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Wild Ginger
Wild Ginger
Author: Anchee Min
At once a coming-of-age tale and a heart-rending love story, Wild Ginger explores the devastating experience of the Cultural Revolution, which defined Anchee Min"s youth. — The beautiful, iron-willed Wild Ginger is only in elementary school when she is singled out by the Red Guards for her "foreign-colored eyes." Her class...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780618380435
ISBN-10: 0618380434
Publication Date: 1/1/2002
Pages: 240
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 25

3.6 stars, based on 25 ratings
Publisher: Mariner Books
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

demiducky25 avatar reviewed Wild Ginger on + 161 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
The main character, Wild Ginger, is shunned and bullied because she inherited "foreign looks" from her half French father. She befriends Maple, a girl who is bullied because her family consists of teachers who were not considered "working class" enough to be fully accepted by this new regime. Together, they navigate life during the Cultural Revolution in China, taking very different paths at times, though they can never fully separate their lives from each other. Things become very interesting when Evergreen, a slightly older boy, is introduced into the story. What's scary about this book (and about the reality this story is based on) is how brainwashed individuals can become to the point of excluding any other thoughts and rejecting outright any ideas that go against the set ideals they have entrenched in their minds. The mob mentality, seen several times in this book, also shows a horrific side to humanity when the individual is lost. Although I enjoyed this book, it did temporarily lose me in a few places where the author failed to note a change of scene or a time change. Otherwise, I would certainly recommend this book if you are looking for a quick, but thought-provoking read.
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reviewed Wild Ginger on + 50 more book reviews
The madness of the Chinese Cultural Revolution really comes to life, and vividly, in this evocative novella. The love triangle of the three main characters - the narrator, Maple, her best friend from elementary school, the beautiful Wild Ginger, and Evergreen, the man they both love - is a bit stilted and formal, however, the horror show that was daily life under that regime is engrossing and skillfully told. Due to having a French father and non-Chinese hazel eyes, Wild Ginger is branded a reactionary, and spends the rest of her short life overcompensating by obsessively quoting Chairman Mao and generally out-Mao'isting the most ardent, fanatic Maoists and Red Guard of the day. One of my favorite scenes occurred about halfway in when Maple's entire neighborhood is forced to devote a week to learning a group song and dance of "loyalty" to Chairman Mao. The mothers vaguely wave their arms back and forth, pretending to learn to dance, while slyly sharing tips on how to survive the impending food shortage - and there's a remarkable ease and charm to the writing that I just loved.


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