Imagine living in a world where even the books you read were policed. This was fiction for Kim Hyun Sook, who recounts this is the graphic novel Banned Book Club.

Beautifully drawn images accompanied the storyline in a way that really draws the reader in, and certainly provokes the reader to feel for the characters. The story, in a memoir-esque form, felt smooth, and wasn’t shy when showing the fear of the characters with the military’s censorship during the 1980s. The graphics really brought to life the images necessary to convey a message, as well as truly set the tones and moods that ebbed and flowed within the storyline. I also found the images were rather detailed as well, as if the finer details mattered to the illustrator.

I wasn’t aware that even a single book would have landed you in trouble in South Korea in 1983 until reading this graphic novel. The way it was presented showed how progressive Kim Hyun Sook was in comparison to her parents who just towed the line to avoid getting in trouble. Trying to imagine that happening in my home country (Australia) is hard, but I found this to be utterly important as this could happen to any country in the world- and censorship certainly does happen in some countries in the world still to this day.

I appreciate that the main character, Kim, was just starting out college. I feel that it was appropriate to have the story set at that time of the character’s life as that is typically viewed as the time point where people learn the most about who they are, and what they want to be. This is true of Kim, who is young and bright, as well as full of wonder. I also loved how some of the characters tried to challenge the military regime’s ideals within the book club, encouraging (or as I read it, recruiting) freshman year college students to join and read literature that the government has banned- mostly for being way to progressive or ‘dangerous’ to the government’s ideals. I liked that Kim knocked back her nervousness of the club (after finding out people got arrested for a similar club),in the fight for a broader knowledge of literature. Knowing that the military disliked this, I felt that they had a very Big Brother-like appearance throughout the book, appearing at rather odd moments to try and spring members of the club.

The themes of politics and militia, literature, and friendship are definitely melded together well in this novel, and made for a compelling and somewhat true story come to life, and really drew me in. The story, accompanied with the graphics were definitely something I wasn’t expecting, given I jumped into this book without knowing very much, and honestly, it was such a thrill! I think that this is a book that everyone should read, as history, regardless of whether it happened in the country we live in or not. History is something that is super important to know, and it helps develop our worldviews too.

If you’re a fan of historical fiction, reading about Big Brother-like governments, or standalone graphic novels, Banned Book Club just might be your next favourite graphic novel!

Rating: 4.5/5

(This review will go live on my blog on August 6!)

This is a moving tale of resisting censorship and the power of books. The illustrations are expressive and easy to follow. Each character has a range of emotions that are evident in the writing and images. I would recommend this as a book club pick for teens and families. It can facilitate many important conversations.

I really liked this graphic novel set in South Korea before the impeachment of one of their leaders. It was set during the student protests to try and bring Korea to democracy and followed a group of friends in college who were involved in the movement. I love the way the graphic novel made it easier to understand and see the struggles they went through, and the government that opposed their movement. I also liked the last chapter of the novel being held at their reunion when they were older. Great story telling and art work.

I received this book via Netgalley and appreciate the opportunity to review this book.

Recounts Kim Hyun Sook's time in university and involvement in a student protest movement against the South Korean government. While enjoyable, I am only vaguely aware of Korean political history, so the book was lacking in some context and not always easy to follow in terms of the political actors. Still a timely book, but it would have been more impactful to me with some more details.

This is a stunning, visual example of how books can be the beginnings of change; teaching readers that not everything in the media or government is true and to look for the truth and fight for it.

I am not generally a fan of historical fiction in any shape. But. This book is amazing. This book deals with a militaristic regime in 1983. A small group of university students has a book club where they discuss banned books and foreign news that isn't shown on the television in South Korea. They have to be very careful of the police and the secret service that are always on the lookout for Communists or other people that don't fall in line. I won't post any spoilers but I highly, highly recommend this book. It is so good and I learned a ton of information that I didn't know about previously.

I know little about the history of our Asian neighbors, and every time I read about it I feel the need to learn more.

“Banned Book Club” is set in 1983, when South Korea was under the rule of President Chun Doo-hwan, who came into power through a military coup d’état. Main character Kim Hyun Sook has just started university, where she becomes involved in a book club that is part of a movement protesting against the authoritarian government. Those suspected of being a part of the group are tortured by police to inform against their peers. It is uncanny how similar their experiences were to those of Filipinos during Martial Law.

