Scan barcode
cozi82's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
aleffert's review against another edition
4.0
This is the fictionalized war memoir of famed science fiction writer J. G. Ballard. On average he's about twelve and stuck in a Japanese prison camp outside Shanghai without his parents. Everyone knows war is awful, but trust Ballard to get how frickin' weird it is and how quickly the veneer of civilization vanishes.
Apparently there's a Spielberg movie with Christian Bale. It seems like much of the book is internal monologue so I'm curious how that works.
Apparently there's a Spielberg movie with Christian Bale. It seems like much of the book is internal monologue so I'm curious how that works.
vikingwolf's review against another edition
I should have known to stay away from the book as I totally hated the film and its annoying boy hero-and yes the book is just the same and the boy is just as annoying. For a child his age he seems totally cut off from reality, very immature for his age and is always bugging everyone he meets so that they are ready to throttle him. We are following Jim as the Japanese declare war on Britain and America, leaving ex-pats across China in confusion and fear as they are rounded up and put into prison camps. But the story did little to distract me from getting more and more irritated with Jim and his antics so I happily moved on to another read.
hoserlauren's review against another edition
3.0
Jim is just a kid when World War II comes on Shanghai. An American ship it attacked in the harbour and in the chaos that follows, Jim is separated from his parents. He's taken to a hospital but escapes and roams the city. The Chinese are no help, the Japanese are not interested in Jim at all, and there aren't many Europeans around to help him. Jim tries to go back to his family home but eventually Japanese move in there and Jim has to move on. He tries to turn himself in to the Japanese multiple times but it doesn't work. Only when he hooks up with two thieves does he finally manage to become a prisoner of the Japanese.
How does a young boy process the war? Jim doesn't understand it and is excited by the action he sees. He's in awe of the Japanese pilots. And he's not really scared. The adults that surround Jim and take care of him while they're held prisoner try to do their best by him but he's his own person and it's hard to point him in the right direction, if they can even figure out what that is.
I picked this book up because I'm travelling to China soon and wanted a book that takes place in the area. This was a very interesting one. Usually WWII books take place in Europe and speak about the Americans/Europeans. This one takes place in a country not really involved in the war as the Japanese take over. Furthermore, it's from the view point of a child which adds to the intrigue.
There are some confusing parts to this book. I had troubles keeping some items straight. It felt like Jim took hours to walk from one location to another, only to go back to the original location quickly. I'm not sure if I misunderstood but this seemed to be a recurring problem.
I had no clue this was a movie. One with Christian Bale as a kid no less. It's an interesting story; I'd be interested in seeing how it translates over to the big screen.
How does a young boy process the war? Jim doesn't understand it and is excited by the action he sees. He's in awe of the Japanese pilots. And he's not really scared. The adults that surround Jim and take care of him while they're held prisoner try to do their best by him but he's his own person and it's hard to point him in the right direction, if they can even figure out what that is.
I picked this book up because I'm travelling to China soon and wanted a book that takes place in the area. This was a very interesting one. Usually WWII books take place in Europe and speak about the Americans/Europeans. This one takes place in a country not really involved in the war as the Japanese take over. Furthermore, it's from the view point of a child which adds to the intrigue.
There are some confusing parts to this book. I had troubles keeping some items straight. It felt like Jim took hours to walk from one location to another, only to go back to the original location quickly. I'm not sure if I misunderstood but this seemed to be a recurring problem.
I had no clue this was a movie. One with Christian Bale as a kid no less. It's an interesting story; I'd be interested in seeing how it translates over to the big screen.
rebecanunez's review against another edition
3.0
"Empire of the Sun" de J.G. Ballard es una obra impresionante que ofrece una perspectiva única y conmovedora sobre la Segunda Guerra Mundial, centrándose en la experiencia de un niño británico atrapado en Shanghai durante la invasión japonesa. Publicada en 1984, la novela se basa en las propias experiencias de Ballard durante la guerra, lo que le confiere una autenticidad y profundidad impactantes.
La historia sigue a Jim, un niño de once años, mientras lucha por sobrevivir en medio del caos y la violencia de la guerra. Separado de sus padres durante la ocupación japonesa de Shanghai, Jim se encuentra solo en un mundo devastado por la brutalidad y la desesperación. A medida que la guerra avanza, su historia se convierte en una odisea de supervivencia, reflexión y crecimiento.
Ballard presenta la narrativa a través de los ojos de Jim, lo que añade una capa de inocencia y vulnerabilidad a la historia. El lector se sumerge en la mente del niño, experimentando la guerra de una manera visceral y personal. La evolución de Jim a lo largo de la novela, desde un niño privilegiado hasta un joven que ha enfrentado la brutalidad de la realidad, es conmovedora y poderosa.
