4 stars

I’m not much of a “themed” reader (not deliberately anyway), so I consider it pure coincidence that I happened to pick up this book to read the day before Halloween. To clarify, this book is not a “spooky” read by any means, neither is it any genre even remotely related to this holiday – rather, the “coincidence” I am referring to is the fact that this story is narrated entirely by “ghosts.” Actually, to put it more precisely, from the moment the story opens in 2015, the 3 main characters – American missionary Pastor Billy, Chinese solider Liu Zhaohu, and gunner’s mate Ian Ferguson – are already dead. Pastor Billy died 70 years ago (in 1945), Liu Zhaohu joined him 18 years later (in 1963), and together, they waited another 52 years before Ian Ferguson was able to join them on that exact date -- August 15th, 2015. Now, before anyone starts chiding me for supposedly revealing “spoilers,” let me just say that all of the above is already revealed within the first few pages of the book – to that point, the entire basis of the story harkens back to a pact that the 3 men made on that day in 1945 when Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced (via radio broadcast) Japan’s surrender to Allied Forces, effectively bringing an end to World War II. Stationed in the small village of Yuehu, China at the time of the announcement, the 3 men make a pledge on that historic day stipulating that, after their deaths, their souls would return to Yuehu every year on the anniversary of the broadcast – however, due to the 3 of them dying at different times, it isn’t until 70 years later that they are finally able to fulfill the pledge they made so long ago. As the 3 of them come together to reminisce about a war that changed the course of their lives forever, it soon becomes clear that each of their stories is tied to that of one woman whom all of them loved but lost, and it is her life that’s truly the focus here. This woman, whose given name from birth is Yao Guiyan, is simultaneously known to Liu Zhaohu as Ah Yan (or “swallow”), to Pastor Billy as Stella (meaning “star”), and to Ian Ferguson as Wende (transliteration of “wind”). Ah Yan’s impact on these 3 men is profound -- despite the atrocities and suffering she endures in the face of a horrific war, she not only finds the courage to survive, but does so with remarkable grace and humanity. It is through the memories of this extraordinary woman that these 3 “ghosts”, scarred by the lasting effects of war, are able to finally understand the truths of what they experienced and reconcile the regrets of their pasts.

Knowing that the story is set during a time period of immense devastation and tragedy in World War II, I braced myself for a sad and difficult read going into this one – while both of these did ring true (the atrocities committed by the Japanese army were especially hard to read), this also turned out to be a story of resilience, courage, hope, and ultimately, the redemptive power of love, which thankfully helped to balance out the story in the end. I found the structure of the story an interesting one – each chapter is alternately narrated by 3 dead men, with 1 chapter in the middle narrated by 2 dogs (yes, you read that correctly) that also played significant roles in the story. Given this setup, this book definitely doesn’t fit nicely into one category in terms of genre – I felt that this fell more into the historical fiction genre, with elements of magical realism mixed in, which altogether put a unique spin to the story that made this a different reading experience for me. What I liked most though, is that the author Zhang Ling (a Chinese author based in Canada), in experimenting with form and structure, didn’t neglect the cultural elements that are so critical in a story such as this one. I read quite a bit of historical fiction, since it’s one of my favorite genres, and one of the things I always look for is a strong sense of time and place, to the point that I feel transported, as though living the same events alongside the characters. Having said that, when it comes to historical fiction within the context of a culture that I’m familiar with, I’m also a stickler for getting the cultural aspects right -- which I’ll admit I was worried about with this book once I learned that the story was originally written in Chinese and later translated into English. Perhaps because of my background, I understand first-hand how tricky it can be to translate from Chinese to English (plus I’ve read my fair share of poorly translated works over the years) and so this is a particularly sensitive area for me. With this book, while I can’t say that the translation was flawless (because as far as I’m concerned, translations are never 100% perfect), one thing I did appreciate was the effort made to render the cultural elements as authentically as possible. Of course, not having read the original book in Chinese, there’s no way for me to judge the accuracy of the translation word for word, but I am encouraged by the fact that the translator chose to keep Chinese names and phrases intact throughout the story (for example – in Liu Zhaohu’s chapters, the translator could’ve very easily referred to Ah Yan as “Swallow” or their village Sishiyi Bu as “Forty-One Steps Village” but instead, she mentioned the English translation of those words only once as a means of introduction – after that, the Chinese phrases were used for the remainder of the story). In addition, as a whole, I felt that the author did a pretty good job of balancing both the historical events and cultural elements in a way that made the reading experience an immersive one, though admittedly, the chapters involving Liu Zhaohu and Ah Yan as well as how life was like in their ancestral village of Sishiyi Bu were the most engaging for me.

