Rating: 
Summary: An excellent book
Review: I never was a big fan of memoirs, but after reading some reviews of this book I decided to check it out. One of the things that impressed me the most was the simple, elegant writing style Kim uses. She is direct and matter-of-fact, and that makes the story she tells even more powerful. Even though the telling isn't overly emotional, I felt very moved in the end by the honesty and starkness of her words.
Rating:
Summary: An Awesome Journey!
Review: Wow! I just finished this book last night, and I'm floored. What an incredible life this woman has led! This book made me so thankful for the things that I have. I really loved that in spite of what Kim has been through, you don't get the sense that she's wallowing in self pity. She manages somehow to tell us her story without putting blame on anyone or sounding like she feels sorry for herself. It was just incredible to read the story of how she learned to forgive the people around her, and how she learned to love herself. A truly amazing story. I feel lucky to have read it.
Rating:
Summary: Portrayal of an Amazing, Courageous Woman
Review: This book is brilliant. I loved it because of the way in which Elizabeth communicates with her readers--writing openly about her troubled life in such a way as to evoke emotion from her readers (at least from me). I cried a lot while reading this book because of its moving voice; Elizabeth writes with such clarity that it's easy for readers to follow along her story and she also writes with such emotion, making it hard for someone to read the book without feeling anything. I HIGHLY reccommend this book to anyone who wants to read about a courageous, outspoken, amazing woman who struggles to make it throught the upheavals in her life.
Rating:
Summary: Sorrowful but inspiring
Review: I'm moved beyond words. Although Kim's story is sad and haunting, it made me look at my own life and appreciate the wonderful childhood my parents and family provided. It is difficult to grasp that some people suffer so much in this life and still survive. I wanted to take that small child and hold her in my arms and make her feel safe. I want to tell Ms. Kim that she is an awesome woman with such courage and integrity to survive that life and still come out a loving and forgiving woman. Unbelievable story, a must read!
Rating:
Summary: an auspicious debut
Review: I very much look forward to reading Ms. Kim's future endeavors (fiction, perhaps?), because her grace, imagination, and knack for finding the perfect details shine through in this memoir. I usually don't remember the details of books that I read as quickly as I did this one (I eagerly devoured the entire story in two hours or so), but images from Ms. Kim's haunting vignettes remain with me. For example, I recall her intricate descriptions of the Korean orphanage, and her vivid, disturbing account of her arrival in the United States. Many memoir writers, I find, stick to generalizations, as if they were in a hurry to get the story over with and move on with their lives. Ms. Kim's work, however, allows and encourages readers to consider each moment, no matter how painful, and to admire the exquisite quality of her prose. In too many autobiographical books, language is used as a simple medium for communication rather than as an art form. I was thrilled to find that Ms. Kim's artistic talents are obvious throughout her truly wonderful memoir. Other writers should follow her example!
Rating: 
Summary: compelling story, not well written
Review: The first part of Elizabeth Kim's story is gripping, but then it gets wooden as it meanders through the various abuses she endures from her adoptive parents and her husband. This reads like it is a first draft rather than a polished, reflective consideration of how racial and religious intolerance affect children.
Rating: 
Summary: Readable, but not likeable
Review: This book is a quick and easy read, but the author tends to wallow in the difficult circumstances of her childhood and takes no responsibility for the mistakes she made in her adult life. There is little doubt that she had a horrible childhood--first in her Korean home, where her mother was murdered, next in an orphanage and finally, with her adoptive parents who, if Ms. Kim is to be believed, were shockingly cold and unfeeling and totally devoid of parenting skills. Perhaps as a result of too much psychoanalysis, Ms. Kim attempts to blame them for every problem she encountered--mainly with men--in her adult life. But, aside from arranging a marriage to a man who turned out to be abusive, they didn't force her to enter into affairs with married men or to otherwise become involved with men who treated her badly. Ms. Kim doesn't acknowledge--or didn't notice--that they were there for her when she finally left her husband. I also wondered how attentive a mother she was being to her own daughter while pursuing all these bad relationships.
Rating:
Summary: Spellbinding
Review: I found Elizabeth Kim's book incredibly gripping. A neighbour (who couldn't put it down) lent it to me, and then when I read it, I ended up not going to bed until the wee hours. I suffered, grieved and rejoiced with Kim, and her healing process forced me to look at areas of struggle in my own life, and try deal with them. Thank you, Elizabeth.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Story - and Cautionary Tale
Review: This compelling story is amazing, horrifying, breathtaking, and important, as many readers have found. Something worth pointing out about Kim's story is that her adoption by essentially cruel and inhumane (and for the most part, lacking even the rudiments of what today would be called "parenting skills") ultra-religious evangelical Christian parents was in fact a huge contributor to the immense pain she endured, post-adoption. Not only was she prohibited her past, she was prohibited any discomfiting (to her parents) emotional expression. She had to learn not to cry; unhappiness was an affront to a god who had died so that Kim might be happy! The religious education she received was thorough, and damaging. Of course she rejected it as an adult, though remarkably, maintains a respectful and forgiving relationship with her adoptive parents. Amazing in all ways.
Rating: 
Summary: I've already read Angela's Ashes... next book please!
Review: Once you've read one sob story, you've read them all. Too many adjectives... not enough action to what she did with her experiences in her earlier years. I may be biased, but I'm tired of Korean, or pseudo-Korean writers writing about the same drab topics. From sex slaves to over-bearing parents... can Koreans write something more about universal topics in North America in lieu of the "Korean Experience", which has been played out to the hilt by so many writers before her? But I do give the author credit for not using the words "Rice", "Kimchee", or any other words that define Koreans as ugh, the white man sees us, in her book title. Hi Jewel.
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