Helpful Score: 3
I first encountered John Shors when I read his novel Beneath a Marble Sky. This new novel, Dragon House, has stepped up John's impressive writing skills another notch. Dragon House is a love story; the love of a daughter for her father, a sister for her brother, a grandmother for her granddaughter and soldiers for their country. And it is a story of the courage it takes to follow your heart and protect the ones you love.
The Story: After Iris' father dies, she decides to go to Vietnam and complete his dream of opening a center for street children there even though he was absent for most of her life and she is still very angry. He was always trying to run from his demons and she felt from her. Iris' good friend Noah is just home from Iraq and running from demons of his own and agrees to go with Iris. What follows is a painful, slow process of acclimation to a new country, to finding out whom her father really was and if this is really what Iris wants to do. In the process Iris finds Mai and Minh, a brother and sister living under a bridge that are forced to work for an opium addict, Qui and Tam, a grandmother and granddaughter living on the streets and Sahn the beat cop and Vietnam veteran who hates Americans.
My Take: John Shors description of Vietnam, of Saigon and its people brought all my senses alive while reading. I could see and touch and smell the market and the city streets. I could hear the traffic noises and all the scooters zipping past. I could feel the touch of Mai as she brushed up against me and asked if I would like to buy a fan. And my heart went out to all the street children and all the empty stomachs and honest people that try every day to help. And I cried in anger at every crooked official and opium addict and street vendor that expected a bribe. And it brought back all the memories. I have been to these countries, I have seen these children, and I have held their hands and bought their fans and laughed with them and prayed for them. And all I can say is that John Shors has written an amazing book that I highly recommend.
The Story: After Iris' father dies, she decides to go to Vietnam and complete his dream of opening a center for street children there even though he was absent for most of her life and she is still very angry. He was always trying to run from his demons and she felt from her. Iris' good friend Noah is just home from Iraq and running from demons of his own and agrees to go with Iris. What follows is a painful, slow process of acclimation to a new country, to finding out whom her father really was and if this is really what Iris wants to do. In the process Iris finds Mai and Minh, a brother and sister living under a bridge that are forced to work for an opium addict, Qui and Tam, a grandmother and granddaughter living on the streets and Sahn the beat cop and Vietnam veteran who hates Americans.
My Take: John Shors description of Vietnam, of Saigon and its people brought all my senses alive while reading. I could see and touch and smell the market and the city streets. I could hear the traffic noises and all the scooters zipping past. I could feel the touch of Mai as she brushed up against me and asked if I would like to buy a fan. And my heart went out to all the street children and all the empty stomachs and honest people that try every day to help. And I cried in anger at every crooked official and opium addict and street vendor that expected a bribe. And it brought back all the memories. I have been to these countries, I have seen these children, and I have held their hands and bought their fans and laughed with them and prayed for them. And all I can say is that John Shors has written an amazing book that I highly recommend.
Helpful Score: 2
"Dragon House," is a novel of exceptional beauty, a love story of multi-dimension, and a healing experience for all who know the Viet Nam War.
John Shors has become one of my favorite authors of the 21st century. I believe he is the voice of our recent past, and a voice of the humanity in all of us as we struggle to keep what is good and moral against a tide of selfishness and instability in our world.
Mr. Shors is an author of exceptional capabilities with characterization conveying feelings and angst that will so touch your heart that you feel actually set within the place and time with his characters.
Having lived through the Viet Nam War as a child of the '60's, I found this book especially interesting. I have not been able to read about the War, per se. It was a time of loss and anger and confusion for me. A time I just haven't cared to scrutinize. But, this book gave me a way of "looking" that was thoughtful, caring and healing.
Through the eyes of Iris, the daughter of a Viet Nam veteran left with post traumatic stress syndrome and memories he could only heal by going back to create a home for street children; we see, hear, smell and feel the thriving, messy, whirling, beautiful, dangerous and noisy place called Ho Chi Minh City -- formerly Siagon. I found many of the things surprisingly familiar to me...through pictures that were flashed daily on the t.v. when our boys were over there, I suppose. I could see through Shors writings the brightness of colors, smell the food, hear the horn blasts, and shiver at the sufferings. John Shors didn't miss a beat.