Overall, this was a great story – poignant and heartbreaking in many areas, but also ultimately uplifting. The ending I thought was fitting and definitely got me a bit teary-eyed. My one complaint though (and the main reason why this ended up being 4 stars instead of 5) is that, despite Ah Yan’s story being the most important, we never got to hear her perspective directly. While I feel that the author did a good job of bringing Ah Yan as a character to life through the memories of the 3 men who loved her, I think this would’ve been a much more powerful and emotionally resonant story if we had gotten to hear Ah Yan’s perspective as well, even if it was only 1 chapter or as an epilogue at the end. In skimming through reviews, I know this was a deal-breaker for a few readers and while it wasn’t a huge issue to that extent for me, I can understand why it would’ve affected the reading experience for some. Regardless though, I would still recommend this one as a worthy read, if anything, because of the relative scarcity of WWII-related fiction out in the mainstream nowadays that is either written from the Asian perspective or covers the events that unfolded across the Asian continent during that time period. Much of what happened in China and other Asian countries back then was no less tragic than what had happened in Europe, but in general, is much less talked about outside of Asia. Hopefully more of these stories can be heard in the future.

Received ARC from Amazon Crossing via NetGalley

Spanning decades, "A Single Swallow" is a sweeping story of humanity, the ability to endure, and forgiveness.
Set in China, three men's lives intertwined in 1945 after Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces. Pastor Billy, Liu Zhaohu and Ian Ferguson made a pact for their souls to return there upon each of their deaths.
The multi-perspective narrative reveals how they are linked by one woman - Ah Yan "Swallow" and the role each man played in her life.
Beautifully translated, this slower pace novel is an emotionally charged tapestry of stories about good people, brought together, amidst a brutal war.
*Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Publishing, and Zhang Ling for selecting me to read this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book that was translated from a Chinese writer.  The setup is a bit different in that it is from the perspective of three men, and a couple of dogs that have already died.  They are in the afterlife and have been waiting for each other to all join together in the afterlife.  At first it was a bit confusing, but once you know the characters it is easier to follow. 
While it is the perspective of three men, the story centers around one woman Ah Yan, which means swallow; hence the title.  Each of these men love Ah Yan in their own way and yet each of them leave her and are a bit selfish with their love for her. This novel takes place in China and centers around WWII, but this is not your typical WWII novel.  
I really enjoyed this novel.  I have read many novels set in China and many novels about WWII, but nothing like this.  It really focuses on relationships and how convoluted, confusing and trying they can be, and yet you still want to have them and depend on them for your livelihood.

This novel translated from Chinese, tells of the life of a young woman variously known as Yao Ah Yan (swallow). It is told through the perspective of 3 men who have survived the war (WW2). They meet back together in their former home village after the last man dies.

I am perplexed by the male narrators for the young woman's story...and the chapter in the midst told from the dog's point of view was confusing to me. I am still mulling over this device and the importance it plays in Yao Ah Yan's narrative, as she's a strong character.

Beware there are triggers (sexual assault rape, war, animal abuse and misogyny). but I believe, for a translated novel, it is VERY intriguing and has the great bones of a strong story.

A Single Swallow is a character-driven historical fiction which view WWII from the perspective of the Chinese people. This was a new perspective for me on WWII and I found it interesting.

