked on the street, robbed, conned, and arrested more than once.
She is one of the lucky ones.
Hyeonseo Lee was born in North Korea under a different name, to a family with good songbun (NK's caste system). But even being one of the lucky ones in North Korea means that Lee witn..more

Dec 23, 2017Dem rated it really liked it

What an interesting story and its so hard to believe that in this day and age that a whole nation of 25.5 Million people could be so cut off from the rest of the world and its leader could controll and dictate everything about peoples lives from birth to death.
I had read a couple of books on North Korea over the years and came across The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story and another book which I felt were both worth reading.
This book is easy to read and Hyeonseo Lee is certa..more

Nov 21, 2015Julia Graf rated it liked it

I did enjoy this but I also feel like she made a lot of really incredibly dumb choices that really made no sense. For example she stayed with relatives in China for 2 whole years (!!!) and didn't think of maybe using that time to get a job to save money, or to learn a vocation? Then she runs away penniless on the spur of the moment and has no plan of what to do. You had 2 years to think about it and relied on the kindness of distant relatives to support you, but you didn't think ahead of what to..more

If you're like me and haven't read much about past and present living conditions in Northern Korea , you'll learn a lot here.This simply written book follows the courageous journey of a 17 year old girl who will need to change her name seven times after she defects from North Korea and reinvents her life both in China and later South Korea. Written to read like a novel, it will certainly give you a greater appreciation of the freedoms we often take for granted, while not weighing you down with m..more

Sep 18, 2018Trish rated it really liked it · review of another edition Girl

Shelves: memoir, social-science, political-science, family, audio, government, asia, nonfiction

I listened to this remarkable story, read by Josie Dunn and published by HarperCollins Publishers UK, with a degree of disbelief. Certain parts of the story agree with what I’d learned already about the lives of North Koreans, the general trend of their escapes, and their orientation in South Korea as refugees. The author was young, seventeen, when she decided to cross the frozen Yalu in winter and go see her relatives in Shenyang, China.
She’d had no idea where Shenyang was—that I actually coul..more

Jan 13, 2017enqi ☁️✨ [joon's] rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: standalone-favorites, 2017, standalones, beauty-of-asia, the-ones-that-own-my-soul, diverse-reads, badass-heroines, on-my-kindle, pure-art, 2017-favs

once again this book has made me realise how privileged and fortunate i am. it's dealt no less of a hard blow to my heart and i'm really a mess now. her autobiography was wild and moving and heartbreaking and my entire worldview has been altered in the course of a few hours.
i'll write a full review.. in a few days

Apr 21, 2019Patti Biley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A riveting tale I won’t forget. Even though she and her family live in relative comfort (by North Korean standards) owing to her father’s military career, Hyeonseo’s curiosity drives her to take the risk of crossing the river to China alone to get a taste of the outside world. Once she has left her country, however, it becomes clear that her life will be in danger if she tries to return. So, she is forced to rely on her own wits to survive the dangers and challenges that come her way in her year..more

This was definitely the best autobiography I've read to date. Hyeonseo is a brave exceptional woman who has been through hell and back. The loyalty and love she has for her family was so lovely to read.
I can't even form a proper review- no review will describe how much I loved reading this book!

Mar 23, 2018Sharon Metcalf rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Girl with Seven Names: Escape From North Korea by Hyeonseo Lee is what reading is all about for me. Learning something of the world, of the lives of others and gaining an appreciation for just how fortunate I am to have been born in this time and place with the freedoms and luxuries often taken for granted. Hyonseo Lee's memoir tells of the complete ideological indoctrination of the North Korean people. She detailed the way the brainwashing begins from the time of their birth and never lets..more

Jan 20, 2017Apratim Mukherjee rated it really liked it

This is the first time I read a North Korean defector's story.I had read about the oppressive regime but the book is an eye opener of all sorts.Though written like a thriller novel,the book tells a lot of suffering that the North Koreans go through in their perilous journey during their defection.The treatment of these defectors in China is a matter of concern for the international community.
The book deserves 4 stars ..1 deduction for too much propaganda material in the beginning and sensationa..more

Jan 03, 2019Gina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: memoirs-biographies-autobiographies, asia, china, favorites, culture-and-traditions, nonfiction