Iris goes to Viet Nam to continue her father's dream and to help the street children, bringing with her a life-long friend...a now wounded, permanently handicapped vet. of the Iraqi War, who is suffering and suicidal. This character boldly gives the reader insight into all veterans returning with injuries of body, mind and spirit from the horrors of war. Along with an eternally hopeful Vietnamese woman, they work to complete the Center for Street Children that will become the catalyst for their own salvations.
Through their work, inspiration, and close companionships with a little group of starving, abused and critically ill children, Iris and Noah find a new place of rest for all. And, that included me.
I highly recommend this book for all and everyone. John Shors is an author who needs to be read because he will be one to make a mark in these coming years. He's an American writer of note and value.
I also recommend this book because it's good for those of us who have come through the Viet Nam War (a war not successful and not popular with the American people) and are going through the Iraqi/Afghani War...another one which may have a similar outcome. We might find some solace in the fact that we will survive. Timely and healing.... please read this book for many reasons.
Your Bookish Dame
John Shors has become one of my favorite authors of the 21st century. I believe he is the voice of our recent past, and a voice of the humanity in all of us as we struggle to keep what is good and moral against a tide of selfishness and instability in our world.
Mr. Shors is an author of exceptional capabilities with characterization conveying feelings and angst that will so touch your heart that you feel actually set within the place and time with his characters.
Having lived through the Viet Nam War as a child of the '60's, I found this book especially interesting. I have not been able to read about the War, per se. It was a time of loss and anger and confusion for me. A time I just haven't cared to scrutinize. But, this book gave me a way of "looking" that was thoughtful, caring and healing.
Through the eyes of Iris, the daughter of a Viet Nam veteran left with post traumatic stress syndrome and memories he could only heal by going back to create a home for street children; we see, hear, smell and feel the thriving, messy, whirling, beautiful, dangerous and noisy place called Ho Chi Minh City -- formerly Siagon. I found many of the things surprisingly familiar to me...through pictures that were flashed daily on the t.v. when our boys were over there, I suppose. I could see through Shors writings the brightness of colors, smell the food, hear the horn blasts, and shiver at the sufferings. John Shors didn't miss a beat.
Iris goes to Viet Nam to continue her father's dream and to help the street children, bringing with her a life-long friend...a now wounded, permanently handicapped vet. of the Iraqi War, who is suffering and suicidal. This character boldly gives the reader insight into all veterans returning with injuries of body, mind and spirit from the horrors of war. Along with an eternally hopeful Vietnamese woman, they work to complete the Center for Street Children that will become the catalyst for their own salvations.
Through their work, inspiration, and close companionships with a little group of starving, abused and critically ill children, Iris and Noah find a new place of rest for all. And, that included me.
I highly recommend this book for all and everyone. John Shors is an author who needs to be read because he will be one to make a mark in these coming years. He's an American writer of note and value.
I also recommend this book because it's good for those of us who have come through the Viet Nam War (a war not successful and not popular with the American people) and are going through the Iraqi/Afghani War...another one which may have a similar outcome. We might find some solace in the fact that we will survive. Timely and healing.... please read this book for many reasons.
Your Bookish Dame
Helpful Score: 2
Set in Asia, Dragon House is a story of redemption and healing. The story takes place in modern day Vietnam and tells the story of two Americas, Iris and Noah, who give of themselves by teaching Vietnamese street children in unfavorable areas as a means to heal from their own pain. Iris and Noah ultimately give the children friendship, educations, shelter and love. The process fulfills the dreams of children and breathes new life into Iris and Noah. Dragon House is a story of suffering, sacrifice, courage, friendship and love. It brings the human qualities of us all together and lifts the spirit.
This is the second novel I have read by John Shors and he does not disappoint. His novels are delivered at a pace that requires the reader to acknowledge and understand the impact of our actions, thoughts, lives and the world around us. This novel is no different. It is an emotional journey as you connect with Iris and Noah as well as the children they aim to help in a country that offers little to no support. John brings depth and understanding to the story while easily passing the same information to the reader with intrigue and artistry. The characters are well developed and realistic. Iriss story deals with her fathers ambition and plan to help the children of Vietnam. Though he is unable to complete this task, Iris chooses to see his plan to completion as a way to honor the memory of her father and attempt to heal. Noah, who has seen the results of war, joins her in her task, having seen the trauma of war on a nation that has so little. The book attempts to bring about the timeless struggles of human nature [good &evil;] in a new light.