The novel tells the story of three different men and the central impact that the same woman had on each of their lives, and how they each influenced her life in turn.

Very well written, almost lyrical at times, with an interesting story line, so much time was spent in developing the rich characters that the book dragged somewhat as a result. I admit to skimming along at times just hoping to get things moving. Because of this, I can only rate this a 3-star read.

My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Crossing who allowed me to read a review copy of this book. The book was published 10/1/2020. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A beautiful and poignant novel about a young woman, Ah Yan, told through the eyes and voices of three men who loved her. Set in rural China between the Japanese occupation until right before the Cultural Revolution, A Single Swallow is the story of survival and forgiveness in one of the harshest times in recent modern history.

The premise is quite unique, in that three men, 2 American and 1 Chinese, who lived and trained together at the end of WWII make a vow that their souls will meet after their deaths on the anniversary of The Emperor Showa’s radio broadcast. It takes over 70 years for the third soul to meet them, but when they do reunite, they each ask about Ah Yan, the girl that each of them loved. Through their stories and memories we learn a piece of her history, and how each man viewed her strength and perseverance in the face of so much pain and so many obstacles.

The language was very lyrical, and I can only assume the translation by Ms. Bryant stayed true to the original. So often I’ve read translated works that are awkward or just plain dull.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, the author and the translator for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was immediately drawn to the premise of the book; the end of World War II in Japan, an important piece of history that I heard of but never read about in a work of fiction. Since my first language isn't English, I don't have problems at all with reading books in translation, and I thought Shelly Bryant did a wonderful job with beautiful, atmospheric descriptions. I would have liked to hear Ah Yan's voice, the female protagonist, more throughout the book.

On the day of the historic 1945 Jewel Voice Broadcast—in which Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender to the Allied forces, bringing an end to World War II—three men, flush with jubilation, made a pact. After their deaths, each year on the anniversary of the broadcast, their souls would return to the Chinese village of their younger days. It’s where they had fought—and survived—a war that shook the world and changed their own lives in unimaginable ways. Now, seventy years later, the pledge is being fulfilled by American missionary Pastor Billy, brash gunner’s mate Ian Ferguson, and local soldier Liu Zhaohu.
All that’s missing is Ah Yan—also known as Swallow—the girl each man loved, each in his own profound way.

A very moving look at WWII through the eyes of 3 men and Ah Yan as they revisit their past. Great cast of characters and historical details that transport you to another time. Recommend for all historical fiction readers.

It was easy to slip into the story and I stayed interested. Like other reviewers, I would very much have liked to hear some things from the female character's perspective. We saw her from several angles, but it never truly felt like I knew her, and I think the story lost some impact because of that.

Overall, the story was well told and I would read more from this author.

Much as I wanted to identify with this story of magic realism set in a Chinese village after 1945. On the day World War II, three man make a pact to return to this place after their deaths, on the anniversary of the broadcast of the day the war ended. Seventy years later US missionary Pastor Billy, gunner Ian Ferguson, and Chinese soldier Liu Zhaohu soul's return to that place. Their story involves a woman each man loved--Ah Yan, the Swallow. As they recount their tales, Ah Yan becomes a reality.
I really thought my response would be so much more positive. What's not to be inspired by when the novel is described as portraying the "devastation of war, forgiveness, redemption, and the enduring power of love." I just wasn't engaged. Others obviously were, enough so that perspective readers should probably dip their toe in and see.

An Amazon crossing ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

If you are looking for a book that is set in China during World War 2, I recommend this one. I don't think I have ever read a book like this one before and you know what? I very much enjoyed this book.

On the day that the Japanese emperor announced Japan's surrender in WWII, three men that had been involved in the war surrounding a village would return after their deaths and meet again in the afterlife. One is an American pastor that had done missionary work in the area for years, one is an American that had been training Chinese soldiers, and one is a Chinese sharpshooter. When they have all returned seventy years later, the only person missing in Ah Yan, which translates to Swallow, and was also known as Stella and Wende by the men. Her presence in their lives made profound changes, and her story comes together through the lens of the men's stories.

