Member Reviews

• 
  • Rated 3 stars

  “A sort of Japanese Romeo & Juliet, this is a very quick read that transports the reader to Manchuria during the 1930's.”

  Amy N wrote this review Tuesday, May 13 2008. ( reply | permalink )
• 
  • Rated 5 stars

  “Stunning. So incredibly blunt and mysterious at the same time. Clynically accurate and incredibly poetric - a mystery to me, really.
  It's definitely a piece of great skill and amazing imagination. It's a love story, in a way and it's sad and terrible and shocking, but I love it so much.
  
  In a way it appeals to that side in me that feels drawn to the bravery and honour that goes with the lives of soldiers, and at the same time it shows the horrors of war so shockingly and heart-wrenchingly it makes you want to cry. It mixes all these emotions beautifully!
  
  I have seen an adaptation of this book as a play a while ago and loved it there, the book is even more impressive. Completely recommendable.”

  Laila wrote this review Friday, February 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )
• 
  • Rated 5 stars

  “beautiful”

  Pearl A wrote this review Monday, December 17 2007. ( reply | permalink )
• 
  • Rated 4 stars

  “Fun, quick read. Liked the way the story unfolds quite rapidly at the end. ”

  Adriel G wrote this review Friday, November 9 2007. ( reply | permalink )
• 
  • Rated 0 stars

  “Not that good.”

  Moby_McNabb wrote this review Friday, September 7 2007. ( reply | permalink )
• 
  • Rated 2 stars

  “Very disappointing. The characters were two-dimensional. The descriptions of Go lacked excitement and power. The story overall read like a school exercise in plot development. Read Kawabata's "The Master of Go" instead of this. ”

  macloo wrote this review Thursday, July 26 2007. ( reply | permalink )
• 
  • Rated 5 stars

  “A captivating and beautiful story. It reflects the many intricate and fascinating questions surrounding life, love, loyalty, honor and death in a time and place defined by war. (Go itself is war miniaturized in time and place.)
  
  A definite page turner.
  
  Read my full review: http://somekindofvine.vox.com/library/post/the-book-that-picked-me.html”

  jennynoel wrote this review Sunday, May 6 2007. ( reply | permalink )
• 
  • Rated 5 stars

  “This book broke my heart. I read a review that praised the author's "economy of language" and that describes it perfectly. With only the most essential of words she creates a love story against the background of a cruel war and leaves her reader stunned by the naked truth she describes. Indescribable, one of the best books I have ever read.”

  Sara wrote this review Wednesday, February 28 2007. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink )
• 
  • Rated 4 stars

  “I absolutely adored this book. As with most novels our reaction depends on being in the right mindframe for the book in front of us...That being said this is a beautiful little tale of China during the 1930's and the effects his has on some children living in a remote village.”

  KateT wrote this review Monday, January 29 2007. ( reply | permalink )