Dark Muse
01-31-2010, 11:28 PM
I do not consider myself as having a particular interest in the more modern wars, but I do find I often enjoy books which address the war from unusual, original, or just rather different perspectives than may be typical and books that look at aspects of the war that are not as common or as often approached and talked about. So one of the things that I really enjoyed and appreciated about this book was the fact that in many ways it was not truly what one might call a war story. It was set in the background of the war, and the war did play a crucial role in the plot and driving the characters on yet more than being about the war itself it was more about the adventures and struggle of a young boy to survive.
The was is seen primarily through the eyes of Jim, who was living as a refuge in Shanghai, of British decent though he had never actually been on British soil his parents left Europe to get away from the fighting there when suddenly the Japanese descended upon Shanghai and the war was brought to them. Jim found himself separated from his parents and alone in a city that suddenly turned hostile. There are elements of the story that are reminiscent of "Kim" by Kipling, though Jim is much less suave then Kim and in many ways it is Jim's seemingly misplaced optimism and somewhat bumbling naivety that help him survive the terrible events which surround his circumstances.
He sets himself upon the personal quest of finding his parents again against all unlikely odds, and at any cost and risk, yet at times he seems to be barely aware of the true danger that he is faced with. He offers both hope as well as a touch of humor against the devastating conditions of his fellow prisoners when he is finally caught and sent away to one of the civilian prisoner camps set up for the foreign refugees who had been inhabiting the country.
It is interesting to watch the dynamics within the camp itself and the way the people both come to rely upon each other, as well as use each other in their individual efforts to survive, with the help of an American opportunist, Basie, Jim learns to be a bit more shrewd and puts himself in the way both of fellow prisoners as well as their Japanese guards as a way of making himself as useful as possible to as many people as he can to earn small yet necessary personal favors. He also discovers an unlikely mentor and teacher in Dr. Ransome becomes a role model that counters Basie's more mercenary ways. Both figures though completely different from each other help give Jim needed tools for his survival.
The was is seen primarily through the eyes of Jim, who was living as a refuge in Shanghai, of British decent though he had never actually been on British soil his parents left Europe to get away from the fighting there when suddenly the Japanese descended upon Shanghai and the war was brought to them. Jim found himself separated from his parents and alone in a city that suddenly turned hostile. There are elements of the story that are reminiscent of "Kim" by Kipling, though Jim is much less suave then Kim and in many ways it is Jim's seemingly misplaced optimism and somewhat bumbling naivety that help him survive the terrible events which surround his circumstances.
He sets himself upon the personal quest of finding his parents again against all unlikely odds, and at any cost and risk, yet at times he seems to be barely aware of the true danger that he is faced with. He offers both hope as well as a touch of humor against the devastating conditions of his fellow prisoners when he is finally caught and sent away to one of the civilian prisoner camps set up for the foreign refugees who had been inhabiting the country.
It is interesting to watch the dynamics within the camp itself and the way the people both come to rely upon each other, as well as use each other in their individual efforts to survive, with the help of an American opportunist, Basie, Jim learns to be a bit more shrewd and puts himself in the way both of fellow prisoners as well as their Japanese guards as a way of making himself as useful as possible to as many people as he can to earn small yet necessary personal favors. He also discovers an unlikely mentor and teacher in Dr. Ransome becomes a role model that counters Basie's more mercenary ways. Both figures though completely different from each other help give Jim needed tools for his survival.