Wrapped in a magic cloak of invisibility, you can do what you like without worrying about the prying eyes of parents, neighbours, or secret police.
-- Barbara Demick (Chapter 1)

Importance: The 'cloak of invisibility' Demick speaks of here is the darkness that envelops North Korea for most of the night, owing to the lack of electricity. She hints at the intimacy of such hours and the privacy which -- otherwise rare in the country -- is enjoyed by lovers, friends, and those with secrets to keep from the regime. The quote demonstrates that the intimate lives of North Koreans often are vastly different from the 'official' and public lives they lead.

Mi-ran often found her father's passivity maddening. Only later did she understand this was a survival mechanism.
-- Barbara Demick (Chapter 2)

Importance: This quote reveals that in North Korea, being from the 'wrong' class of people in a highly stratified society was sufficient to make life nearly unbearable. When...