My only gripe was the art, which made it a challenge to distinguish between different characters. Nevertheless, I recommend this graphic novel to people, especially fellow Asians, interested in South Korea beyond what we usually see in K-dramas. We have many things to learn from each other’s journey as a nation. 3.5 of 5 stars. (Thank you NetGalley and Iron Circus Comics for the ecomics!)

A compulsively readable account of student protesting against the authoritarian regime in 1980s South Korea. The title alone had me excited to get my hands on this comic, but it has so much more to offer than Sook's account of the titular Banned Book Club. This club was just one of the ways students resisted the government, alongside distributing banned films and other visual media like foreign news, protesting in the streets, distributing their own radical literature, and punching cops. (One character in particular has a penchant for punching cops.)

Sook condenses four years of protesting into two hundred pages and a small, tightly-knit group of characters, representing the different personality types involved and ways of resisting. Readers young and old will learn a lot from this comic, which explicitly aims to motivate readers to promote change and true democracy. As well as teach them about a period of history that I, personally, knew very little about.

One of my favourite things about this comic was Sook's exploration of how very different both university and protest can be for women. How male professors can be total creeps. How 'interrogation' can be a very different thing for women captured by police. How men in protest groups might perceive you as 'vulnerable' or merely as potential love interests.

The art itself is an absolute treat, too, I believe its my first time reading a comic with an authentic manhwa art style. I'll definitely be seeking out more as a result of enjoying this book!

"Funny how if you were reading his dystopian scifi novel with a minor subplot about fascist ruling Korea, you'd be jailed.

So you gotta wonder. Do they ban books because they see danger in their authors, or because they see the selves in their villains?"

This book really hit close to home. I understood Hyun Sook's situation and have even harbored her thoughts before. In a way this book felt like a love letter to me because of how it really resonated. The fight is indeed not yet over. I will be eternally grateful for reading this book in this crucial year.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for the gifted copy, all thoughts are completely my own

I really wanted to love this, it seems like so many people loved it. I found it extremely disjointed and disengaging.

I tried multiple times to read it but sadly it was a dnf. I'm not sure if it's the format it's written in or what but it didn't make me feel the need to keep reading.

1.5 **

Immensely enjoyable with its beautiful illustration, interesting characters and story. It emphasised the importance of dissent and fighting back against tyranny. How it becomes a part of everyday life unless we resist. I really liked the importance it put on student protests and how dangerous the higher-ups think they can be. I loved the fact that it showed how you can find friendships and love even at the backdrop of resisting against fascism because life happens when we least expect it.

I found this book' to be beautiful and succinct in its commentary. It manages to cover so many aspects of so many things through its powerful illustrations and simple dialogue. I especially loved the epilogue because it shows that the fight against fascism is one that is neverending; and that the evil takes many shapes, so we must recognise and resist it.

Loved this graphic novel. It was about a history I was not taught in school. It forced me to do some extra research while I was reading. The premise is good, the character development is good too. I enjoyed this a lot.

This is one of those books that should be essential reading, especially in our current political climate. Hyun Sook's story is one that repeats over, and over, and over, and is showing its face once again very soon all over the West. Governments that are overreaching, book bans, have been a common theme of dystopia novels throughout the age, and this follows tradition with one noble exception. This isn't dystopic. This is a true story, one that's been occurring for decades across the world. Which, in all honestly, lowkey makes it even more dystopic in a way. I'm recommending this to literally everyone; the art is great, the message is strong, and the characters are amazing.

I learned so much from this book!

In this graphic memoir / history text, the author Kim Hyun Sook tells the reader about her experiences in college in South Korea during he early 1980s. The country was struggling with internal problems, where the government was suppressing freedoms and college students were protesting the brutality of the regime. Books were banned. People were being arrested, interrogated and tortured. And the young adults were seeking equitable treatment and open discussion and thought. The author was a student of literature and finds herself slowly and quietly joining the movement. The story was completely new to me. I even visited South Korea with the American military at that time, and had no idea.

My biggest complaint is with respect to the artwork. For me the characters were not distinctive. They tended to look like one another with no distinctive markings, clothing or looks. And all of the characters appeared angry at all times. For me it distracted from the moments when they would actually be angry.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Iron Circus Comics for my digital ARC in exchange for my review.