Dragon House was a wonderful novel, thought slow in pace. It challenged me as I read it because I deeply connected with these characters. Shors makes it easy to feel the emotions and pain of the young children but rewards you with the happiness and relief they also feel. I connected with Iris and Noah who both attempt to heal hurt from their past by positively changing the future of others. I wondered if I would be strong enough to give up my job in order to carry out the wishes of my fathers life. The novel transforms suffering into joy, hope into reality, and friendship into love and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Simply put, Johns novels command attention while delivering a wonderful story with deep insight and emotional exploration.
Reviewed for Review the book
also posted on my blog http://acozyreaderscorner.blogspot.com
This is the second novel I have read by John Shors and he does not disappoint. His novels are delivered at a pace that requires the reader to acknowledge and understand the impact of our actions, thoughts, lives and the world around us. This novel is no different. It is an emotional journey as you connect with Iris and Noah as well as the children they aim to help in a country that offers little to no support. John brings depth and understanding to the story while easily passing the same information to the reader with intrigue and artistry. The characters are well developed and realistic. Iriss story deals with her fathers ambition and plan to help the children of Vietnam. Though he is unable to complete this task, Iris chooses to see his plan to completion as a way to honor the memory of her father and attempt to heal. Noah, who has seen the results of war, joins her in her task, having seen the trauma of war on a nation that has so little. The book attempts to bring about the timeless struggles of human nature [good &evil;] in a new light.
Dragon House was a wonderful novel, thought slow in pace. It challenged me as I read it because I deeply connected with these characters. Shors makes it easy to feel the emotions and pain of the young children but rewards you with the happiness and relief they also feel. I connected with Iris and Noah who both attempt to heal hurt from their past by positively changing the future of others. I wondered if I would be strong enough to give up my job in order to carry out the wishes of my fathers life. The novel transforms suffering into joy, hope into reality, and friendship into love and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Simply put, Johns novels command attention while delivering a wonderful story with deep insight and emotional exploration.
Reviewed for Review the book
also posted on my blog http://acozyreaderscorner.blogspot.com
Helpful Score: 1
Dragon House by John Shors
It is rare when an author can bring tears to your eyes within the first few pages of a book, but once again John Shors has the ability to do so with ease in his newest novel Dragon House. This amazingly poignant novel brings to life a world most of us will never know, that of the lives of the people of Vietnam.
How rare it is to find an author so capable of bringing a world of diverse characters to life in one's mind so easily, yet Shors does so with such ease that you don't even realize how intimate you have become with each of the characters until you close the book shut. The story is one of absolute beauty and somehow you find that beauty in a country that normally would most likely be considered ugly. The beauty of the country comes out with each of the characters themselves, from those native to the country to those who are strangers brought there by different and often unknown missions.
I personally found the depth of the characters unremarkable. You get to know each of the characters as if you have had the opportunity to creep into their inner-person, often finding things you would never assume to find. Sahn, the former soldier turned police officer, so crast and angry yet so full of love for his country that he cannot help but allow those he sees as intruders do their job in helping the children of the country he loves so much. You start off disliking the man, hating his anger and end up realizing why his anger is so deep and how it's truly just a facade to protect his own well-being. The children in the story will steal your heart, from the sickly Tam to the lost souls of Mai and Mahn. Your heart is stolen by the children as much as it does the main characters & adults of the story itself; leaving you aching for each of their souls. The main characters are delightful. Sweet Thien, filled with such love, kindness and tenderness that she brings such attributes out in even the least likely characters in the book. Thien sees the beauty most overlook in her country and knows how to bring that beauty into the eyes of those she is with. Noah, angry with what life has handed him tries to find answers in so many different places, including the bottom of a bottle, only to find them in the most unassuming of places. He overcomes anger, pain and hurt by finding his inner soul he has lost as he takes on a project that becomes his reason for living. He is truly determined & even in the highest of pain he cannot be stopped now that he has a purpose. Iris, unsure why she's there until her heart is shown the "real" Vietnam by Thien, hopes to pursue the dreams of the man she still isn't sure about, her own father. Often frightened of the unknown ways of this strange country she aspires to bring a huge project to life that her father had begun but died before he could finish. So many obstacles in the way but such need and determination make it something she knows she must accomplish. These 3 main characters alone will touch your heart. The children and people of this land will touch your heart even deeper. The book truly is as strong as it's characters.
