The Flowers of War - Softcover

Yan, Geling

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1590515560 ISBN 13: 9781590515563

Publisher: Other Pr Llc, 2012

Synopsis

It is December 1937 and the Japanese Imperial Army has just entered Nanking. Unable to reach the Safety Zone in Pokou, a group of schoolgirls are hiding out in the compound of the St. Mary Magdalene mission. They are looked after by Father Engelmann, an American priest who has made China his home for many years. The church is supposed to be neutral ground in the war between China and Japan, but eyewitness reports from the outside make it clear the Japanese are not obeying the international rules of engagement. As the soldiers pour through the streets of Nanking, committing unspeakable atrocities on civilians, thirteen Chinese courtesans from a nearby brothel climb over the church compound's walls seeking refuge. Their presence further jeopardizes the children's safety and what happens next will change all of their lives.

A haunting, passionate story inspired by true life events during the Nanking Massacre, this novel shows how war challenges our prejudices and that love can flourish amidst death and destruction. The Flowers of War is an unforgettable journey through the depths of the human heart.

About this title

Product Description:

Rare Book

Review:

"I have long been a fan of Geling Yan's fiction for its power to disturb us out of our ordinary worlds. She is a writer of importance. In spare and unsentimental prose, she shows us the human condition in extreme times. The Flowers of War is yet another accomplished and riveting tale that touches us at the center of our being." (Amy Tan)

"Great storytelling" (Observer)

"Intensely cinematic" (Big Issue)

"Deft exploration of the wondrous and sad inscrutability of the human heart" (New York Times)

"Shujuan, one of the schoolgirls, forms the moral arc of the story. Trapped in the church, she is furious at the changes in her body, at the war raging outside and, above all, at the prostitutes whom she views with disgust. Yan masterfully depicts these bubbling tensions...testament to the bravery of women in the most horrifying of circumstances...(beautifully translated by Nicky Harman)." (Clarissa Sebag-Montefiore Independent)

About this edition

• Publisher: Other Pr Llc
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1590515560
• ISBN 13: 9781590515563
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 248