I picked this up because I couldn't resist a glimpse inside modern-day North Korea as seen through an American's eyes. Suki is Korean-American (born in and lived in S. Korea for her childhood) who is let into North Korea to teach at an elite university--actually the only university in North Korea that stays open at this time (2011). The differences in the North Korean's life style and ours is very interesting, especially their group mentality--no one does anything as an individual, they never say "my," it's always "our" and "we." All the North Koreans are so indoctrinated in believing that their leader (at this time Kim Jung-il) is like a deity and they sing praises to him everyday; and they think their country is among the leading countries. They realize that they have some limitations but they don't realize how many. 
 The teachers are not allowed to speak about many things. Suki is not allowed anywhere off campus on her own, so she cannot explore the city (Pyongyang). She is only allowed to see what she is allowed to see, and as she points out, this is the cream of the crop of North Koreans, the elite, smartest, from the most powerful families. 
 One reviewer made it sound like Suki was having mutual attraction with a student, but that didn't happen (that forbidden love would've been really interesting). Suki often said they were like sons to her. Even though she really cared about them, I don't blame her for leaving after two semesters and not coming back. It sounded so lonely for her--not being allowed to go out at night with people, not even alone to a movie theatre because there were none.