Zhang Ling was born in China and lived in Canada since 1986. She is well known for her novels and short stories and has won several awards for them. Shelly Bryant lives in both Shanghai and Singapore throughout the year and is best known for her work as a poet, writer, and translator. Between these two women, we have a lyrical story about the atrocity of war on the simple villages far away from the front, as well as the devastation and terror it can leave in its wake. We see the war from the perspectives of these three men who had different viewpoints of WWII and its effects in China. We even get a chance to see the perspective of Ghost, the dog that Ian works with in the field. What we don't see if Ah Yan's viewpoint directly. We see her words filtered through the stories that the men tell each other, which is probably the only way you could possibly make a second person point of view work consistently. That on a technical level was fascinating to read, and the stories that the men told were all gripping.

Women fought in wars and were profoundly affected by them, so I was a little disappointed that we didn't actually see Ah Yan's viewpoint directly. In fact, the only female voice we hear directly is Millie the dog's, about two-thirds of the way through the novel. The men had all loved Ah Yan, clinging to their different names for her and their different views of her. Liu Zhaohu came the closest to understanding her, but that was filtered by his pride and sense of shame and selfishness. All three men had promised the world to Ah Yan, and none could ever really follow through the way they wanted to. The misunderstandings and miscommunications between them are also heartbreaking in how they changed the course of several lives.

I wish we could hear Ah Yan's voice for ourselves, rather than filtered through so many different perspectives. I understand that this kind of storytelling allows us to make up our own minds about her and that we're in the same position as the men were. None of them had the full picture of her, and so neither do we. In the real world, none of us know everything about the people around us, and what we know is filtered by perceptions and experiences that may have nothing to do with the person we're trying to understand. In this case, the devastation is one that hits close to home. It's a beautiful story, one that is as heartbreaking to experience as it was for the characters.

It is a remarkable book. You might find yourself hesitating when you see that it has been translated from Chinese, perhaps wondering if it will flow or seem clumsy as you read. This is so beautifully written and lyrical, I am having a hard time believing it wasn't originally written in English. I have to assume the words are even more beautiful in the author's native Mandarin, though I have a hard time understanding how that's possible.

A beautifully told, moving story, set during Japan's invasion of China.

Thank you, AmazonCrossing for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Single Swallow is the story of a young woman Ah Yan. Ah Yan's life story, her journey from a naive young girl to a courageous young woman, is told from the perspectives of the three men in her life. After Japan's surrender, bringing an end to World War 2. The three men, after a day of joyous celebrations, take a vow to meet every year at the village. It was where they have lived, fought a war, and survived challenging times. Now seventy years later, they get to fulfill their promise. The American missionary Pastor Billy, the gunner’s mate Ian Ferguson, and a local soldier Liu Zhaohu come together and tells us their story and how each of them was connected to Ah Yan. The three of them loved Ah Yan in their unique way. The story is mostly an exploration of their individual lives and how tangled all of their lives were with Ah Yan's. As each of their stories unfolds, we get to see a clearer picture of how Ah Yan affected their lives. Ah Yan's history and her story are unveiled fascinatingly with the most beautiful writing and descriptions.

The story and the premise were so unique that I found myself being drawn to it and wanting to know more about this woman who stood with her head high despite having faced inexplicable atrocities in her short life. It was also interesting to see that even though this was a character study for Ah Yan and the three men, it simultaneously portrays the Chinese culture as well. The pacing is slower, and the stories told do not follow any particular order but more like the characters reminiscing the olden days when they met each other, how they all worked closely, and also their complicated relationship with Ah Yan. The three men in their own way take and take from her while Ah Yan gives herself unconditionally to each of them. Ah Yan has different names, and these are given to her by the men in her life. As a reader, we get to know her in relation to the men in her life. We do not get a perspective from her, and yet she is one of the most admired and respected characters in this book.

