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mslaura's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
hazeyjane_2's review against another edition
2.0
DNF at 33%. I know that both Ling Zhang and Shelley Bryant, the translator, been widely acclaimed, and the writing was lovely. But it was just too slow for me. A lot of it was the recollection/memories of the main characters rather than focusing on an overarching plot. We start with the deaths of the three main characters, Pastor Billy, Ian and Zhao, and flash back from there. So we know how things are going to turn out. The novel depends on our wanting to study the character of Ah Yan. Because that’s what this is, a character study. Unfortunately, she wasn’t nearly compelling enough for me to want to continue this.
In parts the writing felt too long-winded and too introspective, leading to a uniformity in tone that made moments that were meant to be urgent and nail-biting, such as Pastor Billy saving Ah Yan from infection, move nearly as slowly as the contemplative parts.
I liked the depiction of tea-making and the description of rural life in pre-WWII China, but overall, this was more style than substance for me.
In parts the writing felt too long-winded and too introspective, leading to a uniformity in tone that made moments that were meant to be urgent and nail-biting, such as Pastor Billy saving Ah Yan from infection, move nearly as slowly as the contemplative parts.
I liked the depiction of tea-making and the description of rural life in pre-WWII China, but overall, this was more style than substance for me.
nukie19's review against another edition
3.0
There are some really beautiful descriptions and the writing is lovely, but I never felt invested in the story. Jumping from each character’s POV and back and forth through time was discombobulating. I also struggled with the instances of abuse throughout.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
lindsayymack's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent journey through four characters' lives during war time. I really enjoyed the prose and way the narrative continued to intersect as their paths crossed. Not my usual style, I found it a bit slow to get into and get one's bearings but well worth the patience.
leahsbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley. I am providing an honest review voluntarily.
The premise of the book sounded great. The bones of the story were good, but there were definitely some things I didn't like about the book.
TRIGGER WARNING: bombing, gore, sexual assault, and death of pets
First and foremost, the text was overly descriptive, and and was heavily overburdened by information that was unrelated to the plot. The descriptions were so incredibly detailed that it took me off topic and made it easy for the plot to get lost. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, leading to chapters that were excessively long and kind of boring. The entire story is narrated through the point of view of various characters, including two pet dogs. The chapter with the dogs really lost me. As much as I love dogs, the story being told from their point of view involved complex humanized emotions that wasn't believable.
The entire time I read, I waited to find out what actually happened. The story went from the future and worked backwards, with scattered periods out of order. I found myself often getting distracted, and waiting for something to happen. There was a lot of focus on the status of a woman who was sexually assaulted, and I didn't especially love how it was handled by any of the characters. When the end of the book finally arrived, the final chapter would have been sufficient, except for the presence of an epilogue that was completely unnecessary.
Overall, the book had so much potential, but maybe because it was originally written in a language other than it was translated to, it left something lacking for me.
The premise of the book sounded great. The bones of the story were good, but there were definitely some things I didn't like about the book.
TRIGGER WARNING: bombing, gore, sexual assault, and death of pets
First and foremost, the text was overly descriptive, and and was heavily overburdened by information that was unrelated to the plot. The descriptions were so incredibly detailed that it took me off topic and made it easy for the plot to get lost. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, leading to chapters that were excessively long and kind of boring. The entire story is narrated through the point of view of various characters, including two pet dogs. The chapter with the dogs really lost me. As much as I love dogs, the story being told from their point of view involved complex humanized emotions that wasn't believable.
The entire time I read, I waited to find out what actually happened. The story went from the future and worked backwards, with scattered periods out of order. I found myself often getting distracted, and waiting for something to happen. There was a lot of focus on the status of a woman who was sexually assaulted, and I didn't especially love how it was handled by any of the characters. When the end of the book finally arrived, the final chapter would have been sufficient, except for the presence of an epilogue that was completely unnecessary.
Overall, the book had so much potential, but maybe because it was originally written in a language other than it was translated to, it left something lacking for me.
jennderqueer's review against another edition
5.0
This was beautiful. Difficult to read, it's about three men and a woman whose lives intertwine in rural China during WW2 and it doesn't shy away from either the horrors of war or the little struggles of everyday life. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
macaronoui's review against another edition
4.0
Includes spoilers!
The book centers around one woman, and the men all claim her in their own way. What I was struck with is how much she gave up for them versus what she got in return.
The writing and translation was beautiful.
The story was a bit long winded in certain bits. Sometimes it was a little confusing with story belonged to which man, but luckily there were small summaries in between with clearly guided me towards the correct man.
