As the Japanese military invades 1930s Manchuria, a young girl approaches her own sexual coming of age. Drawn into a complex triangle with two boys...
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Dec 01, 2010
Philip
rated it: 
I can't imagine this book being as good as it was if I wasn't a go fan. (Which you can play right here or here.
Many of the axioms of Go were brought out in the book - life imitates Go, Go imitates life being the key one.
Others include - your enemies move is your move; keep both alive, for if one dies, neither are any good; a captured territory switches sides... etc...
The book also makes reference to many of the etiquette aspects of the game, such as placing More...
Many of the axioms of Go were brought out in the book - life imitates Go, Go imitates life being the key one.
Others include - your enemies move is your move; keep both alive, for if one dies, neither are any good; a captured territory switches sides... etc...
The book also makes reference to many of the etiquette aspects of the game, such as placing More...
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Dec 16, 2009
Sarah
rated it: 
The Girl Who Played Go by Shan Sa has a story laid out like a game of go. Each chapter is like a new move. Song of the Night, a young Manchurian girl plays the black side while the Japanese soldier takes the white. Anyone familiar with the game or with the history of Japan's invasion of China will know that this book won't be a happy one.
As with a game of go, the two characters don't meet or interact until half way through the book (page 127). As pieces are laid at opposite corners t More...
As with a game of go, the two characters don't meet or interact until half way through the book (page 127). As pieces are laid at opposite corners t More...
8 comments
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Sep 11, 2010
indri
rated it:
#2010-17#
Siapa yang lebih kau cinta?
Negaramu atau cintamu sendiri yang tak kau kenal???
Novel dengan cara bertutur yang unik ini mengisahkan dua orang yang tidak saling kenal, namun bertemu dalam suatu Lapangan Seribu Angin, di luar kota Peking, dalam satu permainan Go, salah satu permainan tradisional Jepang dan China. Bersetting masa pendudukan Jepang di Manchuria, tokohnya hanya aku dan aku.
Aku yang pertama adalah gadis 16 tahun, yang sedang dalam ma More...
Siapa yang lebih kau cinta?
Negaramu atau cintamu sendiri yang tak kau kenal???
Novel dengan cara bertutur yang unik ini mengisahkan dua orang yang tidak saling kenal, namun bertemu dalam suatu Lapangan Seribu Angin, di luar kota Peking, dalam satu permainan Go, salah satu permainan tradisional Jepang dan China. Bersetting masa pendudukan Jepang di Manchuria, tokohnya hanya aku dan aku.
Aku yang pertama adalah gadis 16 tahun, yang sedang dalam ma More...
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Sep 19, 2011
Amandine
rated it: 
2,5 étoiles
En lisant ce roman, comme d’autres, j’ai tout d’abord trouvé le style détestable : les phrases sont souvent courtes, à l’indicatif présent, sans subordonnées ou presque, essentiellement descriptives des actions ; bref, beaucoup trop simplistes et monotones à mon goût. Assez loin dans ma lecture, le passage suivant m’a fait penser à la brièveté et à la simplicité des haïkus : "Les cigales poussent des cris stridents. L’odeur des feuilles brûlées par le soleil se confon More...
En lisant ce roman, comme d’autres, j’ai tout d’abord trouvé le style détestable : les phrases sont souvent courtes, à l’indicatif présent, sans subordonnées ou presque, essentiellement descriptives des actions ; bref, beaucoup trop simplistes et monotones à mon goût. Assez loin dans ma lecture, le passage suivant m’a fait penser à la brièveté et à la simplicité des haïkus : "Les cigales poussent des cris stridents. L’odeur des feuilles brûlées par le soleil se confon More...
Sep 13, 2011
Larry
rated it: 
I want to inhabit a world built of Shan Sa’s dreamy metaphors—A woman is bathing in thermal springs, her body glistening under the water where it writhes and twists like a slender leaf, or The moon looks like a line of chalk drawn on the sky. Even her name (a pen name) has the alluring meaning: rustle of the wind in the mountains.
