Inside the Secret – A Trip to North Korea was the second book I read about this country. Although both were written by portuguese authors, they show completely different views.
The first one I read was written by a former Portuguese Ambassador in North Korea, therefore focusing more on diplomatic relations. This one was also written by a portuguese but from a different point of view. José Luís Peixoto visited the country and witnessed his experience as a tourist.
That said, I really liked the transparent way he exposes his day-to-day life on this journey, but above all the way the book starts and ends. With a literary quality above average, over about 200 pages, he tells us about his trip to North Korea during the centenary celebrations of Kim Il-sung, grandfather of the current leader. Thus, on one of the few occasions when the country has welcomed tourists in decentralized areas, it is possible to have access to the reality of life in the most closed country in the world.
I strongly recommend it!
Rating 4.8/5
Read in 2020