Reviews

Clean, vivid prose, a fleshed out deeply flawed protagonist, and a story that unfolds naturally. I enjoyed this for the most part, but what was most missing for me was an element that would make this book more compelling. This book isn't about passion or urgency (see title), but it was lacking something. Otherwise, a well-told novel. Ha Jin is a master storyteller and has a way with words.

connorstory's review against another edition

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You love it when a book can make you feel life affirmed and depressed about the human condition all at once. This is a fable which surprises you with it’s painful realism. Some people really seem to hate this book, but I think they really hate the way this book makes them feel and the expectations they have that do not get satisfied. To say these characters are shallow or stereotypical is ridiculous; there are literally pages of Lin’s humane and contradictory inner monologues, but they are written in the same depersonalized way in which the characters had to live. Lin’s great weakness is that he is not strong enough to fight the world he is trapped in, but, how much can we blame him?

BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WILL DESTROY US ALL

(if we let it)

azajacks's review against another edition

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dark sad slow-paced

2.5

safnielsen's review against another edition

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2.0

2 1/2 ⭐️ too depressing although I did like the last 2 pages.

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