This is an amazing book. You may go into it knowing that it's written by a young lady who leaves North Korea in search of a better life, but in truth, it is so much more than that.
Hyeonseo successfully made it out of North Korea and lived in China for 10 years illegally. The book speaks of her life in North Korea and you may be surprised that in many ways it is worse than what we hear on the news, but I guarantee you will be surprised at her continued love for her homeland and her longing at tim..more

This book has been on my To-Read list for a long time. I was so excited when I finally got it from the library. I highly suggest this book to everyone. It is such an eye-opener and so fascinating. What North Koreans are going through to become free is so tragic.
'An extraordinary insight into life under one of the world’s most ruthless and secretive dictatorships – and the story of one woman’s terrifying struggle to avoid capture/repatriation and guide her family to freedom.
As a child growing up..more

Jul 10, 2016Nancy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: north-korea, non-fiction, all-time-favorites, memoir

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Apr 13, 2018L.A. Starks rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

An exceptionally illuminating book into life inside North Korea, and the risks in escaping it, from a brave and talented young woman

Mar 03, 2017Alissa Patrick rated it really liked it

Being an American, I knew a little about the hardships in North Korea, as well as how crazy Kim Jong-Il was (& now Kim Jong-Un). But reading this memoir of a North Korean defector's account just floored me. It definitely opened my eyes

Dec 27, 2016Jeannette Nikolova rated it really liked it

Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.
Country: North Korea
This is the second book that I have read, which tells the stories of North Korean defectors, the first being Nothing to Envy.
I debated with myself whether I need another book for my book world trip, but what set my mind was the idea, that while Nothing to Envy is a story told through a 'middle man', The Girl with Seven Names is an autobiography. Ultimately, now I can say that the difference between the two books is mostly in the wa..more

Nov 15, 2015Diane rated it it was amazing

What a fascinating look inside a place so shrouded in secrecy. I've watched a couple of documentaries about North Korea on Netflix, and was shocked by the extent of indoctrination and how isolated the North Korean people are from knowledge of the world beyond their borders. This is the story of a young girl who had it pretty good in North Korea, comparatively speaking [the ludicrousness of that statement is illustrated by the fate of her father], but was starting to have some doubts and question..more

Sep 09, 2018Negin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir-biography, all-time-favourites, north-korea

This is the third book that I’ve read about North Korea. My favorite is still Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick, and one that I highly recommend. “The Girl with Seven Names” is a close second. I could barely put this book down. It’s beautifully written, so moving, the type of book that you can’t stop thinking about.
Notice the framed pictures of the leaders inside this North Korean home. When couples get married, they’re given framed pictures with a specific cloth that must be used only for thos..more

The Girl with Seven Names is a powerful, fascinating true story about a young girl who manages to escape from North Korea. She gives a very honest view of living in North Korea and her escape and later helping her mother and brother escape. I found myself feeling all the pain, the struggles and the fear that Hyeonsea felt. It also reveals the difficulties, for young and old to assimilate into a new culture. This is an intriguing account of an amazing young women.

North Korea memoirs are always difficult. The stories of escape aren't yet so common as to be mundane (though perhaps we should hope for the day they are) but they're difficult to put into great prose.
Hyeonseo Lee tells of a remarkable upbringing in that reclusive country, although in her border town people seem to cross into China and back with surprising ease. Her escape story and life in China testifies to her grit and intelligence. And the story of how she adopted seven different names in he..more

Mar 21, 2019Stephanie Anze rated it really liked it

'The girl with many names and no identity.'
4.5 stars
Hyeonseo Lee was born in North Korea. In part because her parents held government jobs, she and her brother had a good life, all things considered. Except that Hyeonseo had a different name then and a different mindset, believing North Korea to be the greatest country in the world. A few weeks shy of turning eighteen, she decided to cross the border into China for a brief foray before she started college. Her brief foray turned into a ten year..more

Jul 04, 2015Lauren rated it it was amazing

Shelves: in-the-media, 2015-reads, nonfic, top-of-2015, memoirs

Hyeonseo Lee grew up carefully cleaning picture frames for weekly inspections by government officials in white linen gloves. In her classroom and at her mother’s job, weekly meetings were conducted in which everyone in attendance had to confess their guilt about something and accuse others of the same. The leaders of her country were made heroes in fairy tales told by her kindergarten teachers. Those who did not cry enough when Kim Il-Sung died mysteriously disappeared. Even living on the border..more

Excellent and much different than Escape from Camp 14 and other books which involved life in the prison camps. The author lived what many would have considered a fairly normal life in a North Korea border town with China. This story gives a picture of average life in North Korea, life for defectors in China, and life struggling with their new identity. Her family adds much drama to the story as well. A very good read to get a different perspective and to learn from Hyeonseo's incredible story.