The author, born in Beijing, began writing poetry at age 6 and received her first national poetry award at 12. In her 20s she moved to Paris to study philosop More...
The author, born in Beijing, began writing poetry at age 6 and received her first national poetry award at 12. In her 20s she moved to Paris to study philosop More...
Feb 18, 2010
Terry
rated it:
I wanted to like this book--the setting, the characters, and the dual narrators all drew me in. But while several images still stay with me (the girl and the soldier playing Go, the revolutionaries the girl meets up with and romances, the soldier disguising himself and sneaking into town), overall the novel didn't resonate with me. The writing was strong, but limiting--the spare prose actually made the situation carry less weight, and caused the narrators to blend together into one voice (I boug
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Oct 04, 2009
Lexie
rated it:
I began reading this book believing it to be one thing (about a young Chinese girl who plays the ancient game of 'go') and then finding out it was something else entirely. The edition I have doesn't have a description on the back, just reviews of the book and I had honestly bought it knowing nothing about the author or book. It was at the bookstore, it sounded intriguing, so I bought it. I shelved it at some point and only recently brought it back out again.
The book is narrated by tw More...
The book is narrated by tw More...
Feb 17, 2010
Claire
rated it:
There's not much to complain about besides my own personal annoyance with incredibly serious tales of true love. I just never could get into the Jane Austen hushed and proper variety of love. Oh *gasp* the sight of her round white forearm! My fan's shadow caressing her makes me fill with a strange pleasure that shames me!! Oh, I am shocked and titillated by her seductive non-covered smile!!!! (WHAT A SLUT!!!!!!!!) At least Victorian ladies can be cheeky or witty. Then the juicy parts were gross
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Apr 08, 2011
Dree
rated it:
It is the 1930s, in Manchuria. Manchuria is occupied by the Japanese. The girl attends school, plays Go in the town square, and consoles her sister in her unhappy marriage. Soon, her best friend is to be sent back to their country town for marriage to an old man. The girl meets and falls for a revolutionary student--whom she doesn't know is a revolutionary. She begins playing Go with a stranger, who is a Japanese soldier in disguise.
A simply told tale of love in a time of war. A fas More...
A simply told tale of love in a time of war. A fas More...
Jun 14, 2009
Janell
rated it:
I read this book in two sittings...most of it today. It took me a little while to get into the book; one, because each chapter alternates narration between the girl who played go and the soldier, but I didn't realize that right away. The other reason it look me a while to get into it were stopping to read several footnotes from the author explaining characters and details about Chinese history. Not having much knowledge of Chinese history made it slower to read.
Historical notes no More...
Historical notes no More...
Jul 28, 2009
Meyy5
rated it:
From reading the synopsis for this book, I kept getting the idea that this is a love story between the girl and the soldier. But after reading it, I feel that it is less a love story, and more one of intrigue, lust, passion, etc. If I'm not mistaken, this book was originally written in French and then translated into English, which is a testament to both the writer and translator (Adriana Hunter)'s skills that the intensity of the story was preserved in the translation.
I thought the More...
I thought the More...
Jul 13, 2010
Kathleen
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Feb 01, 2012
Katie
rated it:
The Girl Who Played Go is a short novel about a young Chinese/Machurian girl and a Japanese soldier. The chapters alternate between the two characters and the chapters build in length as the story goes on. As someone reviewed earlier, this is apparently to symbolise the movements and momentum of a game of go.
The story itself, although the two main characters met and build their relationship whilst playing a game of go, does not focus only on the game. It instead describes the two se More...
The story itself, although the two main characters met and build their relationship whilst playing a game of go, does not focus only on the game. It instead describes the two se More...
Jul 04, 2009
Rose
rated it:
This book was very beautiful and quick to read. It's a demonstration of how something doesn't have to be complex to be a literary accomplishment.
I loved the narration style. The alternating back and forth meant that I never got bored, and most of the time, the stories of both narrators were interesting - the girl's narration a little more so.
