She traded in her prison uniform for shackles of a different kind.
After escaping a North Korean prison camp, Mee-Kyong is hustled over the border and sold into the Chinese underworld. She vows to survive, but sheer determination and willpower won’t save her this time. Is she fated to remain a slave forever?
About Alana Terry (from her website) — When I’m not blogging and writing, it’s likely that I’m on the floor wrestling with my kids. Or playing outside with my kids. Or chauffeuring my kids. Or leading clubs and day camps for homeschoolers (including my kids). Otherwise I’m probably hanging out at church with a whole bunch of teenagers and my youth-pastor husband.
My Impressions:
Slave Again is the first book in a new series by Alana Terry. (You can read my review of her first novel, Beloved Daughter, HERE.) Terry revisits the people of North Korea, this time focusing on the women who are sold into slavery in China. While prostitution is officially illegal in China, there are many levels to the sex trade in that country. In Slave Again, the women are trapped in the hotel district of a town north of the North Korean border. Though written from a Christian worldview, Terry’s book is not like most books written for that genre. The images are brutal and the emotions raw. Most characters are not Christian and their actions are formed by the brutality of their world. If you are looking for a gentle read, this one is not for you. But if you want an honest look into the ruthless North Korean regime, then Slave Again would be a good choice.
Mee-Kyong (introduced in Beloved Daughter), has escaped from the North Korean prison camp that has been her home since birth. But she soon finds herself forced into another prison — a Chinese brothel not far from the border. Her survival skills keep her alive, but her hardened heart is touch by a young girl stolen from her family. Slave Again details the horrors and hopelessness of the sex trade. However, the hope for escape and a new life in Christ is included in its message.
There are a lot of story lines in Slave Again, many of which are left incomplete. I am hoping that they will develop in the next books in the series. There is a good deal of suspense, and you never really know just what is coming on the next page. I would have liked a bit more character development — I had a hard time understanding the motivations of several of the characters. But if you are looking for characters that are based in reality, then Slave Again is for you. All the characters have warts, including the Christian characters. The contrasting points of view are enlightening — from characters just trying to survive, to those who are struggling with the way of Christ and those who are trying desperately to help the lost and desperate. There is a great deal of adult content — abuse is not sugar coated. So if you don’t want to read about the realities of human trafficking, don’t pick up this book. But for those who want an honest portrayal of the subject, Slave Again is eye-opening.
Alana Terry is passionate about the people of North Korean and that passion is reflected in her writing. After reading Slave Again, you just might join her cause.
Recommended.
Audience: Adults (violence and human trafficking portrayed)
(Thanks to the author for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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