Customer Reviews

China Run: A Novel

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

When I first received the book, I opened it and read the prologue and wept. The story of a woman's suffering through pregnancies and abortions and difficult choices presented by a one-child policy and family pressures has more than a ring of truth to it.

Fortunately, that is where the truth ends.

Yes, this book is 'fiction' but the wording on the fly leaf indicating it is based upon a 'true' incident will mislead people into thinking there is more truth here than fiction and that is NOT the case.

The 'true' part of the story is that international adoption from China used to be run by more than one governmental agency, and in the late mid-1990's this process was changed in order to tighten controls and eliminate irregularities in processing of applications. There had never been even any hint of baby selling or organ-farming, and the implication that there may have been, while titillating, is a creation of the author's imagination.

During the transition period of the re-org, there were families who had been 'matched' and notified of their referrals, only to have their referrals changed later on - most prior to leaving for China. At the end of the re-organization, CCAA became the sole governmental arbiter of all things related to adoption in China. The China program of international adoption is a well-run program, resulting in the placement of approximately 6000 children into loving homes around the world each year.

So the 'true incident' mentioned on the book cover in no way resembles the story as written. In fact, the incident in the book never took place. The author's story is an extrapolation of the re-org into a HUGE 'what if' scenario.

And, as far as that goes, that is fine - because this is, afterall, a fiction novel.

However, the book does make interesting reading, and it is unfortunate that the fly leaf does not provide more details about the 'true incident' because the statement that it is 'based upon a true incident' misleads readers into thinking that the story is more true than it is. And, as we know that many people only think as far as the end of their nose about these things, it presents a very wrong, and therefore potentially VERY harmful, impression about China, Chinese government officials, the adoption process and adopting parents.

What makes the situation even more maddening for those of us who have gone through the process or are in the midst of the process, is that the author is also the Dad of a daughter adopted from China. This not only makes some of us feel betrayed, but also angry, as it lends a level of veracity to the fictional story that is neither warranted nor wanted.

All that being said, you will easily get caught up in the action and emotional turmoil of the adopting parents, especially the protagonist - an adopting mom who has been told she must give back her daughter, and runs, with her 9 year old stepson in tow, for their lives.

Mr. Ball's writing about the Chinese countryside and daily life is on the mark, and very well done. Having been there/done that twice now (I am Mom to 2 daughters from China), I was easily transported back through the images described in his writing. I could 'see' things, 'feel' things, even 'smell' the markets and cooking scents. The book is rich with images that evoke a strong sense of place, and add much to the story.

As a work of fiction, I have found myself recommending the book highly -- much to my surprise.

I just read this book. Ten years ago, I traveled in the area of China that is covered in the book. However, I have no experience with adopting a Chinese child.

I did not read the slip cover material, and I read this story as being mainly fiction, but a fiction built upon the rich and varied texture of a great, complex people and nation. As noted by others, even the smells of China make it into the story in a way that is real to those of us who've been there.

There is no question that there are some flaws in the reach and premise of the story, but it grabbed me, and it surprised me, and I enjoyed it immensely as a superior work of fiction.

While I respectfully acknowledge the creative process, I must say that as an adoptive parent of a child from China, this book offended me. We (adoptive parents) appear to be desperate people who will do anything beyond reason to get that child, legally or not. Chinese government officials are misrepresented (at best) and demonized (at worst). Neither group has any resemblance to their real life counterparts.

Aside from the poor character portrayals, the bureaucracy portrayed in the work is nothing like the stable, fairly predictable nature of the China adoption organization. While mistakes happen from time to time, actions such as those encountered by Allison are sensationalistic beyond belief.

Personally, I find the "dark side of Chinese adoptions" to be continually explaining what the process is really like and rebuking stereotypes that should have disappeared a long time ago. The only thing "frighteningly real" about this book is that a prospective adoptive parent may read it and turn away from a wonderfully run, well organized adoption program such as China currently has.

Just my two jiao.

I have never been to China, or adopted a child. I just enjoy good fiction, written well, with a smooth rythm of story progression, and characters I love and care about. Add a thriller aspect that leaves the reader turning the pages as fast as they can, and you have a great book.

I won't make this a political statement. It is just one man's version of a possibility. If anything, it will make the believers cautious, perhaps ask a few more questions, and that can't hurt.

Allison Turk has come to China to adopt a baby, and because of an unknown glitch the officials have requested she turn the baby over to officials, and a new baby will be forthcoming. Allison who has bonded with the child decides to take matters into her own hands, along with her 9 year old step-son Tyler, she makes a run for it. Her journey is nothing short of remarkarkable.

The story culminates in moments as montrous as the imagination could devise. Just what is going on with the unwanted children in China? Is there any truth in it? I don't know, but the story caught me up in it's momentum from start to finish...Kelsana

I've read the excerpt of this book that's available on publishers' web sites. I adopted a child from China four years ago, and am always happy to see articles and books that present the process--which isn't perfect--honestly and insightfully. China Run does not.