The thing I had the hardest time clicking with was the man's narration. He came from a traditional Japanese family with the usual More...
I loved the narration style. The alternating back and forth meant that I never got bored, and most of the time, the stories of both narrators were interesting - the girl's narration a little more so.
The thing I had the hardest time clicking with was the man's narration. He came from a traditional Japanese family with the usual More...
Mar 29, 2011
Krait
rated it:
Disjointed storytelling. Perhaps it's the translation ("sabre" is not the translation of "katana")? I wanted to like this a lot as the game of go is facinating, and certainly does reflect life. If you've never played the game, it's sometimes called a "sharing" game, as both participants must make compromises to win. But the storyline of this book fails to get any of the interesting aspects of the game across. Rather we have some very adolescent looks at both co
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Jan 09, 2009
Matthew
rated it:
The alternation between the narrators felt very mechanical and contrived. I suppose the construct was meant to echo the game of Go itself, but I did not really learn about or through the game. The descriptions of how Go related to the characters had to be taken on faith. Despite being immersed in their streams of consciousness, the characters remained flat and cold.
The writer does have a nice crisp style and there were some very evocative descriptions, but overall, the book just d More...
The writer does have a nice crisp style and there were some very evocative descriptions, but overall, the book just d More...
Aug 02, 2011
The book moves incredibly fast thanks to the chapter breakdown. Voices of narrators are immediate and strong. Watching when/how the two would meet/join worlds was interesting. Am intrigued by Shan Sa and would like to know more. The teenage voice/sexual awakening was beautiful. The highs & lows were well-constructed. Loved the game of Go being introduced and juxtaposed with the reality of war. Would have liked to have learned more about the game throughout the story because it was so tell
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Jun 21, 2011
David
rated it:
This is a tragic love story that ends brutally. Shan Sa's novel doesn't seem to have lost much in the translation from French to English; the voices of the two protagonists are beautifully rendered, one male and one female. I was a little dubious about a female literary romance author writing a male character from a first person POV, but the Japanese soldier is believable, flawed and a little vulnerable but still mostly full of sex and violence. Still, it's the Chinese girl who really comes aliv
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Sep 27, 2009
Daniel
rated it:
Short, sensual (and I don't just mean restrainedly sexual), mysterious, and with an exciting finale. Now that I remember this book, I'm going to go try another one of hers, if she has any more.
I read this when I first moved to southern california. Almost everyone else in my apartment complex was asian, including my chinese malayasian flat mates, and I felt like I was in the world of the book a bit. I love reading a book about a foreign place when I am in a foreign place.
I More...
I read this when I first moved to southern california. Almost everyone else in my apartment complex was asian, including my chinese malayasian flat mates, and I felt like I was in the world of the book a bit. I love reading a book about a foreign place when I am in a foreign place.
I More...
Sep 12, 2011
Yann
rated it: 
Un roman entier à l'indicatif, pratiquement sans aucune subordonnée, ni presque aucun adjectif! Si pour les uns, l'abondance et la variété de l'expression sont autant de signes de richesse et de plaisirs, pour d'autres, une expression serrée et économe sont peut-être des marques d'élégance et de précision. Passé ce premier choc, le lecteur découvre deux narrateurs auxquels la parole est donnée alternativement au fil des chapitres: un gredin cruel et sensuel, hantant gourgandines et catins, perdu
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Oct 10, 2010
Lee Anne
rated it:
When I first started working at Barnes & Noble in the late nineties, there was a boomlet of Asian fiction. I don't know if it was inspired by Amy Tan, or the success of Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha, but a handful of Asian books (mostly Chinese or Japanese, with a few Korean) came out, as stylistically similar as the "cozies" in mystery or today's "paranormal romance" (a.k.a. vampire porn) trend. Asian non-fiction was popular then, too, with Wild Swans and The Rape of
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Jan 31, 2009
Edy
rated it:
Buku tentang masa remaja kisah kehidupan seorang gadis Manchuria yang menyukai permainan “go” dan kemudian jatuh hati dengan ksatria Jepang yang melakukan invansi ke Manchuria tersebut. Gaya penulisan menggunakan alur berselang seling antara si gadis dan si ksatria. Dengan demikian kita akan terlarut dalam dua tokoh lakon sekaligus. Meski berselang-seling, alur cerita sangat mudah dicerna dan diikuti. Sehingga sebagai permbaca kita terkadang harus melakonkan si gadis tapi kemudian harus berubah
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Nov 23, 2011
Katie
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jun 18, 2009
Alan
rated it:
I learned a little more about Manchuria of that era, but not much about the wide sweep of history. It's more a personal exploration of two main characters.
