Structure

Yeonmi tells her story in a relatively linear fashion. The book is mostly expository because Yeonmi is describing life in North Korea, life in China, and then life in South Korea so there is exposition throughout the book.

There is rising emotion more than rising action. Yeonmi and her mother are distressed when they separated from Eunmi. There is a certain climax when the Eunmi is reunited with her mother and sister. There is also rising emotion and tension as Yeonmi and her mother discover that their situation is no better even after they immigrate to China. This tension is not fully resolved until Yeonmi begins to feel she is capable of great achievements, first when she earns her GED and then when she is accepted into college.

There is falling action as Yeonmi begins to do things, such as participating in the mission trip, that help...