Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea is a graphic novel by Guy Delisle, offering a rare glimpse into one of the world's most secretive and mysterious nations. Famously referred to as part of the "Axis of Evil", North Korea remains enigmatic in many ways.

In early 2001, Delisle, a cartoonist, became one of the few Westerners granted access to this fortress-like country. While living in the nation's capital for two months on a work visa for a French film animation company, he observed the culture and lives of the few North Koreans he encountered.

This novel captures his findings, providing a sardonic and skeptical perspective on a place rife with propaganda. Delisle is a non-believer with a keen eye for the humor and tragedy of dictatorial whims, expressed in looming architecture and tiny, omnipresent photos of the President.

The absurd vagaries of everyday life become fodder for a frustrated animator’s musings as boredom and censorship sink in. Delisle himself is the ideal foil for North Korean spin, as he brought a copy of George Orwell’s 1984 with him into the totalitarian nation.

This is an informative, personal, and accessible look at a dangerous and enigmatic country, translated from the French by Helge Dascher.