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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
The Bird in the Bamboo Cage is a fictional story based on true events of a Teacher and a student at Chefoo Missionary School in China. This book flicks between the point of view of Elspeth Kent a British Teacher teaching at the Missionary school and Nancy Plummer a student who's parents are Missionary Workers in Shangai.
The school is taken over by Japanese soldiers, they are moved to a run down temple. Then eventually to a Citizen camp being held captive. Dysentery spreading and malnourishment make conditions unbelievable. I won't add any as I don't want to create spoilers.
The school is taken over by Japanese soldiers, they are moved to a run down temple. Then eventually to a Citizen camp being held captive. Dysentery spreading and malnourishment make conditions unbelievable. I won't add any as I don't want to create spoilers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Rape
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
This was so disappointing! I can hardly believe this was written by Hazel Gaynor, it’s such a departure from her other books.
Firstly, it’s so slow to start. Nothing happens for well over 150 pages. It’s a lot of whinging, waffling, and stiff upper lip nonsense.
Nancy and Elspeth had the exact same speaking and halter style despite their alleged age difference. I was surprised that Nancy was a child. I assumed she was a late teen by the way she spoke. It was completely unrealistic and confusing. The overall writing style was simplistic in nature and it genuinely read like YA, not historical fiction.
There were way too many names and nicknames. It added to the confusion that no one had a distinct voice or characterization so they all blended together.
The components of war were so watered down. If you’re going to write about the horror of Japanese occupation, you need to be all in. This was a heavily watered down version of events and it did a disservice to the memory of those who did lose their lives, freedom, and dignity during the occupation. The Japanese army were ruthless; but, if this book is to be believed they just went around punching people and poking them with sticks! I wasn’t convinced either by the liberties that the prisoners had at the camp… it doesn’t seem plausible that they would have been able to do half the things they did: teach classes, sing songs, earn badges, keep luggage and trinkets… they claim they were starving but they didn’t seem to get sick or have reduced energy at all. They whines at Chefoo, they whined at the second place, they whined at the camp… there was no sense of place to any of these locations and they seemed pretty interchangeable.
The war didn’t feel real to me. I wasn’t transported in time nor did I feel any sense of danger or tension.
Shoehorning in an implausible romance seemed forced and silly. Given the horrors of war, using internment camps as a staging ground for a romance really irks me.
So pacing issues, weak plot, non-existent characterization, and utter ridiculousness aside, I also found the following grating as hell: 150+ pages of pure British exceptionalism, a cult-like devotion to girl guides, the perseverance porn feel to the whole book, toxic masculinity and stiff upper lip crap, loads of Christian values and god bothering, and petulant and entitled posh people.
This was a total flop. I should have DNF’d it because the story and ending do not justify the slog.
Firstly, it’s so slow to start. Nothing happens for well over 150 pages. It’s a lot of whinging, waffling, and stiff upper lip nonsense.
Nancy and Elspeth had the exact same speaking and halter style despite their alleged age difference. I was surprised that Nancy was a child. I assumed she was a late teen by the way she spoke. It was completely unrealistic and confusing. The overall writing style was simplistic in nature and it genuinely read like YA, not historical fiction.
There were way too many names and nicknames. It added to the confusion that no one had a distinct voice or characterization so they all blended together.
The components of war were so watered down. If you’re going to write about the horror of Japanese occupation, you need to be all in. This was a heavily watered down version of events and it did a disservice to the memory of those who did lose their lives, freedom, and dignity during the occupation. The Japanese army were ruthless; but, if this book is to be believed they just went around punching people and poking them with sticks! I wasn’t convinced either by the liberties that the prisoners had at the camp… it doesn’t seem plausible that they would have been able to do half the things they did: teach classes, sing songs, earn badges, keep luggage and trinkets… they claim they were starving but they didn’t seem to get sick or have reduced energy at all. They whines at Chefoo, they whined at the second place, they whined at the camp… there was no sense of place to any of these locations and they seemed pretty interchangeable.
The war didn’t feel real to me. I wasn’t transported in time nor did I feel any sense of danger or tension.
Shoehorning in an implausible romance seemed forced and silly. Given the horrors of war, using internment camps as a staging ground for a romance really irks me.
Spoiler
Elspeth went moping about Harry all the time to insta-love with Charlie in a blink of an eye. It was totally unconvincing.Spoiler
The baby thread was utterly ridiculous. At this stage it just felt like the author was trying to shoehorn in as much mass market junk as possible.So pacing issues, weak plot, non-existent characterization, and utter ridiculousness aside, I also found the following grating as hell: 150+ pages of pure British exceptionalism, a cult-like devotion to girl guides, the perseverance porn feel to the whole book, toxic masculinity and stiff upper lip crap, loads of Christian values and god bothering, and petulant and entitled posh people.
