mrs_mander_reads
Written on Dec 4, 2020
A Junior Library Guild Selection
"Highly recommended for readers passionate about activism." — SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, Starred Review
"Sure to inspire today’s youthful generation of tenacious changemakers." — BOOKLIST, Starred Review
"The messages of hope are universal." — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, Starred Review
"A timely read about friendship amid chaos." — NPR
"It’s hard to imagine a world where Banned Book Club could be more relevant than it is right now." — A.V. CLUB
When Kim Hyun Sook started college in 1983 she was ready for her world to open up. After acing her exams and sort-of convincing her traditional mother that it was a good idea for a woman to go to college, she looked forward to soaking up the ideas of Western Literature far from the drudgery she was promised at her family’s restaurant. But literature class would prove to be just the start of a massive turning point, still focused on reading but with life-or-death stakes she never could have imagined.
This was during South Korea's Fifth Republic, a military regime that entrenched its power through censorship, torture, and the murder of protestors. In this charged political climate, with Molotov cocktails flying and fellow students disappearing for hours and returning with bruises, Hyun Sook sought refuge in the comfort of books. When the handsome young editor of the school newspaper invited her to his reading group, she expected to pop into the cafeteria to talk about Moby Dick, Hamlet, and The Scarlet Letter. Instead she found herself hiding in a basement as the youngest member of an underground banned book club. And as Hyun Sook soon discovered, in a totalitarian regime, the delights of discovering great works of illicit literature are quickly overshadowed by fear and violence as the walls close in.
In BANNED BOOK CLUB, Hyun Sook shares a dramatic true story of political division, fear-mongering, anti-intellectualism, the death of democratic institutions, and the relentless rebellion of reading.
- ISBN13 9781945820427
- Publish Date 4 June 2020
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Iron Circus Comics
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 192
- Language English
Reviews
Quirky Cat
Written on Aug 5, 2020
Banned Book Club is the story of Kim Hyun Sook and her time in college. It's a story that was brought to life (once again) with the help of Ryan Estrada and Hyung-Ju Ko. This is a powerful read that you're not going to want to miss out on.
It's 1983 in South Korea. Kim Hyun Sook has just started college (despite her mother's hesitation). She was set to major in literature, and that opened a doorway for her, as one might imagine. Before she knew it, she was embroiled in politics, courtesy of banned books around the country.
Honestly, this true story stands much better on its own than any way I could ever sum it up for you. So read it. It's a quick but very powerful read and will provide so much insight into banned books – their dangers and their powers.
Banned Book Club tells the story of one woman – one banned book club – and the way they stood up against a militaristic regime. It's a poignant story and one that everyone should take the time to read.
I've admittedly only read a few graphic memoirs (something I should rectify), but I can honestly tell you that this would be on my top five list regardless. The message this graphic novel carries cannot be emphasized enough.
I should probably mention that this is a fictionalized version of events. It isn't completely accurate, as the creative team would be quick to tell you. I don't think that detracts at all from the message, thankfully. Especially considering one of the reasons the events were told with slight variation is to protect those that experienced them.
No matter how you look at it, whether you're an expert on the subject or new to the history, this is a graphic memoir worth reading – and remembering.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks