Just as fantastic as the first time around.

This experience was truly perfection. It was like a magical journey that took me back to that initial moment of wonder.

Every detail was executed flawlessly, from the beautiful scenery to the amazing service.

The atmosphere was electric, and I couldn't help but be completely immersed in it.

It felt as if time stood still, allowing me to fully appreciate and enjoy every single second.

This was not just an ordinary event; it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will stay with me forever.

I can't wait to have another opportunity to relive this perfection.

Jin accomplishes precisely what a novelist is expected to do.

Quietly, Jin weaves the story in a manner that enables you to vividly envision each and every scene and experience every nuanced emotion.

This is not merely a story about relationships; it is also a powerful assertion regarding what it is like to exist within an oppressed society.

To be confined to a particular social stratum, burdened with a marriage of convenience, victimized in unthinkable ways, and yet, be in love...forbidden love.

I have a penchant for books where the characters' every move must be carefully calculated, strategic, and accounted for.

Where a single misstep could prove catastrophic.

Where luck sometimes intervenes, and at other times, it doesn't, leaving you yearning for it to have done so.

This book is precisely one of those.

You devour it, reading every single little word.

Morsel by morsel, it dissolves in your mouth, leaving a lasting impression.

It is a classic in the making, one that will surely stand the test of time.

Man marries a woman out of respect for his parents.

Later, he meets another woman and develops a crush on her.

They both patiently wait for 18 years (without consummating their relationship) until the man can obtain a divorce from his wife.

Once the divorce is finalized, the man marries the other woman, gets her pregnant, and eventually realizes that he was better off with his first wife.

When I selected "Watining" by Ha Jin, I initially thought that the National Book Award committee had done its due diligence by reading the story (not just the book, but the story behind it) before awarding the prestigious honor to the author.

However, I was sorely mistaken.

The book fails to meet the expectations of the average reader.

Believe me, I don't demand much.

All I seek is an escape from the mundane feeling of boredom.

If I'm going to sacrifice 6 hours of my time for a book instead of learning a new language, watching a new movie, or playing a new computer game, I expect to be entertained, not with dull Chinese realism, but with a thrilling story, a new custom, engaging vernacular, anything but mind-numbing realism filled with poor human choices and self-pity.

My opening sentence of this short criticism encapsulates the entire book.

The remainder of the story details the daily human interactions within a flawed society.

Do yourself a favor and learn a new language, play a new computer game, watch a new movie, anything but pick up this agony.

If you must learn something about Chinese history, the Cultural Revolution, or the complex societal relationships of the Eastern world, then I highly recommend "Wild Swans" by Jung Chang.

This description reminds me of Ishiguro's style. Just like in Ishiguro's works, the protagonist here is also boring, emotionless, and distant. And the writing, intentionally, reflects that.

However, the difference is that this is written in the third person, not the first person as in some of Ishiguro's novels.

Ha Jin's writing comes across as a plain wooden narration, and the dialogue is even stiffer. It lacks the fluidity and charm that one might expect from a great work of literature.

Despite these shortcomings, the story's resolution is thought-provoking. It makes the reader stop and think about the themes and ideas presented in the story. This thought-provoking aspect earns the story a star.

Overall, while the writing style may not be to everyone's taste, the story does have its redeeming qualities in the form of a thought-provoking resolution.

Why didn't I stop and cut my losses?

It was supposed to be an easy read. Highly rated, they said. Sparsely written, almost poetic, they claimed. But they lied.

Yes, indeed, it was sparsely written. However, there was no trace of poetry within those pages. I detested the characters, especially the main character, Lin. He was such an appalling, feeble man. Ugh.

Waiting? That's what I was doing. I was waiting for something significant to occur. I was waiting to develop an interest. I was waiting, but it was all in vain. I was waiting for someone, anyone, to experience some emotion or display some feeling. Just waiting...

The story seemed to drag on, and I found myself growing increasingly frustrated. There was no spark, no excitement. It was as if the author had missed the mark completely. I continued to read, hoping against hope that something would change, that I would finally understand the appeal. But as the pages turned, my disappointment only grew.

