The year is 1983. The place, South Korea. Hyun Sook is going to university, though against her mother's wishes, to study literature. However, her education is going to be more than novels and poetry. Her very first day, she must wade through the swarm of college students protesting, Molotov cocktails, and tear gas. On college campuses around the country, students are protesting the corrupt government. Despite her attempts to stay apolitical, Hyun Sook soon realizes that it is impossible, even in the folk dance group she joins. When one of the members invites her to a book club, she thinks she has an opportunity to make new friends and talk about books. And they do. The catch? All of the books they read are banned by the South Korean Government.

A brilliant, thought-provoking, and timely debut autobiographical graphic novel written by Kim Hyun Sook, "Banned Book Club" provides readers a look at South Korean history from someone who lived it--and is still fighting to make her home a better place. "Banned Book Club" provides a much-needed narrative about politics and freedom of speech, particularly in Asian history and countries, as well as finding yourself and coming of age in times of political unrest.

This powerful biographical book tells an incredible story with lively, vibrant pictures. Readers will gain instinct into Korean history through the struggles of the main character. There are many opportunities for discussions with students reading this book. Most importantly, I loved how it showcased the power of knowledge, reading, and books.

A decent introduction to South Korean history and politics for those who know little. However, a little knowledge would be useful if you are to get the full picture and context.

The illustrations aren't pure Manga but in that style. I found it difficult to follow who was who at times as the illustrations did not make the characters as clear as I would have liked.

Makes an important statement about power and politics.

This is an interesting manga. The subject matter is intresting and important, but the story was a little flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this E-Arc of The Banned Book Club that I was provided in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really liked this graphic novel and hated to give it a 3/5. In reality, it was probably between 3 and 4, but the things I didn’t like pushed it closer to three than four.

It was really great in terms of providing a context for what life was like for protestors during the early 80s in South Korea. The images worked well to emphasize the violence, fear, and control. The main character, Hyun Sook, a timid and shy young girl just starting college, worked perfectly to show these risks because she was able to capture the naivety of a young girl who thinks things are as they appear. Watching her wake up to the atrocities of the world was eye opening and enjoying.

The part I didn’t like was the ending. I won’t give spoilers; let me just say it was far too abrupt. I didn’t feel like there was a real ending so much as an abrupt stop that was neatly tied with an epilogue. It felt very lazy.

This book was okay, fine. It assumed a lot of prior knowledge on Korean history and the illustrations often skipped around in a way that made it hard to follow. I also wasn't that invested in the characters and felt like I couldn't really differentiate their personalities until the very end.

Graphic memoir was a really good medium for this story about students fighting against oppression in south Korea. It had an inspiring message and unique, interesting characters that really drove the story forward. Stories about speaking truth to power are particularly important right now and I appreciated the style and voice of Banned Book Club.

I just couldn't get into this one. I like how it was bringing historical events to life, but I think there was too much information on each page.