Once again, another absolutely excellent & profound piece of work written by John Shors! It is honestly "yet another" of the beautiful masterpieces he seems to be able to put together for his readers. If you're in need of a vacation to a land you would normally never get a chance to visit, this may just be your ticket. Filled with an amazing, touching storyline and unbelievably real & deep characters you won't walk away disappointed. 5 Stars PLUS!
Reviewed for ReviewTheBook by Beverly Pechin
It is rare when an author can bring tears to your eyes within the first few pages of a book, but once again John Shors has the ability to do so with ease in his newest novel Dragon House. This amazingly poignant novel brings to life a world most of us will never know, that of the lives of the people of Vietnam.
How rare it is to find an author so capable of bringing a world of diverse characters to life in one's mind so easily, yet Shors does so with such ease that you don't even realize how intimate you have become with each of the characters until you close the book shut. The story is one of absolute beauty and somehow you find that beauty in a country that normally would most likely be considered ugly. The beauty of the country comes out with each of the characters themselves, from those native to the country to those who are strangers brought there by different and often unknown missions.
I personally found the depth of the characters unremarkable. You get to know each of the characters as if you have had the opportunity to creep into their inner-person, often finding things you would never assume to find. Sahn, the former soldier turned police officer, so crast and angry yet so full of love for his country that he cannot help but allow those he sees as intruders do their job in helping the children of the country he loves so much. You start off disliking the man, hating his anger and end up realizing why his anger is so deep and how it's truly just a facade to protect his own well-being. The children in the story will steal your heart, from the sickly Tam to the lost souls of Mai and Mahn. Your heart is stolen by the children as much as it does the main characters & adults of the story itself; leaving you aching for each of their souls. The main characters are delightful. Sweet Thien, filled with such love, kindness and tenderness that she brings such attributes out in even the least likely characters in the book. Thien sees the beauty most overlook in her country and knows how to bring that beauty into the eyes of those she is with. Noah, angry with what life has handed him tries to find answers in so many different places, including the bottom of a bottle, only to find them in the most unassuming of places. He overcomes anger, pain and hurt by finding his inner soul he has lost as he takes on a project that becomes his reason for living. He is truly determined & even in the highest of pain he cannot be stopped now that he has a purpose. Iris, unsure why she's there until her heart is shown the "real" Vietnam by Thien, hopes to pursue the dreams of the man she still isn't sure about, her own father. Often frightened of the unknown ways of this strange country she aspires to bring a huge project to life that her father had begun but died before he could finish. So many obstacles in the way but such need and determination make it something she knows she must accomplish. These 3 main characters alone will touch your heart. The children and people of this land will touch your heart even deeper. The book truly is as strong as it's characters.
Once again, another absolutely excellent & profound piece of work written by John Shors! It is honestly "yet another" of the beautiful masterpieces he seems to be able to put together for his readers. If you're in need of a vacation to a land you would normally never get a chance to visit, this may just be your ticket. Filled with an amazing, touching storyline and unbelievably real & deep characters you won't walk away disappointed. 5 Stars PLUS!
Reviewed for ReviewTheBook by Beverly Pechin
Helpful Score: 1
My favorite part of Dragon House was the setting. I love to travel and since I don't get the opportunity much, I have to settle for traveling through my books. Shors love of Vietnam and it's residents comes through loud and clear. The descriptions of the children and their time on the streets rings true.
What didn't work for me quite as well were the characters. I found them to be a little underdeveloped. At the end of the book I really didn't feel like I knew any of them very well. Their actions seemed a little predictable and there wasn't much to set them apart for me. The message of the book, healing through helping others, is a good one, but it also felt a little heavy handed at times.