Banned Book Club is a moving graphic novel/memoir about the fight for progress and democracy under an authoritarian regime. It's a relevant read in today's political climate and I can't wait to recommend this book to almost everyone I know. <3

Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC of Banned Book Club. I was a teensy bit nervous going in to reading Banned Book Club, having seen it on so many lists, but let me tell you that the book is in no way over-overhyped.

Let's start with the artwork. The linework is bold and active. No spoilers, but I didn't expect a graphic novel about a book club to be so dynamic, from Hyun's family steak restaurant to the masked dance club at her school, this is one of the most alive black-and white graphic novel's I've read. The level of detail feels considered in a really skillful way--it's neither overly minimalist and spare, or super intricate, but there is a lot of shading and shape used to represent indoor spaces in a way that conveys their vastness or crowdedness effectively. I found the characterization really excellent--all of the characters are easily distinguishable, which is something I sometimes struggle with in manga-influenced artwork.

Hyun is an innocent literature major starting out as a first-generation university student in South Korea in 1983, and the perfect foil for readers who may have little grasp of South Korean history. The invitation to a bookclub takes her down the rabbit hole into the world of the threatening protesters out front of her university demanding the country's president step down. Hyun's culture clashes with parents, skeevy literature professor/tutor (I couldn't quite figure out the western equivalent), burgeoning romance, and awakening feminist sensibilities all find a satisfying place within the larger narrative of her eyes being opened to the political state of her country, where the price of dissidence is high. This view of repressive and semi-totalitarian South Korea is such a helpful mirror for those of us in countries we consider as democratic as I had previously thought post-Korean War South Korea was.

"Are you surprised that after all that, we still have to fight the same fights?" a group of teens ask Hoon, one of the OG bookclub members, but he reminds them that progress is never a straight line in a way that's experienced and hopeful. Also, Suji is my hero--extracurriculars are feminist club and punching cops. Same. It's so meaningful to see college students for whom activism wasn't a phase, but shaped their life's trajectory. These characters are such a profound example for teens who care deeply about things but often get beaten back by adults who treat activism and protesting like it's a phase. I think this graphic novel will help teen activists feel seen. Put it in your library. Grades 9+

5 word review: excellent, timely, action-packed, confusing and unsettling.

Banned Book Club
By: Kim Hyun Sook, Ryan Estrada and Hyundai-Ju Ko
4.3 / 5.0

I was never confused when reading this novel. I understood which character was which. This graphic novel shows that political change is not always a straight line. If you think something isn’t fair, then stand up for justice. You won’t be alone. There is always someone else who thinks the same way you do. This book also shows how resilient the younger generations are. Each new generation will see more things that need to be fixed and stand up for them. Change is possible, even with a dictator controlling a country.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Banned-Book-Club-Hyun-Sook/dp/194582042X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Banned+book+club&qid=1592158605&s=books&sr=1-1


Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/banned-book-club-kim-hyun-sook/1134897444?ean=9781945820427

This review will appear on my blog on August 11, 2020.

This book taught me a lot about the history and situation in South Korea. I think it’s really important for people to learn about these things.
Sometimes I found this book quite confusing though. At times I had trouble with seeing who was who in the story and who said what.
Overall, it was really interesting.

The intentions in this historical fiction graphic are impressive.
The illustrations are not as exciting as I wold have liked, but it almost seemed on purpose...
whether it was or not...don't tell me.
Despite this taking place in Korea, the content is highly relevant to North America right now.
Give it a whirl and get down with some Korean revolutionaries.
Thanks to NetGalley & Letter Better Publishing Services for my DRC.

My Review: Honestly, when I first picked up this book, I did because of the title, having not read the synopsis. I had no idea how much politics were going to be in this book, but it wasn't a bad thing. It is amazing how this true story still has a connection and an impact today. This turned out to be a very timely book to read. I had no idea how much of an impact protests and young generations of university students had on the political climate in South Korea. I did enjoy the art style but with some of the smaller frames it was difficult to identify the various characters. Overall, this was a really good graphic novel and, like I said earlier, a very timely one.

My Rating: I found this to be a really interesting and eye opening read. It was not a graphic novel you pick up and just power through in a single sitting, it takes more time to absorb. I give it a rating of Three Paws and a Stump Wag.