The Boy Who Escaped Paradise: A Novel by J. M. Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A very unusual novel about a young North Korean math savant who is found beside the murdered body of an unidentified man in New York.
The boy is taken to the hospital for treatment but also must be interrogated by police, but because of his difficulties in relating to people, this is a challenge. He does pour out his story bit by bit to another person, who, like him, speaks the language of numbers and symbols and in this way, the reader learns what happened to him.
In some ways the character reminds me of Forrest Gump. The boy is brilliant and easy to be taken advantage of, but what an uplifting story it is to follow his journey from a prison camp in North Korea all the way to the Statue of Liberty. He is such a true and trusting friend to the few who can relate to him. Many try to take advantage of his gift along the way and that in itself puts him into amazing circumstances.
Beautifully written, nuanced characters, great research. LOVE love this novel.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book in exchange of a fair review.
