The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story

Hyeonseo Lee

Jul 2015 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

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 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.

Ratings and reviews

One of the best books I encountered. The vivid descriptions make your heart melt at times and the story is amazing. It gives you a glimpse of a reality hidden from us.

Its an amazing story of a girl who leaves North Korea and the reason of her leaving and obstacles she faces ahead is brilliantly potrayed. We often take so many things for granted but after reading this book.. we value our freedom and change our attitude and find happiness in little things. This really helped me in lockdown also i read this book after watching her TED TALK. Beautiful girl.. beautiful story. One must read to understand what dystopia feels like.

i wanna write a book as a student according to my life. i wanna a docter but i cant do it because my teacher make me a 'para lika jahil 'i want say all parent dont destroy children life.i am poor and needy girl i wanna a docter when i was study matric my government is saying give me a my charges pay my fee but i can not pay. i leave study and i will marreid i cant understand my situation because when i have stickt mother in law.i cant handle them all problem my husband say give me a son.one day i will decied i will leave all member. what i do .ond day i decieded really i will cocite the end

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.