In the end, I regretted not stopping earlier and saving myself from this tiresome experience.

I don't know what made me think a book about waiting would be interesting.

Perhaps it was the idea that waiting is such a universal experience. We all wait for something at some point in our lives - for a bus, for a job interview, for a loved one to call.

A book that delves into the nature of waiting, the emotions it evokes, and the lessons it can teach might offer some unique insights.

Maybe it could explore how different people approach waiting, some with patience and others with frustration.

Or perhaps it could tell the story of a character who spends a significant amount of time waiting and how that waiting changes them.

Whatever the case may be, I find myself intrigued by the concept of a book about waiting and look forward to seeing what it has to offer.

Back in the day, way back indeed, say as far back as the twelfth century. Before the invention of the novel, poets in the courtly love tradition had a unique way of competing. They vied with each other to put their lovers in ever more difficult circumstances and prolong an affair. For instance, there was a wealthy landowner whose daughter was permitted to appear in public only at Sunday mass, and even then, she was under heavy chaperonage. At the communion rail, her lover would sigh, "Alas." The next week, the maiden would ask, "For What?" And the following week, he would answer, "For Love." This went on for months and months before there was even a tryst, let alone a seduction.

Well, Ha Jin outdoes all those poets with his novel Waiting. The book was short-listed for the Pulitzer, and I would have been more pleased to see it win than The Goldfinch, even though I believe it is a step short of Pulitzer-caliber material. Nevertheless, Waiting is a remarkable novel.

You can read it almost as a study on how life in a totalitarian society breeds depression and hopelessness. It can also be read as a love story that is completely beyond anything in the modern western world, making it a struggle for us to fully understand the situation. Here's what I mean.

It's the sixties. Lin enters into an arranged marriage in his mid-teens. His wife, Shuyuh, has strict, old-style parents who actually bound her feet, a rather uncommon practice. Lin resents the coercion that forced him into this union. He doesn't love Shuyuh, is embarrassed by her awkward gait and plain looks, and never appreciates the advantages the marriage brought to his family. There is a consummation and a subsequent daughter, but no sex after that.

Lin manages to leave his small village and head to a Shanghai suburb as soon as he can. He becomes a doctor in the army. Apparently, everyone is in some way connected to the army. He is based in a compound where movement is restricted, and the opportunities for forming relationships are far fewer than on Match.com.

Nevertheless, he and nurse Manna Hu fall in love. However, they have little or no chance for consummation, and both are so afraid of the consequences that they hold off... and hold off... and hold off.

Lin sends Shuyu a monthly allowance and is granted leave to visit her annually. He agrees with Manna Hu to ask for a divorce. Such an act requires the approval of a village official, and the whole village views Lin's request as an abandonment of his matrimonial obligations, especially towards his wife and daughter. Not to mention his interfering brother-in-law who stirs up the villagers against Lin. This whole process lasts for 18 - that's EIGHTEEN - years, which is the earliest a divorce can be granted without the wife's approval. Shuyuh has agreed to the divorce every year, but each time she withdraws her consent in court under her brother's influence.

But finally, the divorce comes, and Manna Hu and Lin are married. They now have to come to terms with a relationship that has been on hold while they each grew in different ways, side by side, but never touching. Lin is incredibly passive and insecure, always second-guessing himself and finding it almost impossible to take the initiative in any difficult situation. He accepts his lot. To be honest, he's not such a passionate guy either, or he would have had more than one wet dream in thirty years and would have had a much harder time resisting physical contact with his one and only.

Manna Hu pretty much realizes these character weaknesses in Lin early on. But in her late twenties, she's already considered an old maid and is seen as attached to Lin even though they aren't married or even engaged. So, by connecting with him, she's trapped herself into a situation where she is unavailable to others. It's worse than Hawthorne's Salem. She doesn't have to wear the scarlet letter to be branded, and she doesn't even get to have sex or a daughter to be condemned. So even though she's much less diffident than Lin, she's doomed in the romance department before she even begins.

