Rated of 5
by Sally D. (Racine, WI) All Woman and Springtime
All Woman and Springtime begins with the story of two young women, Il-Sun and Gi, living at the Home for Orphan Girls in North Korea. Part I describes how both girls arrived at the orphanage, the daily rigors of their lives as seamstresses and the overwhelming fear of living under the North Korean regime ruled by "the Great Leader Kim Il-sung". It is made clear how both girls long to escape their oppressive lives.
Without giving more away, Parts II through IV follows their lives to South Korea and the United States where they unwillingly become involved in sex trafficing.
There are marked changes in style through the story, perhaps done to highlight the abrupt changes the girls go through as the story progresses. There are some very explicit descriptions of mental, physical and sexual torture throughout the book but they are necessary to the telling of the tale.
While the ending of the story seems a bit contrived all in all, this is a very readable book. I would be willing recommend it to others.
Rated of 5
by Kenneth R. (St. Louis, MO) Good read about a bad subject.
This book is mail about sex trafficking. The reverence of the North Koreans for the “dear leader” was a bit overdone in my opinion, but the story of three women who make the journey from North Korea to Seattle via Seoul, against their will, and somehow overcome one adversity after another held my interest to the very end.
Rated of 5
by Rosemary C. (Austin, TX) All Woman and Springtime
A well-written book about a difficult topic, human sex trafficking. The characters are developed and sympathetic. The reader follows them from the highly controlled, paternalistic country of North Korea to the tightly run, male-run international brothels. It's a compelling story, though the ending seemed a bit abrupt and could have used some further explanation. It does celebrate the strength of the human spirit even in what appear to be hopeless situations.
Rated of 5
by Michele J. This book is unputdownable!
I am stunned by the beauty and intelligence of the writing. I agree with Alice Walker's assessment of this wonderful book as, "absorbing, chilling, beautifully written and important..." Brandon Jones has fully placed the reader in North Korea and created a world and whole, endearing characters inhabiting it.... A stunning book, not to be missed!
Rated of 5
by Kristin P. (Reston, VA) A must read
This is a heartbreaking book on a very important topic. While the passages detailing the horrors of human trafficking are graphic at times, the author treats each passage and the characters with respect. He does not sensationalize the issues but rather helps the reader see it from the characters' perspectives. This book is well-suited for a book club-make sure you allow for ample time for discussion-and for students interested in women's studies. While this book is heartbreaking, I became completely engrossed in the story and could not put the book down. It is a truly unique book and beautifully written.
Rated of 5
by Margaret L. (Petoskey, MI) Intensely powerful story
All Women and Springtime is an intensely powerful story about the sex trafficking of young Korean girls and it is explicitly written; so much so that portions of the book were emotionally difficult to read and I found myself skipping over the sexually abusive parts. And yet, the story drew me in and haunted me to continue reading with ever so much hope that there might be a happy ending. This book is certainly not for young readers.
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of 5
by Sally D. (Racine, WI) 
of 5
by Rosemary C. (Austin, TX) 
