The first line of this novel is "Every summer Lin Kong returned to Goose Village to divorce his wife." How could you stop reading after that? With a vast and complex story, coupled with a deceptively simple writing style, Ha Jin has created a true gem. Something that if your lucky will open your eyes to the true meaning of love via a man who never seems to be truly able to find it.
I won't tell you too much about this book because I am a firm believer that it is always better to experience a work of literature than be told what happens beforehand. But for the sake of whetting your appetite so you will hopefully go and pick up a copy, I'll tell you a little.
That first line does reveal a lot. Lin goes home every summer to divorce his wife, but can never actually do it because in Communist China, both the husband and wife have to agree before the divorce is official. Lin's wife always ends up backing out. Lin has a girlfriend, Manna, in the city where he works and lives as a doctor. He loves her...well, he might love her. One of the book's main points is deciding whether he really does. She continues to wait for him to divorce his wife. After eighteen years of separation, Lin can get a divorce with or without his wife's consent. When the book starts, it's been seventeen years. Manna is still unsure if she's willing to wait another year. So are you interested yet?
So much truly occurs in this work, but on levels that are clearly seen by everyone but perhaps the actual characters. They're all a little slow because they're blinded by the traditions that have been imbedded in their minds since birth. If you personally know anything about going against the ways of your ancestors because logic and a desire for happiness tell you that you need to, then this book will speak volumes to you.
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