What didn't work for me quite as well were the characters. I found them to be a little underdeveloped. At the end of the book I really didn't feel like I knew any of them very well. Their actions seemed a little predictable and there wasn't much to set them apart for me. The message of the book, healing through helping others, is a good one, but it also felt a little heavy handed at times.
Helpful Score: 1
If this wasn't a book group selection, I would have ditched it after the first chapter. As it was, I texted several quotes to one of the members who hadn't yet started the book, including parts of the paragraph below and the barge/slug simile in my fifth paragraph.
Starting at the bottom of page 1 in my edition: "His daughter sat beside his bed. She was taller than an average-size man, though her shoulders and waist were slender. Her eyes were as dark as walnuts. Her hair, a comparable color, was unkempt and rife with wide curls. Her face was thin like the rest of her. After thirty-one years of wear, the contours of her forehead and cheeks had been infiltrated by faint wrinkles. At first glance she might have appeared awkward, but when she leaned forward to adjust his blankets, her movements were graceful."
And so Iris is introduced, one of several protagonists in the story. As her father dies later in the scene (the prologue), she promises to travel to Vietnam to open the center for street children that he's been working to set up. Oh, and this wrinkly old man-woman? She's not a farmer's daughter, a'workin' out in the sun all day. She's a book reviewer, who lives by herself in an apartment that is described as part college professor's office (living room) and part monk's cell. We are told again and again how hurt and rejected she's felt because of her absent Vietnam-vet father.
In the first chapter, a woman shows up at Iris's door as she prepares for her trip to Vietnam. Allow me to paraphrase, "It is I, your former neighbor who you haven't seen in many years. Alas, my son, who was madly in love with you when you were children, had just come back from Iraq missing part of his leg and most of his heart. He drinks all day and I can't watch him die. I have heard through my mysterious connections that you are going to Vietnam, and I had this great idea. You can take him with you!" And so Noah is introduced to the story.
Now we are whisked to Vietnam where we see a new day dawn on Saigon, where "the barges fought the currents like slugs making their way up a brown leaf."
And this is where I would have stopped, if not for the book group policy of reading at least 50 pages. So I read the next two chapters and things improved enough that I read the entire book.
By "things improved," I don't mean that the descriptions were any less inane or the dialogue any less stilted (enough with the ellipses already!) or false-sounding. I don't mean that Shors started showing instead of telling what was going on inside the characters, because he tells us again and again and again how angry Noah is, along with how Iris and other characters feel, and yet I don't feel like I really know any of the characters. They never become more than one dimensional. And I don't mean that the plot rises above the sappy, sentimental puddle where it wallows. What I mean by "things improved" is that the story moves to Vietnam. If this story was not set in Vietnam, a country that Shors seems to know and love, I would not have continued to read after page 50.
A pair of homeless children are the other element that makes this book bearable. Mai is a little chatterbox who knows how to work people. Minh is a mute, Connect-Four whiz, missing a hand (which of course gives him a connection to Noah). Of course, they are unshakably loyal to each other. Mai's epithets for Minh and her use of phrases like "sure, sure" made me laugh, but when she waxes philosophical about their role as street children, she doesn't sound like a 10-year-old girl, educated or not.
The bad guy is irredeemably bad (although there is some explanation given for how he became that way), emotional manipulation is rampant, and after a very close call with a convenient save, there are happy endings for all. If that's how you like your books, you might enjoy this one. It was not, however, a cup of my tea.
Starting at the bottom of page 1 in my edition: "His daughter sat beside his bed. She was taller than an average-size man, though her shoulders and waist were slender. Her eyes were as dark as walnuts. Her hair, a comparable color, was unkempt and rife with wide curls. Her face was thin like the rest of her. After thirty-one years of wear, the contours of her forehead and cheeks had been infiltrated by faint wrinkles. At first glance she might have appeared awkward, but when she leaned forward to adjust his blankets, her movements were graceful."
And so Iris is introduced, one of several protagonists in the story. As her father dies later in the scene (the prologue), she promises to travel to Vietnam to open the center for street children that he's been working to set up. Oh, and this wrinkly old man-woman? She's not a farmer's daughter, a'workin' out in the sun all day. She's a book reviewer, who lives by herself in an apartment that is described as part college professor's office (living room) and part monk's cell. We are told again and again how hurt and rejected she's felt because of her absent Vietnam-vet father.
