The Beloved Daughter

By: Alana Terry

Narrated by: Kathy Garver

In a small North Korean village, a young girl struggles to survive. Catastrophic floods have ravaged her countryside. But it is her father's faith, not the famine of North Hamyong Province, that most threatens Chung-Cha's well-being. Is Chung-Cha's father right to be such a vocal believer? Or is he a fool to bring danger on the head of his only daughter? Chung-Cha is only a girl of twelve and is too young to answer such questions. Yet, she is not too young to face a life of imprisonment and forced labor. Her crime? Being the daughter of a political dissident.

The Beloved Daughter follows Chung-Cha into one of the most notorious prison camps the contemporary free world has known. Will Chung-Cha survive the horrors of Camp 22? And if she does survive, will her faith remain intact?

©2013 Alana Terry (P)2013 Alana Terry

This book leaves me with a hole in my heart

If you could sum up The Beloved Daughter in three words, what would they be?

Heartbreaking, inspiring, challenging.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Kathy Garver?

I don't know, but I did not like her "voices" for some of the characters. I would have preferred to just hear the words they spoke and let my imagination provides the tones and character.

Any additional comments?

I seldom read novels, I prefer non-fiction but this book was well written and seemed to have so much research behind it that I kept wondering what parts were real. Gaining a look into the horrific situation in North Korea is eye opening and sickening. I wonder if the same thing could eventually happen here in the USA with our rights being taken away for fear of terriorits and our constitution being undermined bit by bit by new laws and executive orders,

Good First book!

What did you love best about The Beloved Daughter?

I enjoyed the book, it was well written. It kept my interest. It made the miles fly by and I would listen to another book by Alana Terry or anything that Kathy Garver reads. It was worth every penny I paid for it.

Which character – as performed by Kathy Garver – was your favorite?

She was an excellent Narrator, she made the characters come to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did listen to it in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

Kathy is a great Narrator.
Alana Terry is a great Author!

Won My Respect

What made the experience of listening to The Beloved Daughter the most enjoyable?

I admit to a prevailing disappointment with Christian fiction novels. I haven't found a large number of Christian writers who captivate my interest ... so it was a refreshing surprise to discover Alana Terry and The Beloved Daughter.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Beloved Daughter?

The section called "My Deliverer."

Would you listen to another book narrated by Kathy Garver?

Yes. Although I liked the narrator for the most part, I felt some of her male accents/voices were overdone, exaggerated, and somewhat annoying. Some were so gruff and gravely they were hard to understand.

Any additional comments?

The subject of the book captivated me instantly--the very real to life, excruciatingly brutal suffering and persecution of fellow believers in North Korean prison camps. I have often prayed for these believers in real life, but I've never personally known with clarity what their lives are like. Now I have a heartrending, vivid image of the terror, deprivation, and humiliation these brothers and sisters daily endure because of their faith in Jesus Christ. This reality is something Christians in America need to encounter up close. Terry's characters are authentic, struggling, scarred, sometimes weak, sometimes bold, everyday, heroes of faith. They are not pie-in-the-sky, artificial, cliche-speaking, super Christians. I could relate to these characters.

I will add, however, there were times when the characterization seemed a bit inconsistent and unbelievable. My thought is that Terry was attempting to show our tendency as believers to falter (to be inconsistent) in our human attempts at godliness. This is the only negative point about the book that I bring to this review, and the issue seemed minor. With her debut novel, Terry has won my respect. I look forward to see what she publishes next.

impressive narration

What did you love best about The Beloved Daughter?

Kathy Garver's a very talented narrator. She made the story very exciting and dramatic.

What about Kathy Garver’s performance did you like?

She does a very good job with the voices and has very clear diction. She also did a very good job handling the Korean names.

Difficult story

I wish there was some explanation offered by the author of how this story came to be. The beginning chapters are very difficult to hear as they depict the prison camps of North Korea, very brutal indeed. However the story weaves and turns as the protagonist life is changed by God. I was moved as I listened to the pain and joys.
I didn't care much for the narrator, thought her voice harsh and a bit scratchy.

A touching and heart wrenching story of faith

What made the experience of listening to The Beloved Daughter the most enjoyable?

