- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: Vintage; New Ed edition (3 Jun 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0099444984
- ISBN-13: 978-0099444985
- Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 2.1 x 19.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 681,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"Measured . . . Precise . . . The historical backdrop, itself a forceful character, provides a compelling context for this economical story of impossible love."
-Sara Ivry, "San Francisco Chronicle"
"Spare prose adorned with images that linger in the mind . . . In this elegant translation . . . the dreamlike, mesmerizing alternation of voices stands in uneasy contrast to the operatic violence of the plot."
-Janice P. Nimura, "New York Times Book Review
"
"What makes Sa's novel so satisfying is the deceptive simplicity of her narrative strategy . . . We watch in fascination as the terrible secrets of their lives begin to coincide."
-Charles Matthews, "San Jose Mercury News
"
"Shan manipulates the scope of silence with a wisdom beyond her years."
-Elsa Gaztambide, "Booklist
"
"Dreamy . . . powerful . . . this unlikely love story . . . is beautiful, shocking, and sad."
-Jennifer Reese, "Entertainment Weekly
"
"Lovely and delicate as a carved jade flower . . . This is beautiful writing."
-Barbara Hoffert, "Library Journal
"
"Harrowing . . . While exploring epic themes like the loss of innocence and the meaning of honor, it lingers on the tiny, exquisite details of life in a remote, cosmopolitan Manchurian town in the thirties."
-Elizabeth Schmidt, "Vogue
"
-Sara Ivry, "San Francisco Chronicle"
"Spare prose adorned with images that linger in the mind . . . In this elegant translation . . . the dreamlike, mesmerizing alternation of voices stands in uneasy contrast to the operatic violence of the plot."
-Janice P. Nimura, "New York Times Book Review
"
"What makes Sa's novel so satisfying is the deceptive simplicity of her narrative strategy . . . We watch in fascination as the terrible secrets of their lives begin to coincide."
-Charles Matthews, "San Jose Mercury News
"
"Shan manipulates the scope of silence with a wisdom beyond her years."
-Elsa Gaztambide, "Booklist
"
"Dreamy . . . powerful . . . this unlikely love story . . . is beautiful, shocking, and sad."
-Jennifer Reese, "Entertainment Weekly
"
"Lovely and delicate as a carved jade flower . . . This is beautiful writing."
-Barbara Hoffert, "Library Journal
"
"Harrowing . . . While exploring epic themes like the loss of innocence and the meaning of honor, it lingers on the tiny, exquisite details of life in a remote, cosmopolitan Manchurian town in the thirties."
-Elizabeth Schmidt, "Vogue
"
"From the Hardcover edition."
Book Description
'A carefully wrought novel-a story that is worth telling, and intriguingly told' Guardian
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Breathtakingly written, Sa's elegant language carries you through the whirland of love and sorrow life brings. Somehow she manages to capture the deep intensities of love, and leave you with a dark haunting sorrow as the book climbs gracefully to its dramatic climax.
Not only is the language beautiful, but the story it relates is tense, gripping and filled with a rich passion rarely found in contemporary fiction. Set in a shaky country, amid troubled times where people are forced to struggle against all odds to mould their futures in the finicky political environment around them, their is a sort of shy hope that comes with tragedy of love and betrayal depicted.
I've never read any of Shan Sa's other works, but after the taste this book has given me, I'm intrigued by her style, and intoxicated by her portrayal of China, and I've no doubt I will go on to savour every last word she writes. Definiately one of, if not the best book I've ever read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Shan Sa is very skillful in describing the feelings of both her kind and the man-kind with an unusual way of exposing the story. I enjoyed reading it, even quoted some parts in my daily life. Well done.
Format:Paperback
This is an unusual read - but interesting.
It's a story set in China during the 30s - a sort of love story centred around the ancient game of 'Go'. This is the second time I have read this book. I'd recalled enjoying it and thinking it was good the first time (about five or six years ago) but didn't remember much about it - or 'why' I thought it was so good. (if that makes any sense!) Anyhow; about a third in this time, I was puzzled as to what it was that I'd actually liked about it first time around, then it began to 'pick up' and I began to remember what it was and really got into it!
This has both an unpredictable and 'tragic' ending in store for the Reader, and gives much thought-provoking. However; I did find some of the phrases and language just a bit too 'modernistic' in places for the perios, but then this could simply be due to translation.
I did like the fact that it has a good sized print type though that's easy on the eye, and that it also has VERY short chapters - some only as long as two pages! I LOVE short chapters; they give such convenient breaks, and one is not 'over-faced' by pages and pages before being able to place a book mark for later.
Recommended.
It's a story set in China during the 30s - a sort of love story centred around the ancient game of 'Go'. This is the second time I have read this book. I'd recalled enjoying it and thinking it was good the first time (about five or six years ago) but didn't remember much about it - or 'why' I thought it was so good. (if that makes any sense!) Anyhow; about a third in this time, I was puzzled as to what it was that I'd actually liked about it first time around, then it began to 'pick up' and I began to remember what it was and really got into it!
This has both an unpredictable and 'tragic' ending in store for the Reader, and gives much thought-provoking. However; I did find some of the phrases and language just a bit too 'modernistic' in places for the perios, but then this could simply be due to translation.
I did like the fact that it has a good sized print type though that's easy on the eye, and that it also has VERY short chapters - some only as long as two pages! I LOVE short chapters; they give such convenient breaks, and one is not 'over-faced' by pages and pages before being able to place a book mark for later.
Recommended.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Well played
In parts a delightful and evocative book based in Manchuria as seen through the eyes of a Chinese girl and a Japanese occupier. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Maria
Poetic Love
It is a new kind of story for me. Not exactly like Romeo & Juliet or Sampek Engkay, the degree of love between the Japanese soldier and the Chinese girl had reached beyond... Read more
Published on 23 Dec 2005 by Spy Groove
Silk Cuts
Shan Sa has written an aloof little book about the violent Japanese occupation of China, as experienced by a Manchurian girl and an officer from Tokyo. Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2004 by Is
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