Amazing! That's the one-word review I have for this book,

Coming to details, I loved how much this short book was able to express and convey in its pages. Through Hyun Sook and her friends, the author has given a glimpse at the political scenario of South Korea and the shocking Gwangju incident. But everyone and every country can relate to this. There has been one or the other or multiple instances in every world government where one's lust for power led to a nationwide crisis and curbed the freedom of speech of millions.

Through the story, Hyun Sook changes from a reluctant ideal student to an activist as her friends bring her face to face with the realities of the system and show her the help her see the truth behind government propaganda. Through Agent Ok, we come across cogs in such government systems who are crushed every time the machinery turns but they can neither get out nor give up. They end up becoming the hand of the oppressor.

Books have the power to change. And this is one such book. If you are looking at the review, don't hesitate and pick it up.

I received an E-ARC of Banned Book Club in exchange for an honest review.

Banned Book Club follows the chopped up true events of a group of college students while they fight for freedom in North Korea that all starts with the MC unknowingly attentending a banned book club.

I really did enjoy the story that went on in this graphic novel it was really interesting and I don't really know anything from the time in North Korea I really feel like the author did a wonderful job showing a lot of what was happening but also didn't go too deep into it which honestly I would have been a little interested in finding out more. My only real problem was the ending came very abruptly which I keep finding happening recently in graphic novels I wish we would have got a little more transition from the time in college till adult but it was literally just kind of jumped in one chapter and took me a second to realize what was happening.

I really enjoyed the artwork throughout the entire book it was simple but very beautiful it had some great details and was just all-around great it was probably my favorite part of the entire graphic novel.

Banned Book Club is graphic novel that shares the true story of the extreme censorship of South Korea's Fifth Republic. Kim Hyun Sook started college during this time. She worked hard in school and was able to convince her mother to allow her to continue her education. Little did she know this would be a big turn of events in her life. Who knew a book club could change one's perspective?

I enjoy learning things about history that I never knew. Banned Book Club gave me an interesting way learn something I didn't know. I loved the fact that Kim Hyun Sook is a big book reader which made her relatable to me. The book cover how messed up the South Korean government when they tried to restrict media. I liked that it didn't stop the characters from expanding their knowledge. There was only one issue for me with the book. It was that in some spots of the book skipped so fast to the next part of the story I got a little lost. It was not a smooth transition.

I do recommend this book for someone wanting a different and unique way for a history lesson.

Thank you to Iron Circus Comics for access to Banned Book Club!

Banned Book Club is a timely graphic novel as it connects to the political climate in the United States. It focuses on the political turmoil of South Korea in the 1980s and how protests, riots, and community involvement resulted in positive change over time. What I love most about this graphic novel is that it shows that political involvement needs to be continuous and on-going to result in change. It also shows that sometimes victories are won and they don't turn out to be as expected and sometimes, the cycle repeats. However, it shows the readers not to give up hope and to keep on fighting the good fight. This novel also shows the various ways students can get involved when they see something that is corrupt and wrong. The degrees of involvement vary and can give students a starting idea and a platform they would be willing to start with.

Since this is a graphic memoir, I could adapt it to my graphic novel unit in class easily. This novel not only could lead to a discussion on different ways to protest, but it would also lend itself to deep conversations about banned books. After all, the central premise of this novel is a banned book club that collects and reads novels specifically to gain knowledge and ideas.

The art style for this graphic novel is culturally specific too. It is considered Manhwa art. This style is used for Korean comics and I have never had the pleasure of reading a Korean comic previous to this graphic memoir. I will be certainly adding them to my Amazon cart now as the art is striking.

Trigger Warnings: There is considerable violence and torture portrayed in this novel as well as implied rape.

Students across the country protesting against the government against censorship is the main theme in this short non-fiction graphic novel. Sounds like an issue that is applicable even today with respect to most of the countries.
Kim Hyun Sook, the author of the book, shares her experience as a (initially reluctant) student activist in the 1980’s around the time of massive student protests and the Gwangju Massacre. While trying to stay away from the political issues, she unknowingly joins a banned book club and gets pulled into the underground club that becomes a turning point in her life and her future choices. She is naive but with the help of her friends begins to understand the true colors of politicians and how the government treats students who protest. She learns the importance of standing up against oppression and the camaraderie among like minded individuals.
This graphic novel would appeal to students and adults alike regardless of time and year.
4.5 stars (minus 0.5 because at times I couldn’t follow the panels clearly like a lot was going on and it wasn’t very clear)

This story shows the importance of learning history because it is forever repeating itself. This is was so well done and really demonstrates how a handful of people are slowly change the world around them for the better. Which is the message we all need to hear right now while we're fighting for civil rights, women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and on and on. The narrative was complete and flowed well which is often an issue with graphic novels. I loved this book so much and should be required reading for everyone young and old,.

I really enjoyed this book. Hyun Sook is excited to start college and delve into learning, even if her mother would prefer for her to focus on working at the family's "fancy" steak restaurant. College is filled with protesters, political agendas, and all kinds of ways to get into trouble. Hyun Sook just wants to learn and avoids joining any political groups. But everywhere she looks is a political agenda. I love how political involvement grows on her, that politics are something you can ignore if you have that privilege. The book doesn't shy away from the repercussions of involvement (prison, beatings, etc.), so while dramatic for a 'historic' book of sorts, it was a great read that helps teach about a moment in Korea's recent history.

