okcej's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
hannahbananali's review against another edition
4.0
I will admit that I did not read the whole thing (about 75% of it), but only because it was painful and mind numbing. It terrifies me that human nature can partake in such atrocities. Most likely will be picking this up and finishing it later.
bibliolucinda's review
5.0
“Looking back upon millennia of history, it appears clear that no race or culture has monopoly on wartime cruelty. The veneer of civilization seems to be exceedingly thin – one that can be easily stripped away, especially by the stresses of war.”
I don't know how to 'rate' a book of such horrific magnitude and reverberating generational impact. I don't think I've ever read a book that has disturbed me to such a degree as this did. Chang's own rage, grief and horror at the events that happened in Nanjing emanates through her words and whilst I'm aware of a few accuracy issues in some of the dates / locations, I think it's undeniable that Chang channelled her whole soul into researching this book and I was devastated to learn of her death. This was someone with a true gift for historiography and writing, and the world owes her a debt for bringing the knowledge of this massacre, one which countless people have tried to smother down into the recesses of fabricated history, to the forefront of Western consciousness.
Despite the gut-churning accounts of horrendous wartime brutality in this book, Chang's writing and account of the events leading up to and after the massacre and the denouement of the Japanese occupation of China is immersive, respectfully nuanced and informative. I am glad to have read this book for the knowledge it imparts of such an awful and too-forgotten event in history, and it is one of the best historical nonfiction books I've read, but I'm also utterly relieved that the reading experience is over. Via audiobook.
I don't know how to 'rate' a book of such horrific magnitude and reverberating generational impact. I don't think I've ever read a book that has disturbed me to such a degree as this did. Chang's own rage, grief and horror at the events that happened in Nanjing emanates through her words and whilst I'm aware of a few accuracy issues in some of the dates / locations, I think it's undeniable that Chang channelled her whole soul into researching this book and I was devastated to learn of her death. This was someone with a true gift for historiography and writing, and the world owes her a debt for bringing the knowledge of this massacre, one which countless people have tried to smother down into the recesses of fabricated history, to the forefront of Western consciousness.
Despite the gut-churning accounts of horrendous wartime brutality in this book, Chang's writing and account of the events leading up to and after the massacre and the denouement of the Japanese occupation of China is immersive, respectfully nuanced and informative. I am glad to have read this book for the knowledge it imparts of such an awful and too-forgotten event in history, and it is one of the best historical nonfiction books I've read, but I'm also utterly relieved that the reading experience is over. Via audiobook.
tinybluepixel's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Torture, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Genocide, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Miscarriage, Blood, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Xenophobia, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, War, Murder, Death, Gore, Medical trauma, Medical content, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Hate crime
ashsometimes's review against another edition
4.0
2023 #2
TWs for rape, murder, genocide, pedophilia, torture, and every other possible crime.
whenever i read any book or excerpt about the holocaust or the 1971 bangladesh genocide or the sreberenica massacre or the numerous other war crimes, i struggle. this book was no different. iris chang’s account of the rape of nanking is so relentless and powerful, and it was clear, she was fighting some heavy forces immersed in academic revisionism of this time of war, when she wrote this. i was devastated to know she committed suicide but i really hope her soul is resting in peace.
TWs for rape, murder, genocide, pedophilia, torture, and every other possible crime.
whenever i read any book or excerpt about the holocaust or the 1971 bangladesh genocide or the sreberenica massacre or the numerous other war crimes, i struggle. this book was no different. iris chang’s account of the rape of nanking is so relentless and powerful, and it was clear, she was fighting some heavy forces immersed in academic revisionism of this time of war, when she wrote this. i was devastated to know she committed suicide but i really hope her soul is resting in peace.
renbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I remember being upset in my history class in high school that my book devoted just two sentences to the Armenian genocide (and of course didn't call it genocide) that my great grandparents narrowly escaped. Well, at least it was mentioned at all. There was no mention in any of my history classes about the atrocities mentioned in this book, The Rape of Nanking. Well-written, insightful, and horrific. This is an important book but so hard to stomach. Can't really come up with words to describe it. I think she did a phenomenal job putting it together, explaining how the Japanese soldiers rationalized their actions and the failure of the Japanese government to acknowledge and make amends for their actions.
tildi's review against another edition
4.0
"The Rape of Nanking was front page news across the world, and yet most of the world stood by and did nothing while an entire city was butchered"
Listening to this book while civilians in our neighbouring country are getting killed and tortured in a senseless war was beyond depressing.
Listening to this book while civilians in our neighbouring country are getting killed and tortured in a senseless war was beyond depressing.