The Accusation: Forbidden Stories from Inside North Korea

The Accusation is a deeply moving and eye-opening work of fiction that paints a powerful portrait of life under the North Korean regime. Set during the period of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il's leadership, the seven stories that make up The Accusation give voice to people living under this most bizarre and horrifying of dictatorships. The characters of these compelling stories come from a wide variety of backgrounds, from a young mother living among the elite in Pyongyang whose son misbehaves during a political rally, to a former Communist war hero who is deeply disillusioned with the intrusion of the Party into everything he holds dear, to a husband and father who is denied a travel permit and sneaks onto a train in order to visit his critically ill mother. Written with deep emotion and writing talent, The Accusation is a vivid depiction of life in a closed-off one-party state, and also a hopeful testament to the humanity and rich internal life that persists even in such inhumane conditions.

Author: Bandi
Publisher: Grove Press
Published: 03/07/2017
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.60w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9780802126207

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 10/01/2016 pg. 60
Publishers Weekly 01/16/2017
Kirkus Reviews 01/15/2017
Booklist 02/15/2017 pg. 27
Library Journal 10/01/2016

About the Author
Bandi, a name derived from the Korean for "firefly," is a pseudonym for a writer who is still living in his homeland of North Korea. The Accusation is his only published book to date.

Deborah Smith is the Man Booker International Prize-winning translator of The Vegetarian by Han Kang and other books.