The story was quite simply brilliant. It tells an intimate tale of love, sacrifice, betrayal, abandonment, and forgiveness. It paints the story of a young girl who is forced to grow up too soon and under horrific circumstances. I believe this story will help in bridging the gap between the East and West with this beautifully written story. It's poignant and introspective, and you will need to savor it slowly to grasp the beauty of it. I gave this book 4-4.5 stars, and as you can already tell, I had an amazing time reading this book. I highly recommend this story to all of you, historical fiction readers out there. If you love slow-paced, multiple POV stories with a compelling character-driven narrative, you need to check this out.

"A Single Swallow" by Zhang Ling is the story of three very different men who are connected by war and by their love for the same woman. Though this novel is translated from Chinese, the writing is absolutely beautiful. I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in its original language. The men take turns telling their stories of how their lives were influenced by each other and how the woman (referred to by three different names that reflected what she meant to each man) touched each of their lives. This is a very heavy read and is often heartbreaking and bleak. It does not romanticize the horrors of war or the complex relationships that occur during wartime. All of the characters are flawed and very believable. I believe most Westerners are ignorant to how World War II touched China, so this novel is also educational and brings to life a part of history of which many of us are unaware.

Thank you NetGalley for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest review.

A Single Swallow is a beautiful portrait of a young woman told by three very different men who loved her, set in China during WWII. I was a bit skeptical of the premise, as I generally prefer when female characters tell their own story, but the author made the perfect choice, allowing us to see the different sides of Ah Yan and the way she adapted to life no matter what came to her, or how these men shaped her path. Many scenes were heartrenching and difficult to read, but it's because they felt so real. Truly beautiful story.

The premise of the story is enticing. On the day Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender to Allied Forces, three very happy men agree that after they die ,their souls will return to the Japanese village where they fought during WWII. Seventy years after this the last of the three has died and the souls American missionary Pastor Billy, the gunner’s mate Ian Ferguson, and a local soldier, Liu Zhaohu meet. The only one missing is Ah Yan, (Swallow) who each of the three men loved. As their souls reunite, their stories of the war and of Ah Yan is fleshed out. This story meandered a lot for me. I suppose that’s sort of the way a meeting of the souls of dead people would tell the story, but I would have loved to hear Swallow’s story in her voice as well. And why did the story change three men to dogs????

This novel translated from Chinese, tells of the life of a young woman variously known as Yao Ah Yan ('swallow'), Wende and Stella during the Japanese occupation of China during WW2 and during the early days of communism. During her life she was loved by three very different men who ultimately left her. These three men, Liu Zhaohu, Pastor Billy, a medically trained missionary and American gunner Ian Ferguson came together briefly for a few months at an American training camp and on the day of the Japanese surrender, pledged that after their deaths their ghosts would return annually on that day until all three could meet again. The events are therefore related by their ghosts as they look back at their lives and their time with Ah Yan.

Although we only see Ah Yan's through the three men, she clearly grew to be a strong and compassionate woman who not only survived the loss of her father and their tea plantation during bombing by the Japanese, but also brutal abuse by Japanese soldiers. Taken in by Pastor Billy, she gradually healed and helped Billy with his patients. At the training camp she met Ian Ferguson and later re-encountered Liu Zhaohu when he was selected for training. All three men intended to look after her, but ultimately all of them failed, leaving her to make her own way as communism arrived in her village.

Although this is a story that unfolded slowly, I was happy for the lovely writing and translation to take me along on Ah Yan's journey and that of the three very different men. I was also fasicnated in learning about a different aspect of WW2 and enjoyed the atmospheric descriptions of the surrounding countryside, Chinese culture and village life before and during WW2, as well as the work of the missionary and the American training camp teaching guerrilla warfare to local soldiers.

