Book Review: Praying with the Enemy

Praying with the Enemy by Steven T. Collis is a historical fiction novel based on a true story and takes place during the Korean War.

The novel follows a few different characters who were all real people – Ward Millar, his wife Barbara, and Kim Jae Pil. Ward is a captain in the Air Force during the war and when he’s forced to eject over North Korea, he breaks both ankles and cannot run to safety or escape before Korean and Chinese soldiers capture him. Kim Jae Pil is a Christian soldier in the North Korean army, forced to fight and separated from his family. The book follows Ward’s time being held as a prisoner with the North Koreans/Chinese and his plans to try to escape despite his injuries, Jae Pil’s desire to try to find his family in the south and escape the North Korean army, and Barbara Ward’s steadfast faith that her husband is alive.

I found the book really interesting since I don’t know much about the Korean War and I was captivated throughout especially since it was a true story. I did wish that Ward and Jae Pil connected on their journey’s earlier in the book because I think it was more interesting to see them work together, but I guess that wouldn’t be factually correct!