A refugee story that’s not about the refugee
Jia offers a glimpse of life in enigmatic North Korea, but its title character remains obscure as evera
By Katie Moore
Published: September 10th, 2007 | 3:11pm
If rogue regimes and human rights issues peak your interest, Jia: A Novel of North Korea
A crucial problem with writing about people from a country such as North Korea is that because individual growth is suppressed in all possible ways, character quirks are often obscured. The only character that can really be described in detail is the character of the government, which comes off perpetuating an absurd version of reality.
Jia’s childhood, culture, and escape are told in a straightforward way, injected with a few overly dramatic descriptions that nostalgia often succumbs to. However, while Jia herself may not seem a specifically interesting character, her story is a unique one as we witness her growing up in an orphanage, denying and confronting her past, and the betrayal of others. Her friendship with a street child is the most endearing part as they come to rely upon one another for protection and comfort. And there are a few instances when she acts in defiance — for instance, when she refuses to be used sexually by a group of sleazy businessmen.
While such a novel is entitled to leave some aspects a mystery, the ending abruptly cuts off the emerging development of the title character. Maybe that’s the point, but some reflection about the eponymous character could have added a lot. Although Jia may not possess mass appeal, it does provide insight into the tribulations of those who are stuck under an oppressive dictatorship that drives its citizens into making monumental sacrifices, only to wind up in desperate situations.
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Jia: A Novel of North Korea
Hyejin Kim
240 pages
List Price: $14.95
Issue #35
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