6 December, 2002
Bridge of Birds
Barry Hughart
1984
278 pp, MMPB
Another one in my "favorite books to reread after I finish my thesis."
"Ox, for some mysterious reason our quest for the Great Root and the ghosts of the handmaidens are linked together, and so are the games of children, the village of Ku-fu, Dragon's Pillow, nonsense rhymes, feathers, birds that must fly, the Duke of Ch'in-- all of the dukes, come to think of it-- and Buddha knows what else."He straightened up and shrugged.
"If we ever figure it out, it should make a marvelous story," he sighed.
And so it does. This is an absolutely fabulous book. It's got great characters, a well-constructed plot with lots of twists and turns, humor light and dark, great prose, beautiful scenery, action, adventure, and romance. What more could you want from a book? If you haven't read it, find a copy and read it now. If you have already read it, read it again.
(I think that's enough incoherent rambling for one day. For a more coherent discussion, see Kate's comments here and here.