Go is also known by the Chinese name of WEI QI
you can find out more <a ref="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(board_game)"> here</a>
Rather a sad, somewhat hope-less story, but I am still glad to have read it.
15 Points for Summer Challenge 09 when I've posted my China itinerar
Go is also known by the Chinese name of WEI QI
you can find out more <a ref="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(board_game)"> here</a>
Rather a sad, somewhat hope-less story, but I am still glad to have read it.
15 Points for Summer Challenge 09 when I've posted my China itinerar
Dec 12, 2011
Chex
rated it:
I'm not usually one for tragic romances, but this one has such a lush historical setting and there's just so much more to it that I really enjoyed it. The narrative shifts between the two main characters each chapter, offering an intimate portrayal of a small Chinese town under siege. There's a really well-felt female coming of age story, and the loyalty and loneliness of the Japanese soldier are also really well done.
Happy I read this one.
Happy I read this one.
Aug 23, 2008
Andrew
rated it:
This book by Chinese born French author Shan Sa is a character study with the backdrop of the Japanese invasion of China prior to WW II.
The chapters alternate between two narrators, like a game of Go, each player taking their turn. The first narrator is a girl moving into womanhood in Manchuria. The second is a officer in the Japanese army, trying to take over her small city.
Her obsession is the game Go, played on the public square in this town. He comes to the square und More...
The chapters alternate between two narrators, like a game of Go, each player taking their turn. The first narrator is a girl moving into womanhood in Manchuria. The second is a officer in the Japanese army, trying to take over her small city.
Her obsession is the game Go, played on the public square in this town. He comes to the square und More...
Dec 21, 2010
Eros
rated it:
The only reason I ranked it with two stars is because while it was an intruiging and very poetic, it didn't really didn't do anything for me. I feel the compariosn to ROmeo and Juliet is a bit unfair. Though the themes are their, I think the story is more poignant in its way of challengeing views of love, how it may not be in the places we expect to find it, and may arise in the places we least expect, challnging our view of the world from how we see it and what we know in our hearts.
Oct 29, 2009
Quiltgranny
rated it:
With its economy of words and short chapters, this novel tells so much more than longer narratives I have read. Set in the time when Japan is invading Manchuria, the main characters names don't really matter...they epitomize the culture of both Japan and China - both in a small snapshot and more globally.
I really liked the way the chapters were like parallel walks of two people destined to come together, boiled down to only the essentials of what was important.
My favor More...
I really liked the way the chapters were like parallel walks of two people destined to come together, boiled down to only the essentials of what was important.
My favor More...
May 04, 2011
Rhianne
rated it:
This was a book that caught my eye on a shelf in my local library. I had no idea what to expect as I began to read it, having never read anything by this author before now. What I found was a powerful and extremely sad little story that packed a lot of punch. For a book that never tells you either of the main characters names, Shan Sa manages to really make you feel for both the Manchurian girl and Japanese solder.
Jul 06, 2008
Audrey
rated it:
This was an absolutely riveting book. The setting is Manchuria 1931, the time when Japan was just beginning to apply military aggression to this area in Northeast China and just prior to Japan's overtaking of Peking. The 2 main characters are a 16-year old Machurian girl who is strong-willed and free-spirited and excels at the strategy-based game of go, and a Japanese soldier who plays go against this girl while in disguise as a Chinese citizen. It is a sexual coming of age tale as well as an
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