Despite the challenges of getting us to suspend our disbelief in this extreme situation, Jin succeeds. We agonize for these two characters, partly because Jin delves into their hearts and shows us how weak and bewildered they are. Weak, at least, in relation to their circumstances. By the ambiguous ending, we've reached a point in the tale that seems life-affirming, though subsequent events may prove that this affirmation is false. But the possibility for happiness and even the nobility of the human spirit in the harshest of environments shines through.

This book is more than just a romantic novel for me and a description of true love. It is a novel that describes the communist government. A government that claims that its people don't think for a moment whether their rights are with the government or not. This book shows the penetration of communism into the most private part of life. It has an interesting story. Besides being romantic, it shows the conditions in China. You must read it.

This novel offers a unique perspective as it delves into the complex relationship between the individual and the communist regime. The vivid portrayal of how the government's influence seeps into the personal lives of the characters adds depth and authenticity to the narrative. The love story that unfolds within this context not only tugs at the heartstrings but also serves as a backdrop to showcase the broader social and political landscape of China during that time. It is a captivating read that combines romance and social commentary, making it a must-read for those interested in understanding different aspects of Chinese society and history.

It's truly weird.

It's really, really boring, and you find yourself constantly thinking, "Why am I putting myself through this?" However, you don't stop or slow down.

You keep going because you have to push on to the end. And then, suddenly, you think, "Oh my god, this is how we live our lives!"

Kudos, Ha Jin. Kudos indeed. But I have absolutely no idea where he got the motivation to sit down and write it.

Maybe it was some inner drive, a vision that compelled him to pen this work.

Or perhaps it was a combination of experiences and emotions that he wanted to share with the world.

Whatever the reason, it's clear that his writing has had an impact, making readers stop and think about the nature of our lives.

It's a remarkable feat, and one that deserves our recognition and admiration.

This is a truly great story that delves deep into the realm of human longing.

As I delved further into this book, it gradually grew on me, captivating my attention and pulling me into its intricate web of emotions.

I was particularly intrigued by the evolution of the main character. At first glance, he seemed sympathetic, but as the story unfolded, he revealed himself to be far more complex than initially perceived.

What I truly appreciated was how each of the three main characters, who formed a love triangle, became increasingly complex with each passing chapter.

I started by seeing the two women through the eyes of the main male character, but as his perception of them shifted, I was able to see them more clearly for who they truly were.

There were layer upon layer of themes explored in this story, including longing, dissatisfaction, and human folly. It made me reflect on the complexity of human nature and the often-hidden desires that drive our actions.

This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a thought-provoking and emotionally engaging story.

Bittersweet. It has been a rather challenging time for me to determine precisely how I feel about this book. The writing style is truly lovely. It is straightforward in a manner that is almost soothing. While other books have conditioned me to anticipate a trick or an unexpected disaster lurking around the corner, this particular one simply describes things as they are. It presents scenes for the sake of presenting them, not as some sort of foreshadowing. This is quite strange because the story heavily depends on the reader's empathy with the protagonists, and it does manage to foster that to some extent. However, at the same time, I didn't really have a liking for them. But it's not in the simple way that one dislikes and doesn't particularly mind disliking unlikable characters. These characters, and my feelings towards them, are far more complex and difficult to untangle. After reading this, I will definitely be picking up another book by Ha Jin.

5 poignant, heart-breaking stars.

The story commences in 1963 and spans over 20 years, delving into the lives of army doctor Lin Kong, his traditional wife Shuyu whom he has never loved, and his girlfriend at the hospital, the nurse Manna Wu, to whom he has promised marriage.

It is truly interesting to read about the evolving Chinese society, the privileges and freedom restrictions under communism. However, above all, it is utterly fascinating to observe how the author perceives the impact of communism on the Chinese. Specifically, on the evolution of the characters and their relationships.

Ha Jin's writing is remarkable in its simplicity. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, it renders the characters' tale even more poignant. By the time I completed the book, I felt an overwhelming sense of pain for Manna and Shuyu, and even for Lin.

This was a profound and weighty read that lingered with me for days. It was only after reading analyses of the book and interviews with the author that I was able to fully assimilate its essence.

This was my initial encounter with Ha Jin, but I will most definitely pick up one of his books in the near future.

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