Now I know this might sound odd, but the section told by the two dogs was both my favorite and least favorite part of the book. I understand they had a better overview and reason to tell a part of the story from their perspective, but if we were adding in new things, I would have liked to read more from Ah Yan/Stella/Wende's perspective.
I haven't been able to verify how much of the story was historically inaccurate/accurate, but it was fascinating to learn more about the wars and how it affected everyone. Wars have no real winners, and everybody is branded with it for life.
In conclusion, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
The book centers around one woman, and the men all claim her in their own way. What I was struck with is how much she gave up for them versus what she got in return.
The writing and translation was beautiful.
The story was a bit long winded in certain bits. Sometimes it was a little confusing with story belonged to which man, but luckily there were small summaries in between with clearly guided me towards the correct man.
Now I know this might sound odd, but the section told by the two dogs was both my favorite and least favorite part of the book. I understand they had a better overview and reason to tell a part of the story from their perspective, but if we were adding in new things, I would have liked to read more from Ah Yan/Stella/Wende's perspective.
I haven't been able to verify how much of the story was historically inaccurate/accurate, but it was fascinating to learn more about the wars and how it affected everyone. Wars have no real winners, and everybody is branded with it for life.
In conclusion, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
sbnich's review against another edition
3.0
3.5, for a unique story with solid literary quality.
Three ghosts narrate a story of a woman they refer to by three different names over the course of a few years in the deep Chinese countryside during WWII.
The premise is interesting, the audio narration and writing is solid, but I struggled with the subject. A woman, whose life is told by 3 men (and 2 dogs!), who never gets to say what her name is or what she feels for each of the three who pay a monumental part in her life - a father figure, the father OF her child, and the father TO her child. Her voice is entirely silent, told only via the lens of the men around her.
Worth a read if only for the value of reading a a great translation about a piece of history and a country and culture of which I know little about.
Three ghosts narrate a story of a woman they refer to by three different names over the course of a few years in the deep Chinese countryside during WWII.
The premise is interesting, the audio narration and writing is solid, but I struggled with the subject. A woman, whose life is told by 3 men (and 2 dogs!), who never gets to say what her name is or what she feels for each of the three who pay a monumental part in her life - a father figure, the father OF her child, and the father TO her child. Her voice is entirely silent, told only via the lens of the men around her.
Worth a read if only for the value of reading a a great translation about a piece of history and a country and culture of which I know little about.
tinybibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
My Review:⭐️⭐⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars
I have not seen this featured around #bookstagram much - it a English translation from a book that Ling Zhang wrote in 2017. It is a slower read, but a beautiful and epic story about 3 men whose lives intertwined at one point in their lives in 1945 after Japan surrendered. Pastor Billy, soldier Ian Ferguson, and local Chinese soldier Liu Zhaohu. They are all linked by 1 woman (Ah Yan, name meaning Swallow) that they were all in love with at one point. After the war, they made a pact for their souls to always visit each other at the same spot on the same day every year. The format is a journal/diary-like voice from each man’s perspective on their time in China and how they came to be there, how they fell for Ah Yeh, and what happened to them after the war. The pace is on the slower slide, but it is an absolutely beautiful story. Ah Yan’s story is truly heartbreaking with all that she had to deal with simply because she was a woman during that time. There was a chapter in the middle that had a military dog involved and I was sobbing like a child by the end of it. This reminded me of the Clockmaker’s Daughter in terms of style and pace. Highly recommend if you want a more epic story during WWII, but of the Allied forces in China, fighting against Japan.
Thank you @netgalley and @amazoncrossing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! It is out on Sept 15!
I have not seen this featured around #bookstagram much - it a English translation from a book that Ling Zhang wrote in 2017. It is a slower read, but a beautiful and epic story about 3 men whose lives intertwined at one point in their lives in 1945 after Japan surrendered. Pastor Billy, soldier Ian Ferguson, and local Chinese soldier Liu Zhaohu. They are all linked by 1 woman (Ah Yan, name meaning Swallow) that they were all in love with at one point. After the war, they made a pact for their souls to always visit each other at the same spot on the same day every year. The format is a journal/diary-like voice from each man’s perspective on their time in China and how they came to be there, how they fell for Ah Yeh, and what happened to them after the war. The pace is on the slower slide, but it is an absolutely beautiful story. Ah Yan’s story is truly heartbreaking with all that she had to deal with simply because she was a woman during that time. There was a chapter in the middle that had a military dog involved and I was sobbing like a child by the end of it. This reminded me of the Clockmaker’s Daughter in terms of style and pace. Highly recommend if you want a more epic story during WWII, but of the Allied forces in China, fighting against Japan.
Thank you @netgalley and @amazoncrossing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! It is out on Sept 15!