Green Island MP3 CD – MP3 Audio, July 26, 2016

Meticulously researched and carefully written, Green Island tells a complicated political and social history that many (most?) American readers simply do not know: Taiwan in the twentieth century (and by extension, into the 21st). Beginning with the brutal repression of the 2/28/1947 Incident/Rebellion/Massacre, Ryan studies the effects of brutal totalitarian authority on individuals, families, and a nation. The novel looks not only at Taiwan itself, but its extension through its secret service (the KMT) to the US in the 1960s-80s (from spying to extortion to assassination).The book is fiction, but its base is historical and documented, and it is beautifully grounded in the actions and objects of the “real” world. In reading the book, I was humbled by my ignorance (what was Nixon doing there? Why did Carter refuse recognition to Taiwan? Even today? Taiwan was a staging area for the Viet Nam war?), but in the end, while the tortuous strands of the history may still not be entirely clear to me, the enduring effects of the repression are quite clear.Given Taiwan’s recent democratic election of its first female President, and the counterpoint of the arrest of a US Air Force officer (and Taiwan native) for spying for China, Green Island is a timely and engaging read. Recommend.

I bought this as a means to further connect with Taiwan, my girlfriend's home. I arrived at the listing blindly by just searching for "taiwan". I did not realize how perfect, wonderful, and terrible this random find would be.As the national history interests me, I already knew the major dates and ideas; the structure of the China v Taiwan struggle. I already had opinions and stakes... the issues were personal but the information was abstract. Allowing history to become black and white, I established and voiced conclusions about right and wrong. This story has been revealing and thought provoking to a degree that I was unprepared for.The ebb and flow of a human narrative that marches through the familiar pace of life, exploring issues large and small... it's impossible not to sink into it, not to internalize and to relate. The author delivers the extraordinary and sensational that belongs in history books hand-in-hand with the mundane. She draws us deep into internal thoughts and struggles, peppered with monologues that feel genuine and relatable ... then abruptly we are face-to-face with the unreal, dragged into the moments as uncertain as the characters themselves.It may be a brilliant work of fiction, but this is how history is meant to be told.

I managed to slug my way through this book thinking that the author would come to someà revelations about the impact of events within, but was sadly disappointed. The book begins with the birth of the narrator on a day that began a reign of terror on the island of Taiwan. Shortly thereafter, her father is imprisoned as a political prisoner due to innocuous comments made at an open meeting of citizens. After 11 years, he returns home, and begins the life of a misunderstood martyr who is constantly exhibiting strange behavior that impacts his family in many ways. The author chooses not to describe what he experienced in prison, which leaves the reader feeling "inconclusive."The "inconclusive" feeling pervades every situation in the book: the terror experienced by Taiwanese citizens, the arranged marriage of the protagonist; her uncommitted life in the US; her feelings for her husband; her family's support for a revolutionary fighting against the Taiwanese dictator; her betrayal of the revolutionary and her ability to salve her conscience; her continued ability to understand the impact of things happening around her, even though she is the one describing the events.I was constantly wondering why I kept reading this book, but did hoping that I would gain an understanding of this country I know so little about. I just came away feeling "inconclusive."

Shawna Yang Ryan is one of the best writers of historical fiction working today. In her second novel she takes us back to the history of Taiwan and jumps off from the "2/28 Incident" that led to riots and massacres in the streets in 1947. Her characters' lives are torn apart by events both governmental and out of their hands. Follow this beautiful story as it spans the lives of a family through turmoil and transitions. Beautifully written, memorable, and full of new historical events I was entirely unaware of. Required reading.

A very interesting novel based on the traumatic history of recent Taiwan from the change if power durung early last centrury, from the Japanese Colonialists to the KMT.The story is told through the perspective of a baby girl born on the night of the first uprising and continues throughout her life as she grows and watches the evolution of politics in Taiwan from near, then abroad as an American in California, married to an activist professor.The history lesson itself is in depth and worth reading. The personal story is where I started to feel a bit annoyed. Our narrator is constantly making excuses for her poor decisions. I did not enjoy her story so much.An interesting read, and well written though.

This is a missed opportunity to provide more information about a little-known country, Taiwan. The protagonists are indigenous Taiwanese but that takes time to figure out even by a reader who happens to already know that the native Taiwanese were overrun by Chinese Nationalists from mainland China after they lost the civil war to the Communists under Mao Tse Tung. There's virtually no information at all about indigenous Taiwanese culture, language, history, etc., which made the book frustrating to read in view of the fact that its purpose is to portray their suffering under a brutal dictatorship of foreigners. The eventual transition from dictatorship to democracy is mentioned only in passing, leaving the reader hungry to know how it happened. Character development is mediocre and often unconvincing, and it's not always clear who's saying what.

Badly written tedious style.Learnt a bit about Taiwanese history I didn’t know but book could be so much shorter and written in a more inter3tung way

It's extremely well written and insightful. As a foreigner living in Taiwan I find it both educational and entertaining. Well worth a read, even if you don't have any ties to Taiwan.

At times intimate amd touching as the life of a girl and her family unfold from birth after WW2 through marriage, tragedy, family turmoils and deaths both in Taiwan and in California. Well written, and gripping but not a feel good story.

I was moved by this book. learned more about the roots of historical conflicts of Taiwan and the consequences on society and how different cultures treat each other. The characters are real. It's a slice of Chinese history and geography not well known to the world. Worth reading.

book arrived very fast, was in excellent condition. the story is great; i read it whilst i was on a trip in Taiwan, perfect background to my holiday!