The Orphan Master's SonThe Orphan Master's Son
Score Modern
What it's about
Pak Jun Do grows up in a North Korean work camp for orphans and becomes a loyal servant of the state: a tunnel soldier, a kidnapper of Japanese citizens, a radio spy on a fishing boat, a member of a delegation to Texas. Then a reversal of fortune lands him in a prison camp, and from there in the most dangerous role of all, as the husband of a famous actress whom Kim Jong Il himself desires.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Johnson builds a wild, darkly funny adventure inside the most closed country on earth, and it says a lot about how a state can own a person's story.
You'll love it if you liked
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea
The Underground Railroad
A Thousand Splendid SunsGood to know
The second half shifts structure, partly narrated by state propaganda broadcasts, so stick with it. There is torture and brutal violence.
By the numbers
- Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics75 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller58 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #26 of the 233 romances we rank
- #45 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #204 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #404 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Thought-provoking, Dark
More by Adam Johnson
If you like this, read next
Promises in Death
The Blind Assassin
Bel Canto
The Inheritance Games
The Yiddish Policemen's Union
Secrets in DeathExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Orphan Master's Son worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It ranks #404 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Orphan Master's Son about?
Pak Jun Do grows up in a North Korean work camp for orphans and becomes a loyal servant of the state: a tunnel soldier, a kidnapper of Japanese citizens, a radio spy on a fishing boat, a member of a delegation to Texas. Then a reversal of fortune lands him in a prison camp, and from there in the most dangerous role of all, as the husband of a famous actress whom Kim Jong Il himself desires.
How long does it take to read The Orphan Master's Son?
About 12 hours (465 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Orphan Master's Son won?
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner (2013).
What should I read after The Orphan Master's Son?
If you liked it, try Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead or A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.