It was a very riveting read. The artwork was very interactive. I loved all the characters so so much. I do not have much idea about Korean regimes but this was indeed an eye opener and I liked it. It was action packed and as written there is a lot of truth in the circumstances our protagonist was put in. The way they tortured the students was overwhelming for me and I had to stop reading for sometime. I finished it in two sittings. It was a very different experience for me. Hope played a major role in the book which was beautiful.

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook, Ko Hyung-Ju, Ryan Estrada is a non-fiction, graphic memoir of Kim Hyun Sook starting her college life, and convincing her traditional mother that going to college was the right decision for her.

Hyun Sook shares a dramatic true story of political division, fear-mongering, anti-intellectualism, the death of democratic institutions, and the relentless rebellion of reading. She is a freshmen and as her love for literature she becomes a part of the book club. Overall, the book is a must read with a strong message and history.

The graphics in this book are very real, and perfectly illustrated. I was shocked to see with what all things were going on at that time in Korea. I am thankful that I came across this book and read it. It made me knowledgeable and aware of history.
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Thank You to NetGalley and Publisher for providing me with the e-copy in exchange for a honest opinion.

I had been looking forward to reading #BannedBookClub for some time now. This is an element of history that I was unfamiliar with. Sometimes graphic novels that cover historical events can get a little over-crowded with retelling and catching the readers up on what they need to know. However, this was not the case with this book: the author and illustrators did an excellent job of balancing the true story and historical elements with an enjoyable and easy-to-follow storyline. I look forward to purchasing this for our school library. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers for this title.

What would you do if you could not read what you want? What would you do if your freedom was cut short by authoritarian regimes? That was life in South Korea during the latter part of the XX century.

Not so into historical events from a far away land? Well this graphic novel will allow you to leave aside the boring cast of retold and will illustrate every step of the way with the real experiences of young students that want to thrive in life but understand that to have a future you must fight for freedom and what is right.

Raw, heavy and real, what the Banned Book Club portrayed makes us reflect on what really matters in life, not only regarding to political escenarios, but also to one's own life and goals.

Great option to approach young and old to historical perspectives.

Book provided for free by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hyun Sook just wants to go to college to study literature. She accidentally joins a dance club that is composed of student protesters. This leads to her accidentally joining a banned book club. The story follows Hyun Sook as she learns the real history of her country.

Kim Hyun Sook writes in the author's note at the end that this book was a fictionalized retelling of amalgamated characters taken from her real life events when she went to college. The book deftly weaves the lives of several college students who are all brought together to read books banned in South Korea, all told through the eyes of a new college freshman, Hyun Sook. Little by little, she's brought in more closely by her fellow band of students into the inner working of a secret newspaper, and is invited to join the student council, which she discovers is pivotal in assembling the student protest that have spread from college to college. At first afraid of what getting into trouble might mean for her chance at successfully completing her higher ed dreams, Hyun Sook ultimately discovers strength and resolve she never knew she had. The artwork was good enough to provide steady distinction between the characters, and kept the pace of the story alive, but was not especially noteworthy. The story itself was the more compelling aspect of the graphic novel, and made for an interesting read.

Great graphic novel. Not only does it give you historical context, but also great illustrations and a story you can connect to.

In 1983, in South Korea, Kim Hyun Sook starts college with explicit instructions from her parents to not get involved with any of the protesting that often happened on campuses across the nation. So, Hyun Sook joins the masked dance club. With the help of one of her friends, she quickly learns that the dances aren't as innocent as she originally believes. In fact, they are subversive and tell the old stories of fighting against corruption. And so Hyun Sook joins the secretive Banned Book Club, where the members reads books that the South Korean government has banned. As she gets more and more involved in the Banned Book Club, Hyun Sook starts joining other student-led protests and doing more work to let it be known how corrupt the government is.

This graphic memoir, which is an amalgamation of multiple individuals involved in student-led protesting to protect the privacy of Hyun Sook's original friends, gives the work that is necessary for change a face and shows today's readers that fighting for what's right and a fair and just democratic government is something that is a never-ending battle. Those teens who are actively engaged in Black Lives Matter, gun safety, women's rights, and more will enjoy this story-- especially if they are on the edge of burnout and/or just getting started in political activism.

What happened in South Korea in 1983? Student-led protests contributed to the downfall of a corrupt regime. This graphic novel, based on true events, describes the lives of the students who risked their lives for freedom of speech and democracy.

This is a brilliant graphic novel telling the story of a young woman who becomes involved in the student resistance in South Korea in the eighties.

In 1983 during the fifth republic, Kim Hyun Sook starts college. Her traditional mother is reluctant for her to go to college but Kim is thirsty to learn more and to read. Her thirst for knowledge leads her to a book club which is part of the student resistance against the corrupt and brutal military regime.

Censorship is rife and protestors are detained, tortured and murdered. Hyun Sook tries to bury herself in her books but when she is invited to join a book group she finds that she has become a member of a resistance group and life suddenly becomes very dangerous.

It is a fascinating graphic novel and eye opening. I am not familiar with South Korean politics or history and this graphic novel manages to convey the brutality and desperation of the struggle of that time, as well as the courage of the students and the challenge of learning and protesting. Here is a young woman who wants to seize her chance to learn but what she learns about her country opens her eyes to life beyond academia and she eventually embraces the political struggle.

The illustrations are really good. Told in black and white manga style, the artwork uses a benign form of art to tell the story of a desperate political struggle.

This is a brilliant volume and a very powerful way to tell this story of student resistance. I think I need to invest in a hard copy!

Copy provided by Iron Circus Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I was expecting something trite, but this was actually very engaging and insightful. It is definitely a title I would recommend to young adults and teens and then follow up on to discuss.

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.