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A review by alyshadeshae
Saints by Gene Luen Yang
5.0
I read Boxers and Saints one right after the other essentially as one book. As they overlap timeframe and just follow different people, I'm going to write one review for the two.
I'm aware that this is a fictional story regarding a real war, but I'm not sure what my takeaway should be. Like, is this a critique of religious zealotry inciting violence in general? Was it meant to be point out how crappy it is to overrun a people's culture because you think you're right and they're wrong?
We get both sides. And we're kind of led to believe that both sides are right.
BUT, the invaders' side (Saints) is presented by a Chinese girl who seemingly barely understand the religion she's been adopted into. She grows into more understanding, but still not much. Her father seemingly had delusions and now she sees people that aren't there, too. So is she a reliable narrator?
The "rebels" are Chinese people that are rejecting the invaders and their religion, which should be acceptable, but is it? They're killing everyone - women and children, too. And are they delusional? They seem to think a ritual turns them into actual gods. The leader sees people that no one else sees. How reliable is his narration?
Maybe the takeaway is just that life is messy and complicated and there's no simple answer for things? But I feel like there's at least one simple solution here: don't force your beliefs on others and don't try to change others' briefs unless they are causing harm with their beliefs.
I'm aware that this is a fictional story regarding a real war, but I'm not sure what my takeaway should be. Like, is this a critique of religious zealotry inciting violence in general? Was it meant to be point out how crappy it is to overrun a people's culture because you think you're right and they're wrong?
We get both sides. And we're kind of led to believe that both sides are right.
BUT, the invaders' side (Saints) is presented by a Chinese girl who seemingly barely understand the religion she's been adopted into. She grows into more understanding, but still not much. Her father seemingly had delusions and now she sees people that aren't there, too. So is she a reliable narrator?
The "rebels" are Chinese people that are rejecting the invaders and their religion, which should be acceptable, but is it? They're killing everyone - women and children, too. And are they delusional? They seem to think a ritual turns them into actual gods. The leader sees people that no one else sees. How reliable is his narration?
Maybe the takeaway is just that life is messy and complicated and there's no simple answer for things? But I feel like there's at least one simple solution here: don't force your beliefs on others and don't try to change others' briefs unless they are causing harm with their beliefs.