This, that I thought might concentrate on the two love story protagonists, opened out into a large historical novel about Mongolia's early twentieth century, with several interweaving characters' lives followed. There is a short prologue in 1726, a reminiscence from 2003, and the main novel covers the years 1937-1946. I began to reach for the word 'epic', but I'll wait for the sequel(s), which take Mongolia's twentieth century onwards, to deploy that. It's a major fictional treatment of Mongolia's history through the struggle for independence, encroachments from every side, the communist takeover, the Second World War.
There are horrific incidents, but these need to be written honestly as in the past they have been suppressed. They are countered not only by the love story (nicely sexy) but by the loving portrayal of ongoing Mongolian daily life, and a range of human responses to political terror. Oyungerel has an awe-inspiring biography (see at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Oyungerel-Tsed...), and says she only turned to novel-writing to take up this subject, through the lives of her own family members. I thought I'd have to make allowances for a non-novelist, but no, it's well-structured, full of suspense, moving.
Just a note: I liked the inclusion of shamanism amidst the Buddhist story, and the mutual respect between practitioners of these.
Highly recommended to learn about Mongolian life and Mongolia's vicissitudes in the twentieth century.
Ahead of a planned trip to Mongolia I wanted to read something about Mongolian history other than Chinggis Khan. But such books were hard to find and I spend far too much money importing this one. But I'm really happy I did. It's both a book and a story that deserves much wider distribution. It gives an interesting insight into both the traditional life of herder communities and lamas, and also how the modern independent Mongolian state came to be.
What a story! I really knew nothing about Mongolia’s history in the early 20th century before reading this. The authors used the fictionalized account of the purge of Buddhist lamas to share this important history with the world without being subjected to censorship that a nonfiction book would have faced. Heartbreaking what happened when Mongolian leadership decided to appease communist Russia to the detriment of their own society.
My great grandfather was a non-practicing former lama. He passed away in early-to-mid 1980's when I was still a child. Wish I heard about stories from him directly. We all had heard about persecution of lama in the 30's and 40's but didn't really know what it was like.
Also during socialist times, our clan names were forbidden, so now all of the Mongols in Mongolia are lost - we don't know our family clan names anymore... Anyway, this book is really an amazing book that highlights history while being so engaging and vivid in showing and making us feel livelihood in those tough times. Huge thank you to author Oyungerel for bringing highlight to this turbulent and sad events of our history.
What an extraordinary story! With me knowing very little about Mongolia beyond Genghis Khan and the vast landscape/steppes, I found this to be a fascinating and eye-opening read. I chose this book because it has been a bestseller in Mongolia for over a decade. After finishing this remarkable novel, I am convinced it could be just as successful in the West—especially for readers who enjoy historical fiction based on real life stories.
On the surface, the story follows the romance between Sendmaa, a resilient herdswoman, and Baasan, a gifted Buddhist Lama. However, their romance is only one thread in a much larger tapestry. The story is mainly set in Northern Mongolia between 1937 and 1946. I learned about the Salinist purges in 1938 led by Khorloogiin Choibalsan, often called the "Stalin of Mongolia." I learned about the Mongolian spirituality and culture, about the traditions and songs of Buddhism and Shamanism, as well as the nomadic lifestyle of Mongolian herdsmen. The story also gives a unique perspective on Mongolia's role during World War II.
While this is a very sad chapter of Mongolian history, I found myself constantly going online to research the facts behind the fiction. Another striking part of the book is the list at the end: a record of the actual Lamas who were executed or sentenced to ten years in prison. The fact that the characters in the novel are based on real people makes this list even more profound. In Mongolia, many readers have used this list to search for lost relatives, turning a work of fiction into a vital piece of ancestral reclamation.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is a beautiful, educational, and deeply moving experience for any reader.
Historical fiction, 1930’s Mongolia, this book tells of the Soviet purge of Lamas in Mongolia. Vivid descriptions of the life the herders live, their nomadic ways & traditions. Horrific stories of their massacre & how they were forced to betray each other in order to survive. There are a few characters that we follow, each had a different trajectory, with different outcomes. They all tie together nicely. Biggest issue was the translation felt low budget, but 50 pages in I was hooked. I book this, was not available at the library (Chaye - reach out to borrow). Book club read. Can’t wait to discuss.
Hartverscheurend en fascinerend. Dit op een waargebeurd verhaal gebaseerd boek vertelt een voor ons weinig bekend verhaal, dat evenwel net zo veel belang heeft als soortgelijke romans over nazi-Duitsland, stalinistisch Rusland, china onder Mao.
Een prachtig relaas dat deze mensen hun verdiende erkenning biedt en met eindeloze eerbied een liefde een schets biedt van een wondermooie cultuur.
I learned the history of Mongolia. To become an independent country, massive sacrifices have been made. I imaged a lot when I am reading, which made me so much fun and sad. Overall, I like the book so much.
This is sometimes a difficult book to read. Not because of the language but because of the topic, which occasionally gets very upsetting. Yet it is also an amazing, powerful book, a joy to read and a paean to the power of love and faith and to a wonderful country. A must for anyone interested in Mongolia, but also for everyone else. I'd give six stars if I could.