|
The Flowers of War
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Trade in The Flowers of War for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Plus, get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'Great storytelling' --Observer Observer
'Intensely cinematic' --Big Issue
'Deft exploration of the wondrous and sad inscrutability of the human heart' --New York Times
'Yan is a keen observer of the cruel and the magical, and has a fine sense of the permeable line between high hilarity and Kafkan nightmare'
--Waterbridge Review
'Intensely cinematic' --Big Issue
'Deft exploration of the wondrous and sad inscrutability of the human heart' --New York Times
'Yan is a keen observer of the cruel and the magical, and has a fine sense of the permeable line between high hilarity and Kafkan nightmare'
--Waterbridge Review
Book Description
This powerful novel is now a major film by Chinese director Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern; House of Flying Daggers) starring Christian Bale
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Set during the Japanese occupation of Nanking during World War II (known variously as the Nanking Massacre, and the Rape of Nanking), 'The Flowers of War' focuses on the misfortunes of a disparate group of Chinese who seek protection in an American church. Much of the novel's narrative energy is built around the culture clash of those who find themselves seeking shelter together, as Roman Catholic church officials and their young schoolgirl wards find themselves sharing space with both prostitutes and injured Chinese soldiers, with the story focusing on both the groups differences and ultimate similarities in the face of war.
The novel is both short and economic in the telling, with pared-down but effective prose, and much of the drama arising naturally from the characters rather than stylistic fireworks. There is no single central focus here, as the omniscient third-person prose shifts constantly to view the situation through the eyes of several characters - this helps give the novel a broad sweep but occaisionally can feel slightly distancing, as we never really stay long enough with any one character to truly feel their plight. Ultimately however, the matter-of-fact style is to the book's benefit, as the novel builds inevitably to a downbeat ending, with a poignant epilogue that fails to offer any easy answers.
By no means a 'feel good' book, but an affecting look at the weaknesses and strengths of human character under the appalling pressure of war.
The novel is both short and economic in the telling, with pared-down but effective prose, and much of the drama arising naturally from the characters rather than stylistic fireworks. There is no single central focus here, as the omniscient third-person prose shifts constantly to view the situation through the eyes of several characters - this helps give the novel a broad sweep but occaisionally can feel slightly distancing, as we never really stay long enough with any one character to truly feel their plight. Ultimately however, the matter-of-fact style is to the book's benefit, as the novel builds inevitably to a downbeat ending, with a poignant epilogue that fails to offer any easy answers.
By no means a 'feel good' book, but an affecting look at the weaknesses and strengths of human character under the appalling pressure of war.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This was a book that improved a bit as the story progressed - initially I couldn't relax with the dialogue or the points of view of the protaganists, which felt disjointed. I wondered if it was a translation problem, but the translator is very experienced in this field, so I concluded that it must be cultural.
As I relaxed into the style, I became more involved with the schoolgirls in their innocence, the brazen prostitutes and the injured soldiers, all thrown together under the care of the church and Father Engelmann. The Father, with the help of his Deacon, Fabio Adornato, do their best to help everyone but they were in this over their heads, as water and food quickly ran out.
There is mention of the city burning all around but I didn't feel the sense of urgency and panic that this must surely have evoked. There is the smell of burning, but where is the fear that the flames could reach and envelop the church, its buildings and survivors?
The story takes place during the Massacre of Nanking in 1937 and the massacre itself is well described as 5,000 Chinese soldiers unfortunately put their faith in the Japanese to respect their rights as prisoners of war.
It is only a short book with 250 widely spaced pages and I learnt about an historical event that I had not been previously aware of, but I was disappointed that there seemed to be less feeling than I would have expected for a catastrophe of this nature.
Worth a read but not highly recommended.
As I relaxed into the style, I became more involved with the schoolgirls in their innocence, the brazen prostitutes and the injured soldiers, all thrown together under the care of the church and Father Engelmann. The Father, with the help of his Deacon, Fabio Adornato, do their best to help everyone but they were in this over their heads, as water and food quickly ran out.
There is mention of the city burning all around but I didn't feel the sense of urgency and panic that this must surely have evoked. There is the smell of burning, but where is the fear that the flames could reach and envelop the church, its buildings and survivors?
The story takes place during the Massacre of Nanking in 1937 and the massacre itself is well described as 5,000 Chinese soldiers unfortunately put their faith in the Japanese to respect their rights as prisoners of war.
It is only a short book with 250 widely spaced pages and I learnt about an historical event that I had not been previously aware of, but I was disappointed that there seemed to be less feeling than I would have expected for a catastrophe of this nature.