I read this about a year ago but the story has not left me. I am in awe of the author, Hyeonseo Lee, and her determination at the age of 17 to escape from the oppressive regime of North Korea. Her story is compelling and I had trouble putting it down. It ends far better than the stories of most other defectors. This young woman showed incredible strength and perseverance not only in her escape to freedom, but finally successful she then had to face terrifying twists and turns in her new world. H..more

The story of Hyeonseo and her family's escape from North Korea is fascinating and moving. The style itself is very matter-of-fact, and the writing isn't emotional. It doesn't have to be. The stories she tells are powerful enough on its own. Just when you think that Hyeonseo catches a break, something else terrible happens. But what really sets this book apart for me is the nuance - the fact that life is as difficult for a North Korean defector in China or South Korea as it is to remain in North..more

Jan 30, 2017Stephanie rated it it was amazing

It was the story about woman who leave her country to satisfy her curiosity of the world. She can't go back because her country has a strict regulation that the people who leave will get a punishment when they go back. So she must take her own path in a new world live as an illegal settler and hide her identity as a North Korea citizen. She had go through a lot hardship in her way to get the freedom and had to change her names for a several times. She never know that it tooks a long way to final..more

Nov 28, 2016Caitlin Gutilla rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is the most informative, interesting, and mind boggling memoir I've ever read. North Korea is a mysterious country that blocks out all foreign powers to strengthen its own dictatorship. This story gives insight into North Koreans' every day lives and the grueling process of escaping the hunger, the brutality, and the control. I'm actually appalled at how the surrounding Asian countries treated the defectors seeking asylum from a known dictatorship. I don't know if it's still like that today..more

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'Hyeonseo Lee brought the human consequences of global inaction on North Korea to the world's doorstep.. Against all odds she escaped, survived, and had the courage to speak out.'
--Samantha Power, U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations

“I hope you remember that if you encounter an obstacle on the road, don’t think of it as an obstacle at all… think of it as a challenge to find a new path on the road less traveled.” — 50 likes

“After years in the Chinese workforce, I had developed an emotional attachment to money. My earnings were my hard work and long hours; my savings were comforts deferred.” — 12 likes

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As a child growing up in North Korea, Hyeonseo Lee was one of millions trapped by a secretive and brutal communist regime. Her home on the border with China gave her some exposure to the world beyond the confines of the Hermit Kingdom and, as the famine of the 1990s struck, she began to wonder, question and to realise that she had been brainwashed her entire life. Given the repression, poverty and starvation she witnessed surely her country could not be, as she had been told “the best on the planet”?

Aged seventeen, she decided to escape North Korea. She could not have imagined that it would be twelve years before she was reunited with her family.

HarperCollins Publishers; July 2015
ISBN: 9780007554867
Read online, or download in secure ePub format
Title: The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story
Author: Hyeonseo Lee; David John (other)
Imprint: William Collins

Subject categories

Biography & Autobiography > Political
Political Science > Political Freedom & Security
Biography & Autobiography > Women

ISBNs

9780007554836
9780007554867

In The Press

‘The most riveting TED talk ever’ Oprah

‘Harrowing’ Wired

‘A sad and beautiful story of a girl who could not even keep her name, yet overcame all with the identity of what it is to be human’ Jang Jin-sung, author of ‘Dear Leader’

‘Stirring and brave … true, committed, unvarnished and honest. Lee has made her own life the keyhole to the present, inside and outside of North Korea’ Scotsman

‘Remarkable bravery fluently recounted’ Kirkus

About The Author

Hyeonseo Lee grew up in North Korea but escaped to China in 1997. In 2008, after more than 10 years there, she came to Seoul, South Korea, where she struggled to adjust to life in the bustling city. Recently graduated from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, she has become a regular speaker on the international stage fostering human rights and awareness of the plight of North Koreans. She is an advocate for fellow refugees, even helping close relatives leave North Korea. Her TED talk has been viewed nearly 4m times. She is married to her American husband Brian Gleason and currently lives in South Korea.

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