The Aquariums of Pyongyang

Growing up in Japan, the author's korean family gets duped into believing all the South Korean propaganda about returning to the homeland, and he finds himself leaving his well-off life behind in exchange for something much more grim. The family attempts to make do as best they can following this poor decision, but the family ends up getting thrown into a re-education camp for ten years. The bulk of the book takes place here, where the author describes the horrific conditions, punishments, and daily life they endured for those ten years.I thought this book's perspective was unique and interesting, as this was the first book I've read which describes the inside of these re-education camps. For obvious reasons, once you're released (as this author was), you're discouraged from talking about your time there. But I also thought the writing felt flat, unemotional, and distant, which may be a product of the author's experiences. I just didn't feel as drawn in or as emotional as I've felt reading other books on this subject. I thought [b:Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea 40604846 Nothing to Envy Ordinary Lives in North Korea Barbara Demick https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529606621l/40604846.SY75.jpg 6358552] and [b:In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom 24611623 In Order to Live A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom Yeonmi Park https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1437799970l/24611623.SY75.jpg 44749881] were both better reads, both in terms of depiction and in terms of writing style.I don't think I'd recommend this book to someone new to the topic of North Korea, but it's a nice, new look at something that isn't depicted very often in other books for people who are familiar with the topic.