Customer Reviews

Katherine

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This little gem of a book kept me up awake until I finished every word. It is the story of the impact that an American teacher, Katherine, makes on a class of students in the 1980s, after the death of Mao and during a time of change. The teacher brings new ways of thinking to her students. And danger.

The language is simple, evocative and clear. The voice is fresh. Simple sentences opened worlds of understanding for me. The main character, Zebra, is in her late twenties. She is confused with the changes around her. She was brought up to worship communism and Chairman Mao, was sent to a labor camp as a teenager, now works in a factory and lives in an overcrowded apartment with her parents and brother. Life is harsh for her and those around her. And then the American teacher, with her western ways comes into their life.

Concepts such as travel, choice, moving from place to place are introduced. The students learn to talk about how they feel about things, which is something that Chinese people just don't do. There's a intertwining love story including obsession and deception. And all of this is under the watchful eyes of the government, who control every aspect of Chinese life and signs of individualism are looked at with suspicion.

We, Americans, walk around with our eyes closed too. We can't quite understand what we're dealing with in China. I've read articles about this. But through this simple novel of a sparse 254 pages, I began to understand.

Reading "Katherine" is a painful experience, in many ways. The American reader (especially one who is teaching English in another country) might be disturbed by the recognition of himself/herself in the title character, a "freewheeling," independent, optimistic, "typical" (?) American woman who seems painfully incapable of the subtlety necessary for life in post-Cultural Revolutionary China. Katherine dresses strangely, seeming to flaunt her physical characteristics, speaks her mind without thinking about the political and cultural situation in which she finds herself, and even has an affair with one of her students--all the while claiming that she was probably Chinese in another life.

The Chinese reader might be disturbed by what could be interpreted as Zebra's (the main Chinese character's) hatred of her own people. Indeed, Zebra's statements about her fellow Chinese often reminded me of Bo Yang's _The Ugly Chinaman_ in their overwhelming negativity. China after the Cultural Revolution is portrayed as a place where no one trusts anyone else, and where selfishness has replaced politeness and concern for the welfare of others. Zebra, however, might be forgiven for overemphasizing China's problems to Katherine, who seems to wander through China with the illusion that, as an American, she is "above" any of the customs or protocols that have evolved as a result of both the 5000 years of Chinese history and everything that has happened after 1949.

Without giving away the ending, I might say that the book reminded me of _Life and Death in Shanghai_ by Nien Chung, whose author, in some ways, seems a combination of the characteristics of Katherine and Zebra, and who also shares the fates of those characters. _Katherine_ is an absorbing book (I read it in one night, something I rarely do), but also a sad experience.

As a current student of Asian Studies in College, I decided to read Katherine after enjoying Anchee Min's memoir: Red Azalea. I started reading Katherine on a Saturday afternoon and finished it Sunday night. The book was simply amazing. Having taught English in China myself, the head on collision of Western ideas and post Cultural Revolution Chinese life in Katherine not only stirred up memories from my Beijing classroom but also produced a powerful and fascinating novel. Min artfully balances the personal rebirth of a Chinese woman with the struggles of a civilization still healing from the scars of the Cultural Revolution. Anyone interested in China and its interaction with western ideas and culture will most certainly love this book as much as I did. Although I read Katherine on my own and neglected to complete my assigned coursework to do so, my only wish after finishing the book was that the story didn¡¯t have to end.

I received this novel in a batch of books that a friend of a friend wanted me to sell for her. "Katherine" caught my eye and I flipped through the first few pages. I was completely taken offguard by what I read. Anchee Min's prose gives one the impression of reading the literary equivalent of a Chinese painting, the words simple and delicate. Her fragile sentences provide a stark contrast for the harsh world of which she writes. "Katherine" is a slight breeze with the force of gail winds.

It is always so amazing to read a book which is written by someone of another culture. This was definitely the case with Anchee Min's "Katherine". Min, very easily, puts the reader in the shoes of a troubled chinese woman, Zebra, who is in conflict as she begins to question her lifelong opinions about China and herself. Zebra is led to this introspection because of her exposure to an American woman, Katherine. Katherine has come to China to teach English and get to know the culture. The reader is taken along on Katherine's journey from naive optimism about China and the Chinese people, to confusion, and eventually quiet resignation. This book was incredible and horrid at the same time. If you like to be touched by what you read, I definitely recommend "Katherine". -JoAnn Hawkins

Having read Red Azalea by Anchee Min, I was eager to read more of her work. However I found that Katherine was listed as Out of Print in Australia. To my delight, I was able to track down a copy through Amazon and it was well worth the effort. I am so glad to see that Katherine is to be reprinted and made readily available once more, for Katherine is a book which one begun, can't be put down.

Anchee Min has a fascinating writing style. Her language is both raw and shocking, passionate and disturbing, and yet at times delicate and almost gentle to the touch. By the time I got to the last page I was completely absorbed and felt that Zebra and Katherine were in fact real people, and even more than that, I felt they were people that I knew. I wanted to see photos of them, just as one would look for photos in a biography. The characters are rich and evoked all kinds of emotions ... from the vile Jasmine to the cowardly Lion Head, the fascinating and sensuous Katherine to the noble and self sacrificing Zebra... all are rich characters that one comes to love or hate.

