I am a huge fan of Ha Jin and his writing style. This book is one of the best he has written, at least in my mind.

The book starts out following real events in WW2 with the Nanjing Massacre (otherwise known as "The Rape of Nanjing") by the invading Japanese troops. I was aware of this event and it was interesting to read a fictional story based during this time period. The story follows teachers at a women's college in Nanjing that protected women during the Massacre and then follows the story throughout the war and shows how the event changed the lives of everyone at the college.

It can be a tough read at times if the reader is triggered by rape and violence since the book describes instances of rape in detail. The event does make the background to a very compelling story and it kept me reading, non-stop, through the entire book in one seating. The story is that powerful and involving.