The Girl Who Played Go

The Girl Who Played Go

by Sa Shan

Shan's first novel in English is a "brilliancy", to use a term in chess. She uses a precise, poetic style to tell a tragic story of a young adolescent girl who happens to excel at the ancient game of Go. In contrast, a Japanese soldier in Manchuria in 1937 also is an aficionado of the game, and they meet in a park to practice their skills against each other while falling in love. This is a heartbreaking and breathless gem of both style and content, told in alternating chapters from two points of view. -- recommended by Jim W. - Gere Branch Library

[ NPR commentary on The Girl Who Played Go ] [ Wikipedia entry on Shan Sa ]

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