I need to start this off by saying reading translated books are often a crapshoot. Either they are really well done, or they are not. I am not sure my issues with this book are because of the translation or simply because it isn't a great book. One would have to read the book themselves and make their own decision. For me, I am just unsure.

That said, this book is the story of three men who met during the war and made a commitment to meet where they parted in China when they died and so the book opens with the last of these three men dying and their souls finally meeting up to discuss the events of the war and how it left its mark on their lives.

Pastor Billy is an American born missionary, running a clinic and saving the local souls. He has been there for years and not only dresses like a local, can speak the language and knows the people and terrain well. Ian Ferguson an American soldier, who hearing the US had entered WW2, went and immediately enlisted and was stationed in China, helping them train soldiers to fight off the encroaching Japanese. And then there is Liu Zhaohu, a local soldier, who's story is really much more complex and a lot sadder and more involved than the other two men and you will find that his story takes up a good part of the book. There is a lot to tell in regards to him. And of course what connects the three men is one woman, and their relationship with her, both during the war and afterwards.

One woman whom they each call a different name:
For Liu Zhaohu, she is a Ah Yan, a girl from his village that he was supposed to be married to [and that is all that can be said, because this story is long and complicated and long.
For Ian Ferguson she was Wende, a local Chinese girl whom he fell in love with.
And to Pastor Billy, she was Stella who provided direction to his life, who he taught his trade to and who he also fell in love with.

It becomes apparent that this story though, isn't about these men. It is about the woman. It is really Ah Yan's story [and her many incarnations]. The trouble is, you never, ever hear her voice. You never hear HER side of the story. How she truly felt about all that was going on with and to her. She has absolutely no control over the narrative of her life and what happened. Ever. The story is about how strong she is [and she is amazingly strong] and how much she survives [and survives well, considering], but it’s all relative to serving the men in her life. And how those men each thought they had a claim over her and how they ultimately used her to meet their own needs and ideals and life. And to be honest, it is quite heartbreaking. Even the end is based on these men and what they can get out of the woman they loved.

And I’m not really sure that this worked for me; like I said, it might be the translation, or it just might be that this is very much a story about an amazing woman and in making it about what the men want and get out of it and how her service and sacrifice benefits them, makes me angry. I know that is the way of their culture [even now, women are not always deemed important], but I have recently read books that focus on the women and their stories and I find I like their voices, even in the hardship and sacrifice and willingness to lie down for those around them and I believe that it would have been nice to have some chapters dedicated to Ah Yan's story and her voice. I mean, they let the dogs have a chapter to tell their story [yes, you read that correctly] and it seems to me that Ah Yan is a tad more important than the dogs.

Ultimately, I am giving this three stars and this is why [see above for why its not a higher rating]:
1. I learned things about WW2 that I didn't know. I was unaware that US forces were in China helping them fight off the Japanese and learning about that, even in a limited fashion was fascinating.

2. Ah Yan. My gosh I loved her character. What she survives and overcomes is nothing short of miraculous and she was easily the best character of the book. You can see why these men love her.

3. The character named Snot. He is an oddball and a weirdo and he is a dedicated soldier and friend. Even though he does something not so great, he redeems himself in the end.

4. Ian. Because of the end. When you get to the very end, you will know why.

5. Liu Zhaohu. Because you CAN change your stars.

Towards the end of the book the author writes something that is so profound that I have to include it here:
"Unfortunately, there is no truly innocent person in the world. War is a black cloth that blocks heaven's light, preventing it from shining on the earth, and under its cover, no one can see their own conscience."

Thank you to NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really impressed with the way this book was written. Set in China during World War 2 it introduced us to many different characters, and it did a very good job at keeping them all separate. The book switched perspective every few chapters and invited us into someone else's viewpoint and background and often this can get confusing or tangled, but I didn't find that in this case. I'm using this for the "A Book That Leaves You Thinking" part of my 2020 reading challenge because it's not a story you can move on from quickly. Each character goes through a lot of trials and it was really interesting to learn how they handled each one and the repercussions from them years later.