Early in journalist Blaine Harden's Escape From Camp 14 he mentions North Korea's labour camps, 'have barely pricked the world's collective conscience'. This is all set to change with the harrowing and often confronting story of Shin Dong- hyuk, the only known person to successfully escape from a North Korean labour camp. Before reading Escape From Camp 14 I thought I was well informed of the situation in North Korea, that was until page after page I was confronted with the nightmarish existence camp escapee Shin endured during his time in Camp 14.

The book doesn't pull any punches as Harden starts out by recounting Shin's earliest memory, the execution of his mother and brother. From there Shin and Harden provide an insight into the emotional and physical torture he suffered during his years in Camp 14. Shin tells of his early childhood which consisted of regularly scrounging for food scraps and rodents to eat to stave off starvation. In confronting detail he recounts the brutal beatings he would endure for failing to meet daily work quotas or for stealing food. However what I found most compelling about Shin's story was his utter indifference to his mother and father and his lack of understanding of such ideas as love, trust and friendship due to years of brainwashing and strict camp rules. Harden doesn't shy away from some of the more gritty and confronting details of Shin's experience which effectively work to provide a truthful account of life in Camp 14. Given the title it won't be giving much away by saying that Shin escapes, but it is the manner in which Harden builds the suspense in this part of the story that left me unable to put the book down.

Harden's knowledge of North Korea, the labour camps and the conditions within the hermit state only add to the brilliance of the book. Throughout the book Harden provides factual information about North Korea that relate to Shin's story. Harden's in depth knowledge of North Korea along with Shin's personal account provide an insightful and informative story that is near impossible to put down.

4/5

Matthew Hart.