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raisa's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
claudiatralenuvole's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Ho avuto un po' di difficoltà a dare un voto a questa lettura. Ammetto che è molto lontana dai miei gusti per il modo in cui è scritta (le descrizioni così lunghe e dettagliate non fanno per me. Sarà l'adhd) e probabilmente senza la spinta del gdl per cui l'ho letta l'avrei abbandonata abbastanza presto. Detto questo, ho apprezzato le nozioni apprese sul periodo visto che non ne sapevo quasi niente, e per quanto alcune scene mi abbiano suggestionato molto non mi è dispiaciuto che non si glissi sull'orrore della guerra, anzi ti fa stare male quasi fossi stato presente.
Però non sono mancati momenti che ho trovato grottescamente divertenti (il nonno che esulta perché il figlio non è sterile mi ha fatto veramente ridere).
Dei personaggi non ho amato particolarmente nessuno, ma ho apprezzato la nonna per il suo essere avanti su certe cose, e il suo non mandarle a dire. Il finale mi ha lasciato un po' insoddisfatta, mi è parso sgonfiarsi e perdere d'impatto.
Però non sono mancati momenti che ho trovato grottescamente divertenti (il nonno che esulta perché il figlio non è sterile mi ha fatto veramente ridere).
Dei personaggi non ho amato particolarmente nessuno, ma ho apprezzato la nonna per il suo essere avanti su certe cose, e il suo non mandarle a dire. Il finale mi ha lasciato un po' insoddisfatta, mi è parso sgonfiarsi e perdere d'impatto.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Murder, Rape, War, and Torture
bridgetwf's review
5.0
I was unsure what to rate this novel. As many other reviewers have noted, it is EXTREMELY brutal. Like I could not read it before bedtime or fear never sleeping again brutal. Everyone dies a HORRIFIC death and the brutality to animal, humans and the unborn is insane.
But, that is the point of the book--how insane our human brutality it. Everyone is fighting everyone, the Chinese are fighting the Japanese as well as each other, and some point one character finally says something along the lines of "who care who are rulers are? life is going to be similar and hard either way." That felt like one of the most poignant lines of the book.
Anyway, this book isn't for everyone. It is confusing to keep track of the story that jumps all over time with a variety of characters, and it is very disturbing, but once I got into it I really enjoyed the writing and was glad that I read this book.
But, that is the point of the book--how insane our human brutality it. Everyone is fighting everyone, the Chinese are fighting the Japanese as well as each other, and some point one character finally says something along the lines of "who care who are rulers are? life is going to be similar and hard either way." That felt like one of the most poignant lines of the book.
Anyway, this book isn't for everyone. It is confusing to keep track of the story that jumps all over time with a variety of characters, and it is very disturbing, but once I got into it I really enjoyed the writing and was glad that I read this book.
itsyourpaldave's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
rosellareads's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
This is anything but a light read. The author clearly takes delight in describing one bloody, cruel scene in graphic detail after another. His writing style is quite dense, a lot of description and metaphors and only few pages don't contain the word 'sorghum'. He jumps to flash backs without any warning and characters are described as 'father' 'grandmother', even though the grandson is never part of the story, which it all makes for an individual literary style. I found the book too heavy handed and sadistic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, War, Violence, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, and Gun violence
elishabird's review
dark
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Blood, Sexual content, Death, Gore, Animal death, Sexual violence, Rape, Murder, Mental illness, Child death, Suicide, and Death of parent
deinonychusa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Lo stile di scrittura di questo libro, che inizialmente può sembrare ostico e complicato, poi si rivela, una volta che si è entrati in sintonia con quello che lo acrittore vuole comunicare , estremamente poetico nelle metafore ma allo stesso tempo estremamente crudo o diretto nel descrivere sia le atrocità accadute durante la guerra che le dure vite quotidiane dei personaggi. Il sorgo è quasi un personaggio in se e per se, è sia metafora che protagonista dell'intera vicenda, venendo umanizzato, il sorgo sorgo piange i suoi morti, il sorgo è complice dell'amore clandestino di due ragazzi, il sorgo cresce impetuoso mentre i guerriglieri tendono un'imboscata, i chicchi di sorgo si posano come gioielli nella bocca della nonna che trova la morte proprio in un campo di sorgo. E alla fine, nonostante il valore dimostrato, viene sostituito dal sorgo ibrido, basso, tozzo e amaro, simbolo di come la storia ha fatto un torto agli eroi di resistenza cinese, facendo perdere le proprie radici ai loro discendenti.
em_an_hu's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jasonlesher's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
renees's review
2.0
I'd like to put down poor translating as the reason I didn't like this book, but I don't actually think that is the case. The overuse of sorghum and colours as symbolism was heavy-handed, the violence was both tedious and excessive and the parts of the story that were interesting - the inter-generational personal relationships - were told in such a disjointed fashion that it was hard to keep track of.