This was a total flop. I should have DNF’d it because the story and ending do not justify the slog.
This is the second book on tape by Hazel Gaynor I have finished. It was a great for travel time, and I have to say I learned something more about the Pacific Rim side of WWII.
Well written and emotional but a little too depressing for me
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
There is no two ways about it The Bird in the Bamboo Cage is quite simply the best book that Hazel Gaynor has ever written. It’s an absolute stunning read and even though the subject matter is tough, devastating and heart-breaking this book was written in such a beautiful way that it really opened my eyes to the traumas that occurred during the Japanese occupation of China and other areas in the Far East during World War Two. It’s evident right from page one that Hazel engaged in such in-depth research and study in order to write the best book possible in order to convey a human story and the many varied experiences of those captured and it’s all set against the backdrop of invasion and internment. The story is so rich in detail and the imagery and pictures created are so vivid as you delve further into the book. I felt like I was there with Nancy and Elspeth and their fellow teachers and students as their lives are torn apart and nothing but uncertainty and even death stares them in the face for an unknown length of time. Regardless of the fact of the dreadful events that unfold and the terrible experiences and emotions that the characters experience, there is determination, courage, love and resilience to be found throughout the book.
Nancy never talked about what happened when they returned from the Far East to England after the war was over. Her school years in China and her subsequent internment were not something she wished to discuss but so many years later she can still remember all the details with startling clarity and because she can the reader is taken on an incredible journey, one which is not easily forgotten. And so we are taken back in time to 1941, to where Nancy attends the Inland Mission School in China in Chefoo, as does her older brother. Her parents are both missionaries who travel around China and she has seen neither of them for several years given the Sino-Japanese War and now the fact that World War Two has broken out and is raging on in the far east ever since the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour and the Americans subsequently entered the war. Nancy is safe with her classmates and teachers and although she really wants to see her parents she knows there are always people much worse off than she is. Little does she realise just how her little world will change dramatically and she may well be one of those people who become worse off than they once were.
Even though she was more or less a child, Nancy was captured just perfectly. She wasn’t too young that she didn’t fully comprehend what was going on, yet she hadn’t quite reached those teenage/young adult years that all her innocence and naivety was lost. She was the perfect mixture between the two and was ideally placed to share the events that befall the school from a young person’s perspective. Sprout, from America, is Nancy’s best friend and Joan, otherwise known as Mouse, becomes a confidant too. As we journey with these girls I felt Nancy really came alive and her voice shone through the pages. Her belief that they would be rescued soon, that when the Japanese arrived and took over their beloved school that it would only be for a short time, well god I felt for her because she really had no clue what was about to happen and sure really when you think about it how could they have done? Would they have had the same strength, courage and willingness to keep going through the deprivation, hunger, cruelty and torture that was to occur if they had known what lay in wait for them?
Elspeth first met Nancy as she journeys to the school and she promised her mother she would always look after her and she stuck to her word through thick and thin. No matter how horrific things got she put Nancy and her students before her own needs time and time again. She really went beyond the call of duty and sure if anyone was put in that position you would do the same. But Elspeth was special, she became like a mother to a large flock, and as a staff the teachers were the only adults the children could rely on under the cruel hands of the Japanese. Had her life led her to this point to be the mother she had always hoped to be even if it was to temporary orphans? Elpseth had planned to tender her resignation and return to England but the Japanese arrived and took over the school before she could do so.
At first I thought her heart really wasn’t in it. That her head was already back in England with the one she loved and lost but she deserves nothing but admiration for how she put her own feelings aside and just kept pushing forward. What really amazed me and what I found to be remarkable was that even as things grew steadily worse and as the school is moved from their original location to an abandoned mission compound and then eventually to an internment camp called Weihsien that teaching and learning still went on no matter what the situation that existed. If that’s not dedication to one’s job I don’t know what is. But in one way it did provide some sense of normality and routine for the children at a time when danger, menace and peril lurked around every corner.
Amidst the weight of responsibility that falls on Elspeth shoulders, and the relentless pressure to be jolly and strong, there are some beautiful, under stated moments that provide hope and some lightness amongst all the fear and unease that exists. The sections set at the internment camp had some lovely heart-warming moments in them and to be honest I found these sections the most fascinating to read about. It was like a community had been set up within the camp and although the Japanese soldiers were there at every turn everyone was trying to make the best of a heinous situation. Of course there are some upsetting scenes, and one in particular springs to mind, but it’s inclusion was necessary because this did happen at the time and although I mightn’t have wanted to read about it, it did need to be there to show all sides to the story and what went on within the confines of the infamous camps.