The Beloved Daughter
By Alana Terry

Chung-Cha's story is one that will quite literally tear at your heart. When she is 12 she is sent to Camp 22, a forced labor camp within North Korea. Her crime? Being the daughter of an outspoken Christian father.

Facing lies, torture, and a life of forced labor is the faith that she has strong enough to survive? And is God even there? After all where was God during the famine that has hurt her country? And where was God when her family was taken during the night? And how can her parents have different responses when her very life is threatened by the government agents?

The Beloved Daughter is a heart wrenching journey of faith and love. What would you sacrifice for your daughter? Would you deny your Savior or would you sacrifice your daughter? This is a question that haunts Chung-Cha and it is the premise of The Beloved Daughter.

I was provided a copy of this title by the author Alana Terry in exchange for my honest review.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Chung-Cha is a character whose story comes full circle and her choices make her a compelling character with whom I could empathize with.

Have you listened to any of Kathy Garver’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

First time I ever heard Kathy Garver and I found her performance compelling and dramatic.

If you could rename The Beloved Daughter, what would you call it?

I really like the name The Beloved Daughter and feel it suits the story very well.

Phenomenal

Would you listen to The Beloved Daughter again? Why?

Absolutely! It was a story that can be heard again and again.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Chung-Cha because she is relatable

What does Kathy Garver bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She brings the characters to life with her narration.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

yes, many moments. Especially when The Old Lady speaks

Any additional comments?

The Beloved Daughter is profound, a word not even strong enough to convey the intensity of the story. Alana Terry’s writing is beyond sensational and this story is so powerful. With the narration by Kathy Garver, an already riveting story becomes lifelike. It challenges the reader to look beyond the label of Christian to the core of belief. This book begs the answer to the question of what sacrificial love really looks like. It tells a story of deep tragedy and the reality of North Korea’s hidden world. However, it is done with such well written format that the reader is not dragged through unnecessary, horrific detail. Making it a book that is widely age appropriate from middle school through adulthood.
The issues in North Korea are current and this book awakens complacency through the story of a fictional yet very realistic character, Chung-Cha. She is relatable and someone the reader would want to know personally. Although Chung-Cha is raised a believer, the only God she knows seems to have abandoned her at every critical turn. Will seeing other believers in action show her what God’s love really is or will she harden her heart and cling to the torturous past? I cannot wait for the next book because I need to hear the end of the story.
A quote from the book speaks to this “You must tell believers on the outside to prepare for the day when the prison walls that surround our nation finally collapse. There will be a flood of refugees who will require both practical and spiritual care. The body of Christ in both China and South Korea must be prepared to minister to the needs of these exiles. Pg. 193”

I received this audiobook from Alana Terry and The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest opinion.

One of the Best

Would you consider the audio edition of The Beloved Daughter to be better than the print version?

I have not read the book.

Which character – as performed by Kathy Garver – was your favorite?

I think she does a good job with all of them. However, her rendition of the villains was a bit over the top.

Any additional comments?

I am listening to this for the second time in just a few months. It is one of the most compelling books I have ever read. Yes, much of the action is horrible but probably it happens. We have only to look at films of North Korean soldiers to know that the soldiers are not well fed, we can imagine how political prisoners must fare. I wish everyone would become more aware of what can happen when a dictator takes over a country

Deeply Moving

If you could sum up The Beloved Daughter in three words, what would they be?

powerful, moving, heartbreaking

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Beloved Daughter?

There were a couple of startling revelations. I don't want to give any details and ruin the story for those who haven't read/listened to it yet!

Have you listened to any of Kathy Garver’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me cry in several places.

Any additional comments?

I was deeply moved by Beloved Daughter. The story is gritty and heartbreaking in places, but at the same time touching and inspiring. It burdened me to pray more for the people of North Korea, especially Christ's followers who have been imprisoned and are enduring unspeakable suffering for their faith. I really think all Christians ought to hear this story, especially those who don't know much about what's going on in other parts of the world. Now I can't wait for the sequel! Oh, and the problem with the chapters being out of order has apparently been fixed, as I didn't have any trouble with them.

Reviews From a Man's Perspective

Would you consider the audio edition of The Beloved Daughter to be better than the print version?

While I always enjoy the detail associated with the print version of a book, this book seemed to come alive and made me enjoy the story all over again.

Any additional comments?

A great story. One that I would call a must for this year.