While I found the opening sections of this book riveting and horrifying the slow pace and dwelling on minute details left me struggling to keep up my interest as the novel progressed. Clearly a subject worthy of exploration and revelation but I couldn't help but compare it unfavorably with classic historical novelizations like "All Quiet on the Western Front" or last year's "The Sojourn." ( )

never got into this novel and struggled to finish it. I finished it because the subject was historical,the invasion of Nanjing China by the Japanese. The writers sparse style did not allow me to get to know the characters in the novel beyond a superficial level ( )

A good historical novel about the Rape of Nanking and subsequent occupation by the Japanese army told from the perspective of a Chinese woman who works with Minnie Vautrin, an American missionary who helped save the lives of thousands of Chinese. Having read so many historical accounts of the atrocities committed during this period, I'm surprised there is not more detail about it in the story. ( )

I love Ha Jin. And violence in literature does not necessarily make me turn away. But it did, at this point in time. Just. Too. Much.

There was such potential in this novel, but the detachedness of the narrator mixed with the poorly intertwined story versus history made it difficult to have any sort of emotional involvement with the characters. A book like this needs to be devastating to be effective and Nanjing Requiem isn't. ( )