Summary

In Chapter 1, Yeonmi Park describes her early life in Hyesan, North Korea. She remembers the dark and the cold in her country while she could see lights and celebratory fireworks in China, which was located across the Yalu River. While she lived in North Korea, she was often hungry and could sometimes smell food being cooked in Chaingbai.

Yeonmi was born two months premature, and her doctors told her parents it was up to Yeonmi if she survived or not. Yeonmi’s father, Park Jin Sik had hoped for a son, he already had one daughter, Eunmi, but he recovered from his disappointment. He and Yeonmi’s mother taught her to be proud of who she was.

Growing up, Yeonmi remembers how happy she was that her family was together despite their circumstances. One of the things she misses about North Korea...