In the first chapter, a woman shows up at Iris's door as she prepares for her trip to Vietnam. Allow me to paraphrase, "It is I, your former neighbor who you haven't seen in many years. Alas, my son, who was madly in love with you when you were children, had just come back from Iraq missing part of his leg and most of his heart. He drinks all day and I can't watch him die. I have heard through my mysterious connections that you are going to Vietnam, and I had this great idea. You can take him with you!" And so Noah is introduced to the story.
Now we are whisked to Vietnam where we see a new day dawn on Saigon, where "the barges fought the currents like slugs making their way up a brown leaf."
And this is where I would have stopped, if not for the book group policy of reading at least 50 pages. So I read the next two chapters and things improved enough that I read the entire book.
By "things improved," I don't mean that the descriptions were any less inane or the dialogue any less stilted (enough with the ellipses already!) or false-sounding. I don't mean that Shors started showing instead of telling what was going on inside the characters, because he tells us again and again and again how angry Noah is, along with how Iris and other characters feel, and yet I don't feel like I really know any of the characters. They never become more than one dimensional. And I don't mean that the plot rises above the sappy, sentimental puddle where it wallows. What I mean by "things improved" is that the story moves to Vietnam. If this story was not set in Vietnam, a country that Shors seems to know and love, I would not have continued to read after page 50.
A pair of homeless children are the other element that makes this book bearable. Mai is a little chatterbox who knows how to work people. Minh is a mute, Connect-Four whiz, missing a hand (which of course gives him a connection to Noah). Of course, they are unshakably loyal to each other. Mai's epithets for Minh and her use of phrases like "sure, sure" made me laugh, but when she waxes philosophical about their role as street children, she doesn't sound like a 10-year-old girl, educated or not.
The bad guy is irredeemably bad (although there is some explanation given for how he became that way), emotional manipulation is rampant, and after a very close call with a convenient save, there are happy endings for all. If that's how you like your books, you might enjoy this one. It was not, however, a cup of my tea.
Helpful Score: 1
I listened to this one on audio CD and was enthralled.
Beautifullly written and heart wrenching, this was an amazing listening experience. I left him a message on Facebook, and he very graciously wrote back. I intend to seek out his other books very soon. Very highly recommended.
Beautifullly written and heart wrenching, this was an amazing listening experience. I left him a message on Facebook, and he very graciously wrote back. I intend to seek out his other books very soon. Very highly recommended.
Helpful Score: 1
DRAGON HOUSE is Shor's third novel. This one is set in present day Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Iris has lost her father and wants to fulfill his dream of creating a school for Vietnamese street children. Joining her on the trip is Noah, recently back from Iraq, where he lost a leg. He is headed toward alcoholism and drug abuse and Iris hopes this trip will help him find himself again. They have been friends since childhood.
This sets the stage for a beautifully crafted story of love, pain, redemption and joy in a city finally recovering from the war (which we all know was not really a "war"). You will cry and laugh and rejoice throughout this book. It is truly beautifully written!
This sets the stage for a beautifully crafted story of love, pain, redemption and joy in a city finally recovering from the war (which we all know was not really a "war"). You will cry and laugh and rejoice throughout this book. It is truly beautifully written!
This book is a gem. It is a rare find. I recommend it to anyone that enjoys reading about books from different countries. This one is about the street children in Vietnam.
Another amazingly beautiful book about the power of a person's ability to love, to hope, and to rebuild. Similar to another book I have read by this author, this book was filled with memorable characters that are realistically flawed. As they learn from each other, they able to rise above their own hurts and nightmares and emerge into something amazing.
The story follows two very different people who together find the better part of themselves trying to build and open a center for street kids in Vietnam. It is a heartbreaking story that brought tears to my eyes, as well as a joy to my heart.
An easy 5 stars to give.
The story follows two very different people who together find the better part of themselves trying to build and open a center for street kids in Vietnam. It is a heartbreaking story that brought tears to my eyes, as well as a joy to my heart.
An easy 5 stars to give.
