This was the sappiest book I've read in years! The writing was on a middle school level and was so repetitious I skipped about half of the book. The plot (also on a middle school level) held absolutely no suspense - I always knew what was going to happen and I was always right. I read it only because I love books set in foreign lands and this one takes place in Viet Nam, a new book locale for me. Most of the descriptions seemed to be about city noises and smells, but they could have been about Calcutta or any one of many Asian cities. This is the first book I have read by this author and will be the last. Too many books I know are good are on my "to read" list. "Dragon House" by John Shors is a captivating story that is poignant and heartbreaking. It takes place in Ho Chi Minh City years after the Vietnam war and follows two Americans, Iris Rhodes and Noah Woods who struggle not only to open a Centre for Children but to heal their painful pasts. It's a story that weaves together violence , corruption and depravity with elements of hope, forgiveness, sacrifice, friendship and love.This well-written, captivating plot is filled with contrasts. The bustling congestion,the stifling smog, the dark depravity and corruption of the city are juxtaposed against the light; the love, warmth and fellowship offered at the Centre for Children . Even the cruel bondage and lies of a criminal like Loc, and indifference of many of the tourists is starkly contrasted with the love, friendship and deliverance offered by Noah, Iris and her assistant Thien. This is a narrative that intertwines the lives of Mai and Minh, bonded as sister and brother by the cruel brutality of their enslaver, Tam and her grandmother Qui, destitute and stalked by death, and an embittered policeman named Sahn. The characters are complex, each struggling to survive the harshness of their present existence and hoping for a change. Iris struggles to move on from her father's neglect as a child, seeking answers, understanding and forgiveness in her endeavour to open his Children's Centre in Ho Chi Minh City. She's strong, determined, compassionate but fearful of failing. Noah, a strong, capable man crippled by the loss of his leg and the horrors he's seen in Iraq is drowning in despair and anger. In Vietnam he looks not only for deliverance from his demons but a spark that will ignite new purpose and passion for life. Thien, the young woman who has sacrificed a palatable lifestyle to follow Iris's father's dream is shrewd, joyful and loves unconditionally. Mina and Minh, children of the street, are resolute but fearful, the abuse stifling their trust and optimism. Tam, innocent and pure, and her grandmother the faithful, loving Qui hold fast to the acceptance and love offered. While Sahn, the tough policeman haunted and embittered by a war long past finds salvation and new direction. Even the antagonist in the story, the relentless and malicious Loc is a victim, crippled by his past, but too weak to rise above it he wallows in self-pity.Written with passion and a strong connection to Vietnam and her people this book gives the reader a look at the stark reality of this post-war country with all its suffering, depravity, ugliness and corruption. Yet within these pages there's hope that instead of dying the human spirit will one day soar again. It is a book well-worth reading.
What do You think about Dragon House (2009)?
It was just an OK book. Very predictable. Not nearly as good as some of his other books.
—bicw241
Loved it, couldn't put it down. Really inspiring.
—Joza
The best novel I read in 2009. Beautiful.
—gabbehhh