Worth a read but not highly recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This brief novella by Geling Yan, originally titled - as I understand - "The 13 Women of Nanjing" has here been reprinted as "The Flowers of War" to accompany the release of the big budget film by Zhang Yimou (check out the trailer provided on the product page above).
The story is set in an American church in the city of Nanking at the time of the Japanese invasion of China in 1937; a group of schoolgirls have been sheltered by the priest who runs the mission and circumstances change with the arrival of a group of prostitutes who also seek shelter from the violent and marauding Japanese forces. The events are seen mainly through the eyes of Shujuan, a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl.
The narrative is really very short so it doesn't allow much time for deep character development, but the directness of the style and quite fast pacing make for an absorbing and satisfying read which you'll finish in a day. There are short episodes told in flashback which round-out the main characters and explain how some of them - including three Chinese soldiers - find their way to the church.
Set against real historical events, I found it a little detached at times and although some research has been done - there's a mention of John Rabe, who helped set up the "safe zone" in the city - the reference to a helicopter at one point in the storyline is a rather basic anachronism.
That aside, it's a fairly good and quite moving read; quite graphically descriptive in places and with some strong language - should such things bother you.
If you intend to see the film version, or if you are interested in further background to this dark episode of history the German feature film "City of War: The Story of John Rabe" - available on DVD, is worth seeking out.
The story is set in an American church in the city of Nanking at the time of the Japanese invasion of China in 1937; a group of schoolgirls have been sheltered by the priest who runs the mission and circumstances change with the arrival of a group of prostitutes who also seek shelter from the violent and marauding Japanese forces. The events are seen mainly through the eyes of Shujuan, a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl.
The narrative is really very short so it doesn't allow much time for deep character development, but the directness of the style and quite fast pacing make for an absorbing and satisfying read which you'll finish in a day. There are short episodes told in flashback which round-out the main characters and explain how some of them - including three Chinese soldiers - find their way to the church.
Set against real historical events, I found it a little detached at times and although some research has been done - there's a mention of John Rabe, who helped set up the "safe zone" in the city - the reference to a helicopter at one point in the storyline is a rather basic anachronism.
That aside, it's a fairly good and quite moving read; quite graphically descriptive in places and with some strong language - should such things bother you.
If you intend to see the film version, or if you are interested in further background to this dark episode of history the German feature film "City of War: The Story of John Rabe" - available on DVD, is worth seeking out.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
I wanted to like it...
This is the book that the movie "Flowers of War" starring Christian Bale is based on so when I saw the book was released I grabbed it hoping to read it before I saw the movie as we... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Green Book Addict Librarian
A Big Disappointment
I read this book and was most disappointed. It started off very well and then I lost the thread. Somehow I found it all so silly. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Long Tall Sally
A gem, beautifully constructed and translated.
The Flowers of War focuses on an episode of 20th C. history little known about in the West, the Second Sino-Japanese war, and in particular, the Nanking Massacre. Read more
Published 4 months ago by A. I. McCulloch
Comedy and fear
The Flowers of War is a story of a group of unlikely people thrown together in a crisis. It is set in a mission compound in Nanking, China in 1937. The Japanese have invaded. Read more
Published 4 months ago by elkiedee
Bravery comes from the most unsuspecting sources...
The Flowers of War by Geling Yan was a book which I would recommend to most readers of history. The book is actually based on the "Massacre of Nanking" where the Japanese... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ms P. Wilson
A book you should read.
In December 1937, the Japanese army was at the gates of the Chinese capital, Nanking. What followed was one of the most awful atrocites of the 20th Century. Read more
Published 4 months ago by T. Walker
Short and simple, but well-balanced account of the Rape of Nanking
Geling Yan's short novella, recently made into a film by Zhang Yimou starring Christian Bale, is another attempt to deal with the subject of Rape of Nanking, one of the worst war... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Keris Nine
A story that deserves more...
This is a strangely superficial look at a dark and disturbing period of history. As the Japanese forces take control of Nanking in 1937, a varied group of people seek refuge in an... Read more
Published 4 months ago by FictionFan
Provocative portrayal of war
In some ways, not a lot happens in this novel. It is fairly short and depicts the events of only a few days; for the reason one could argue that the plot is quite narrow in focus. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Debs
(3.5 stars) Reads like a screenplay in places rather than a novel
3.5 stars
Nanking, 1937, and as the Japanese invade China, a small community is formed in a church compound of a group of schoolgirls, the prostitutes from the brothel... Read more
Nanking, 1937, and as the Japanese invade China, a small community is formed in a church compound of a group of schoolgirls, the prostitutes from the brothel... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Roman Clodia
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
