Helpful Score: 4
This offers a harsh glimpse of America and the prisoners kept by its allies during the Korean war. The life Ha Jin shows us is one fraught with treachery and politics. My book club of women, younger than Korean war age, enjoyed a lively discussion of the book and, as one of our group commented, "there is more to process here than I can address in a single month's meeting." Our standard of a great book is one that won't let us go when the meeting is over and this book reaches that standard.
fascinating look into a part of history and culture.
Excellent writing. I learned much about the Korean War by reading this book. In my opinion this book is better than the author's previous book, "Waiting".
While it's a work of fiction, it's a fascinating story of a chinese POW's experiences in an American prison camp in the Korean War. The book feels authentic, like the author has thoroughly researched actual POW's stories in order to write this book.
Slow story of the life of a Chinese POW who just wants to get home from the Korean War.
