Houghton Mifflin, Apr 2002, 23.00, 217 pp.
ISBN: 0618068864
Shanghai during the Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s and early 1970s is a dangerous place as Chairman Mao and his devoted horde demand self-sacrifice for the good of the cause. Quiet and innocent Maple loses her father to the labor camps. Because the crimes of the parents are bestowed upon the children, his minor infraction leaves Maple open to “umbrella” beatings by Maoist mouth Hot Pepper and her gang. No one dare intercede for fear of anti-Maoist branding, the worst state crime.
New student half-breed WILD GINGER and Maple become friends as expected of two outcasts. Their friendship struggles to survive the male test when Red Guard Evergreen falls for Wild Ginger while Maple desires him. As WILD GINGER becomes a national hero for exposing “criminals” like her mother and fishy black marketers, Maple and Evergreen become engaged. However, devoted Maoist WILD GINGER denounces him as a traitor placing Evergreen and Maple in danger from the overzealous Maoists.
WILD GINGER is a tremendous psychological dramatization of the excesses of the Chinese Cultural Revolution by looking inside the minds to the fears of the people. The audience feels the motives and psychological deprivation of the key players and some of the secondary characters as everyone struggles to survive in a world accentuating Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Need. One derogatory comment means the Maoist equivalent of the guillotine. Anchee Min is one of the best historical fiction writers on the market today as her accounts of China in the middle of the last century is incredibly insightful but entertainingly well-written.
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- thoughtful
Time/era of story
- 1960's-1970's
Political/social activism
Yes
Plotlet:
- general liberal/left wing activism
- fighting government corruption
- fighting discrim. (other than racial/gender)
Inside culture (main char)
- Chinese
Culture clash?
- family young v. old guard
- Being oppressed by outside culture
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Outside culture (society)
- Chinese
War/Revolt/Disaster on civilians
Yes
Ethnic/regional/gender life
Yes
Conflict:
- Revolution, general
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- student
Age:
- 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Chinese
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- spy
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 4 (a fair amount)
Asia/Pacific
Yes
Asian country:
- China
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Unusual Style:
- a lot of flashback and forwards
- a lot of stream of consciousness
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
