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  • Every Falling Star

  • The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea
  • By: Sungju Lee, Susan McClelland
  • Narrated by: David Shih
  • Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (55 ratings)
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Every Falling Star cover art

Every Falling Star

By: Sungju Lee, Susan McClelland
Narrated by: David Shih
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Summary

Every Falling Star, the first book to portray contemporary North Korea to a young audience, is the intense memoir of a North Korean boy named Sungju, who is forced at age 12 to live on the streets and fend for himself. To survive, Sungju creates a gang and lives by thieving, fighting, begging, and stealing rides on cargo trains. Sungju richly recreates his scabrous story, depicting what it was like for a boy alone to create a new family with his gang, his "brothers"; to be hungry and to fear arrest, imprisonment, and even execution. This riveting memoir allows young listeners to learn about other cultures where freedoms they take for granted do not exist.

©2016 Sungju Lee (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A pampered son of the elite survives a nightmarish ordeal in this page-turner of a memoir." ( Kirkus)

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What listeners say about Every Falling Star

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A shocking and beautifully told true story

The story and the narration were both excellent. North Korea is a hidden world and this is a glimpse into the brutality of life for the street children there and gives something of an understanding into the way of thinking of North Korean people. It is shocking to realise that these events happened so easily and so recently, the main character and his gang of brothers will stay with me for a long time.

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Just could not connect


I do like these types of books but found this one so hard to connect to.

I feel it needs some editing, as it was full of so much power emotion and such a great true story but failed somehow.

If you want a good book about life and subsequent escape from North Korea, I would suggest A River in darkness.

I feel really bad leaving this poor review on something so important.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Not the normal

Fabulous, harrowing, sad , inspiring.
I’ve read a dozen non fiction on North Korea and this is up there with the best and completely different in its make up .
You can pretty much tell what the story story line is but this throws up many surprises and from such a young main character which is beautifully told .
The last chapter left me with a lump in my throat and wondering what the powers that be are prepared to do around the globe for complete control .
It’s a must read .

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved this

Really gripped by his story and the telling of it. I knew nothing about North Korea before reading this book. Insightfull.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Surviving in North Korea.

I have listened to several books about escaping North Korea. This book is the story of a group of boys and how they survived the appalling living conditions. The narrator of this story eventually leaves, but mainly this is a story of him and his friends staying alive, doing whatever they had to.
Excellent book.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Every falling Star.

One of the best book I have ever read. So beutiful, touching and shocking. The narrator was very good.

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Be prepared to cry

I can’t believe how much is going on in North Korea. I didn’t realise until I stumbled upon Yeonmi Park’s book first before I was searching up more defector stories and found this one. Sungju Lee has gone through hell. He is one of many North Koreans who are going through this day in day out. Beautifully written, this book has been gripping. South Korea is is a blessing for taking in defectors. Please do read and research on it. Thankyou for opening my eyes.

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good

so good and acsiting yeah guys get this book

goooooooooooooooooooooooooooood guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuys good as chocolate yes

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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amazing story!

This book gives a different insight in to north korea then the others I have read. The life of a street kid is tougher then we can imagine. This book also contains loads of info into how North Koreans think. Great would recommend.

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A truly remarkable story

Any additional comments?

Every Falling Star provides an almost unbelievable account of SungJu's life in North Korea. I had to keep reminding myself that this is not fiction. What SungJu describes is not just the trauma and troubles that he went through personally, but the same trauma that so many North Koreans have faced, and continue to face, in their daily lives. One can only try to imagine the horror these people experience, and from such a young age, is extremely saddening.
I have to say that it is very well written, and is read perfectly by Shih.
The book made me feel so lucky to be have been born in the U.K., and has helped me to appreciate a lot of the things that I take for granted. It's also eye opening to the issues we still face in the modern world. I'd recommend this book to everyone, as I believe the book provides a perspective that is important for many to see.

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