I have read many books about China during the years of the Cultural Revolution, so it was intriguing to read one that deals with the post Mao era. My closest friend is from China and as she has tried to explain Chinese thinking to me, I could see it also identified throughout this novel. The naive Katherine saw China through American eyes. While she laughed at Zebra's fears, Zebra could smell the evil in the air. The ever positive Katherine always anticipated victory. Zebra alone saw the vicious beam in the eye of the enemy.

The one thing that frustrated me with this book was the ending. I wanted more. I wanted to know what lay beyond the final words. Anchee Min did the same thing to me in Red Azalea. Both books left me in the air, and while I appreciate that this was for dramatic affect, nevertheless, I felt teased. I have to keep reminding myself that it is only a story and quell the desire to enquire further as to the fate of Zebra.

Should the author read this review, thank you Anchee Min for your wonderful books and for painting with words such rich and vibrant characters.

We feel Katherine, a novel written by Anchee Min, is a book which everyone should read. It's everything from a history to a life's lesson and from tearjerkers to a wake up call. It brings a sense of patriotism and makes one feel as if their life really isn't bad. Though Katherine took place in China in the early 80's, many of the issues in this novel still pertain to student's lives today in America. Zebra Wong, one of the main characters in this novel, is battling throughout the novel to find herself. She's trying to be something that she really isn't, while trying to make a positive impression on Katherine, her American teacher and influence. Love, is another issue in which Zebra Wong comes face to face within this novel. Zebra is trying to find her one true love and is confused as to who it should be, or if it should even be a male. She is battling to find happiness and once again, impress everyone else. Who really wants to be the one without anyone? Zebra doesn't. Today in America, many students encounter the same battles. In fact, there may be many psychologists that feel that people battle these issues their whole lives. Everyone is trying to find their one true love and often, try to be something their not. People always try to impress one another, especially in the novel, _Katherine_. Zebra tries to impress Katherine in many ways. Throughout the novel, Zebra gives Katherine earrings and helped her adopt a child Katherine always wanted. After reading this novel, a person can get a clearer view, as to who and what Mao Zedong was. You can get a feel as to why the Chinese are the way they are and all of the horrible experiences they had to encounter. This novel gives an understanding as to why the Chinese actually worshiped Mao, even though he put them through hell. This is something you can't learn in a history book. Zebra is a lesson in life and a book that really keeps you on the edge of your seat. It really gets you thinking and makes you realize that YOU aren't the only one that has certain problems. It's a wonderful book that we feel every person should read and enjoy!

As students at the University of Hofstra, we read Katherine, written by Anchee Min. This novel was about an American teacher that came to China to teach English to Chinese students after the Cultural Revolution. Katherine brought her American ideology to China, where it was not accepted. This novel consisted of many themes; betrayal, friendship, romance and innocence. Lion Head represents the theme of betrayal, he has an affair with both Katherine and Zebra Wong and doesn't stay with either one of them, he just sleeps with them. This also fits under the category of Romance. Katherine and Zebra represented the theme of friendship. They relied on each other when times got rough. Little Rabbit, Katherine's adopted daughter represented innocence because she was mute and this is how the Chinese government wanted the people to be. We think Katherine is a good book to be read as college freshmen because its not a hard book to read and understand, and it is interesting. It also gives you an understanding on how life is in other places in the world. The only disappointment about the book was the ending, we though it could have been better by adding more about what happens after Zebra and Little Rabbit leave China.

I, as a person living in the unique city of Hong Kong, have only seen China and its interaction with the western world from afar. Anchee Min's Katherine offers us a close-up of such things as individuals fighting against collective interests and foreigners trying to open up this giant piece of land and culture that we have long been hearing and reading about, yet not thinking and feeling about, even as Chinese myself. The courage that both Zebra and Katherine exhibit in suspecting, confronting and accepting each other's culture enables a true union of the Chinese way and the American way, thus the East and the West. I don't see Zebra's final leaving of China as a victory of the West over the East, because her departure is motivated by her desire to seek her true self, which is lost in the Communist China. Communist China, or Mao China, is not the true China after all.

After reading Anchee Min's novel Katherine, we found the novel to be quite interesting.This novel deals with the time period after the Cultural Revolution and how communism affected the lives of people in China.Katherine is about an American English teacher who travels to China and the impact she had on her students. She showed her students what emotion was, and talked to them about freedom and choice. Through the novel she helps the narrator, Zebra Wong, a lost soul who has risked everything for her family. Katherine helps Zebra get through rough times and teaches her to voice her opinion instead of restricting herself like she always had. Katherine gets involved with her students through personal relationships, some of which were not proper. The novel consists of many themes, which include love, friendship, power, and betrayal. We would recommend this novel for people on a mature level to read.