It’s not easy to write a story with this subject matter and turn it into something uplifting and hopeful but Hazel Gaynor has succeeded in doing this. She has reminded or else brought to readers attention a time in history that should never be forgotten. For what the people endured was harrowing, agonising, painful and terrifying and The Bird in the Bamboo Cage gave me a greater appreciation for what so many endured during the war years. The book is an utter triumph, one that is beautifully crafted and certainly one of the most memorable and empowering books that I have read this year. It has the perfect blend of imagination with historical fact and each character has such a unique voice that will stay with you long past the last turn of the page. It’s definitely a book that I would highly recommend, and I hope Hazel will choose to write something set during this period in history again as she has shown such a deep empathy, understanding and knowledge of the time. It would make a brilliant TV series as Hazel has written an outstanding book.
Nancy never talked about what happened when they returned from the Far East to England after the war was over. Her school years in China and her subsequent internment were not something she wished to discuss but so many years later she can still remember all the details with startling clarity and because she can the reader is taken on an incredible journey, one which is not easily forgotten. And so we are taken back in time to 1941, to where Nancy attends the Inland Mission School in China in Chefoo, as does her older brother. Her parents are both missionaries who travel around China and she has seen neither of them for several years given the Sino-Japanese War and now the fact that World War Two has broken out and is raging on in the far east ever since the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour and the Americans subsequently entered the war. Nancy is safe with her classmates and teachers and although she really wants to see her parents she knows there are always people much worse off than she is. Little does she realise just how her little world will change dramatically and she may well be one of those people who become worse off than they once were.
Even though she was more or less a child, Nancy was captured just perfectly. She wasn’t too young that she didn’t fully comprehend what was going on, yet she hadn’t quite reached those teenage/young adult years that all her innocence and naivety was lost. She was the perfect mixture between the two and was ideally placed to share the events that befall the school from a young person’s perspective. Sprout, from America, is Nancy’s best friend and Joan, otherwise known as Mouse, becomes a confidant too. As we journey with these girls I felt Nancy really came alive and her voice shone through the pages. Her belief that they would be rescued soon, that when the Japanese arrived and took over their beloved school that it would only be for a short time, well god I felt for her because she really had no clue what was about to happen and sure really when you think about it how could they have done? Would they have had the same strength, courage and willingness to keep going through the deprivation, hunger, cruelty and torture that was to occur if they had known what lay in wait for them?
Elspeth first met Nancy as she journeys to the school and she promised her mother she would always look after her and she stuck to her word through thick and thin. No matter how horrific things got she put Nancy and her students before her own needs time and time again. She really went beyond the call of duty and sure if anyone was put in that position you would do the same. But Elspeth was special, she became like a mother to a large flock, and as a staff the teachers were the only adults the children could rely on under the cruel hands of the Japanese. Had her life led her to this point to be the mother she had always hoped to be even if it was to temporary orphans? Elpseth had planned to tender her resignation and return to England but the Japanese arrived and took over the school before she could do so.
At first I thought her heart really wasn’t in it. That her head was already back in England with the one she loved and lost but she deserves nothing but admiration for how she put her own feelings aside and just kept pushing forward. What really amazed me and what I found to be remarkable was that even as things grew steadily worse and as the school is moved from their original location to an abandoned mission compound and then eventually to an internment camp called Weihsien that teaching and learning still went on no matter what the situation that existed. If that’s not dedication to one’s job I don’t know what is. But in one way it did provide some sense of normality and routine for the children at a time when danger, menace and peril lurked around every corner.
Amidst the weight of responsibility that falls on Elspeth shoulders, and the relentless pressure to be jolly and strong, there are some beautiful, under stated moments that provide hope and some lightness amongst all the fear and unease that exists. The sections set at the internment camp had some lovely heart-warming moments in them and to be honest I found these sections the most fascinating to read about. It was like a community had been set up within the camp and although the Japanese soldiers were there at every turn everyone was trying to make the best of a heinous situation. Of course there are some upsetting scenes, and one in particular springs to mind, but it’s inclusion was necessary because this did happen at the time and although I mightn’t have wanted to read about it, it did need to be there to show all sides to the story and what went on within the confines of the infamous camps.
It’s not easy to write a story with this subject matter and turn it into something uplifting and hopeful but Hazel Gaynor has succeeded in doing this. She has reminded or else brought to readers attention a time in history that should never be forgotten. For what the people endured was harrowing, agonising, painful and terrifying and The Bird in the Bamboo Cage gave me a greater appreciation for what so many endured during the war years. The book is an utter triumph, one that is beautifully crafted and certainly one of the most memorable and empowering books that I have read this year. It has the perfect blend of imagination with historical fact and each character has such a unique voice that will stay with you long past the last turn of the page. It’s definitely a book that I would highly recommend, and I hope Hazel will choose to write something set during this period in history again as she has shown such a deep empathy, understanding and knowledge of the time. It would make a brilliant TV series as Hazel has written an outstanding book.
This was too simplistic to be a novel aimed at an adult audience. Set in a harrowing time in history I should have been more moved. It almost read like a very young youth novel.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No