The Girl with Seven Names is a remarkable tale written by a remarkable young woman. She was able to escape from North Korea at 17, make her way in China, and settle in South Korea. On top of that she was able to aid her mother and brother to escape to South Korea. Her travels and tribulations were tremendous and it took all her intelligence, persistence, language skills, and good looks to make it. Even then, she needed the aid of a stranger and a boyfriend to prevail. The book makes you realize how difficult it is for a North Korean to defect and the power of brainwashing in a totalitarian state. As she pointed out, not only are so many others ready to deport North Koreans, North Koreans themselves do not understand that they have basic human rights.