Adoption from China takes time, but it is a well-established program with clear, uniform rules. There are many agencies in the United States who have superb in-China staff and "call us collect any time" policies. China itself works hard to be hospitable to visitors. Parents aren't left stranded, with no choice but to flee to the countryside. And I know of no instances or accusations of baby-selling--the smallest suggestion of such a thing in any country halts international adoption very quickly.

Are there unhappy surprises in real life? Sure. But overwhelmingly, adoptive parents have been treated fairly, even warmly and generously, by Chinese officials and by American consular representatives. Even in the aftermath of the U.S. bombing of a Chinese consulate, great care was taken on both sides to defuse the tense situation, protect adoptive parents and children, and make the process succeed.

Of course thrillers are based on improbable and ugly situations. But the imagined events in China Run ask the reader to swallow not only a wildly false, but a thoroughly mean-spirited slanting of reality.

Happily, the book is also very poorly written. There are cliches at every turn. Unable to find graceful ways to avoid the dreaded "said," author David W. Ball makes sure everyone snarls, snaps, exclaims, blurts out, murmurs, etc. One of my favorites is "'Dang it!' Tyler cursed." Temples throb. The author takes 34 words to tell us what "she's a keeper" means, fishwise. People "sob uncontrollably," and "slump to the floor." It's a composition teacher's nightmare--or, if you're in the mood, laugh riot.

I read a fair amount of junk fiction and enjoy it. If I have to sweat through this whole crummy thing in order to qualify to review it, I will. But I expect to spend a fair amount of time (in Brown's words) "retching, needing to throw up." As opposed, presumably to the range of other kinds of retching. He certainly provides plenty of opportunity.

This fictional book is suppose to be based upon elements of a true story. I too have a daughter from China which I love dearly and would move the moon and stars to keep her safe and among our family. I would hope to be every bit as strong as the fictional Mom - Allison Turk.

If you are in the midst of adoption, please do not let this book stop you, it is a work of fiction and a suspenseful read at that. Another reader reviewed this book and said that the author makes those of us who adopt from Peoples' Republic of China look desperate... I cannot disagree more.

What a storyteller David Ball is. I could not put this book down. He develops wonderful characters, both American and Chinese, and has exquisite descriptions of China, and the plot is totally intriguing and fast-moving. It is well-written and exciting, and I learned a lot about the exotic, and complicated, land and culture of China. It provides an exciting trip through that country. The books is extremely revealing about the process of adoption and shows how sensitive, and frustratingly arbitrary, it can be. Loved it.

David Ball takes the reader on a thrilling adventure through China with several American families desperately trying to keep their adoptive babies. Considering international adoption myself, I was delighted to share in the strong bond that develops between each family and their new child. So many plot twists I couldn't put it down!

I got this book as a gift and was skeptical about it. My daughter was born in China and I adopted her a few years ago. The author did an excellent job capturing the day to day life of China. The story itself was fast paced and heartwrenching. How much "truth" spurred this story on is suspect and that bothers me that some people will think this "really" happened. If people are reading this as a guide to international adoption it would scare everyone away. That being said, this FICTIONAL story was grand. Had powerful emotions and drama, it was a quick read and one I did not want to put down; but I did several times as it got too close for me. I kept thinking what would I have done if that had been me, after having my baby girl for 5 days what would I have done if a Chinese official had requested her back? The thought of running in a country such as China is mind boggling. But the thrill of the chase was great and exciting. But at the end of the story, I went into my sleeping childs room and gave her a big hug!

David Ball has written some excellent historical page-turners - "Ironfire" and "Empires of Sand" are two undiscovered gems. With "China Run," Ball explores the corruption of a beautiful land and people by the Chinese government.

Ball wisely uses a modern crisis - China's abandonment of children - to make his exploration of China comprehensible to Western eyes. This is a foreign culture, and Ball vividly conveys the discombobulating gaps between East and West by placing some Americans on the run. These Americans are in China to adopt children - a common enough story. What makes their story different is that the callous Chinese government, for reasons unknown, decides to take back the "wrong children" after the Americans have grown attached to them. Four desperate Americans grab their adopted infants and attempt to flee to sanity.

What transpires is a riveting manhunt as the Americans, aided and abetted by a wide assortment of Chinese characters (and I mean characters - these are not stick-figures created merely to serve a plot point), try to save their children. The American embassy is of no help. American contacts have no influence inside China. So the Americans are forced to rely on the kindness and greed of strangers, and in so doing they meet several fascinating Chinese, from saints to sinners, heroes and villains.

Ball writes with his usual skill - he evokes the Chinese landscape with the same skill as he brought to the Sahara in "Empires of Sand." He also does not skimp on the violence - there is a pretty high body count in this novel, so be prepared to lose some favorite characters along the way.

What makes the story most compelling is that Ball condemns the current Chinese government, but he does not take it out on the Chinese people as a whole. Ball, without getting heavy-handed, reminds us that the Chinese people are not a monolithic group single-mindedly following the Cult of Mao, but are a fascinating group of individuals trapped by their government. This is a melancholy story, but with human triumph.

All in all, an enjoyable, solid read. Ball did not set out to write an epic, but he nevertheless created a heck of a tale.