Take a photo of a barcode or cover
annieg 's review for:
The Sorrow Of War: A Novel of North Vietnam
by Bảo Ninh
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
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:
Complicated
Sorrows of war might be the most exquisitely crafted, beautiful book I have read while also being the most horrific. It’s horrific and visceral than any other war story I have read. All quiet on the western front pales in comparison. The non-sequential blocks of images that somehow fit together for a cohesive story is a striking construction and I’m not sure any other author could have done it as well. I can feel the sorrow, the grief, the trauma in the pages. The extreme horror of what happened and what humans have the capacity to do to each other. But then the capacity for individual humans in these tiny moments to do incredible courageous and kind things.