El entorno de Shanghai durante la guerra se convierte en un personaje por derecho propio. Ballard pinta un retrato vívido de la ciudad en ruinas, capturando la desesperación y la surrealidad de la guerra desde la perspectiva de un niño. La descripción detallada de los campos de internamiento y la lucha diaria por la supervivencia agrega una autenticidad impactante a la narrativa.
La novela también toca temas más amplios, como la pérdida de la inocencia, la crueldad de la guerra y la complejidad de las relaciones humanas en tiempos extremos. La relación de Jim con los soldados japoneses y otros prisioneros de guerra ofrece una exploración sutil de la humanidad en medio de la adversidad.
"Empire of the Sun" se destaca por su prosa poética y evocadora. La habilidad de Ballard para capturar la esencia emocional de cada momento, ya sea de desesperación o esperanza, eleva la novela a un nivel artístico. Su capacidad para tejer metáforas y simbolismo contribuye a la riqueza temática de la obra.
En resumen, "Empire of the Sun" es una obra maestra literaria que ofrece una mirada conmovedora y personal a la Segunda Guerra Mundial. La combinación de la historia intensa, la autenticidad basada en experiencias reales y la prosa magistral de Ballard hace que esta novela sea una lectura inolvidable. Es una obra que deja una impresión duradera y que invita a la reflexión sobre la humanidad en los momentos más oscuros de la historia.
La historia sigue a Jim, un niño de once años, mientras lucha por sobrevivir en medio del caos y la violencia de la guerra. Separado de sus padres durante la ocupación japonesa de Shanghai, Jim se encuentra solo en un mundo devastado por la brutalidad y la desesperación. A medida que la guerra avanza, su historia se convierte en una odisea de supervivencia, reflexión y crecimiento.
Ballard presenta la narrativa a través de los ojos de Jim, lo que añade una capa de inocencia y vulnerabilidad a la historia. El lector se sumerge en la mente del niño, experimentando la guerra de una manera visceral y personal. La evolución de Jim a lo largo de la novela, desde un niño privilegiado hasta un joven que ha enfrentado la brutalidad de la realidad, es conmovedora y poderosa.
El entorno de Shanghai durante la guerra se convierte en un personaje por derecho propio. Ballard pinta un retrato vívido de la ciudad en ruinas, capturando la desesperación y la surrealidad de la guerra desde la perspectiva de un niño. La descripción detallada de los campos de internamiento y la lucha diaria por la supervivencia agrega una autenticidad impactante a la narrativa.
La novela también toca temas más amplios, como la pérdida de la inocencia, la crueldad de la guerra y la complejidad de las relaciones humanas en tiempos extremos. La relación de Jim con los soldados japoneses y otros prisioneros de guerra ofrece una exploración sutil de la humanidad en medio de la adversidad.
"Empire of the Sun" se destaca por su prosa poética y evocadora. La habilidad de Ballard para capturar la esencia emocional de cada momento, ya sea de desesperación o esperanza, eleva la novela a un nivel artístico. Su capacidad para tejer metáforas y simbolismo contribuye a la riqueza temática de la obra.
En resumen, "Empire of the Sun" es una obra maestra literaria que ofrece una mirada conmovedora y personal a la Segunda Guerra Mundial. La combinación de la historia intensa, la autenticidad basada en experiencias reales y la prosa magistral de Ballard hace que esta novela sea una lectura inolvidable. Es una obra que deja una impresión duradera y que invita a la reflexión sobre la humanidad en los momentos más oscuros de la historia.
krpollard's review against another edition
4.0
I found Ballard's descriptions of what it took for Jim to survive heartbreaking. Though at times a bit clunky, his narration effectively depicted the fragmented psyche of a child's struggle to make sense of and find security in wartime. His semi-autobiographical account also adds an important perspective to the Japanese invasion of China and touches on questions about the "winners" and "losers" in wartime and what we mean when wars begin and end.
rocketiza's review against another edition
4.0
Brilliantly written, able to both convey the gravity of the terrible situation while also coming from a child's perspective and their struggle to cope with being put into an interment Camp in WWII. Really hard to put down, found myself reading at a bit slower pace than usual to soak it all in.
davygibbs's review against another edition
5.0
Shocking, beautiful, terrifying, soul-crushing, redemptive ... I don't know which of these to use or in what order, or whether I can stop there. What a magnificent book this is. It is very difficult to square the events in this book with the life and career that JG Ballard still had ahead of him. It's hard to imagine anyone going through this as a child and finding the will and courage and strength to rise above the total ruination of it and get free. Only to revisit it years later with masterful skill and nuance and turn it into a literary masterpiece.