This is a novel based on the horrific Rape of Nanjing when the Japanese invaded China and burned, raped, murdered, and terrorized the Chinese citizens. The story focuses on Minnie Vautrin, an American Missionary and acting president of the Jinling Women's College. She believes her status as an American will allow her to protect the students and staff from the horrors of the Japanese occupation but is pretty much powerless. The college ends up being a refugee camp for ten thousand women and children. When the worst is over, Minnie must then deal with Mrs. Dennison, the college president who has returned from America to return the college to its previous state. The two women butt heads over everything with Minnie trying hard to help the Chinese people while Mrs. Dennison unrealistically wants to make the school the "Wellesley of China." Quite frankly, Mrs. Dennison is an overbearing battle-ax. The story is told from the point of view of Anling, forewoman of Jinling and assistant to Minnie. She is dealing with her own family difficulties as well as the friction at the college. It's an interesting story and adequately portrays the horrors of the Japanese treatment of the Chinese. However, it isn't as good as Ha Jin's novel Waiting.
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