Banned Book Club

Kim Hyon Sook & Ko Hyung-Ju & Ryan Estrada

3/5 Banned Books

Set in South Korea in 1983, Banned Book Club follows a group of college students who are trying to change their country. Under a dictatorship, various freedoms in South Korea are not allowed. The citizens are only under the impression that they are free.

Students at college don't only protest to showcase inequalities, but they also host a banned book club to help spread the truth. Can books really be that dangerous? The government and police sure think so! Follow the story of Kim Hyon Sook as she tries to navigate a world her eyes were previously closed to.

This book was a great historical read! I had no idea that South Korea faced so much turmoil and unrest. Of course, we brush over it in school; however, we never learn the details. It was great to learn the details of what people in South Korea went through, and how important democracy is.

The only reason I gave this book a 3/5 is because it was the images themselves that were a little hard for me to follow. I normally love graphic novels, but this one was a little chaotic in my opinion. I had trouble following the characters and the story line, but I could understand the overall plot. I do still think this book is an important history lesson and a lesson on gratitude. It definitely made me more thankful for my freedom and books, of course!

Suggest Pairing: They Called Us Enemy by: George Takei