I think it’ll be more accurate to put this under Taiwan

• Book: Green Island
• Location: Taiwan
• Author: Shawna Yang Ryan

Review Author: vegout.voyage

I am deeply grateful for the existence of this book. It preserves a chapter of Taiwan’s history that was actively silenced and it gives context to the lingering political unrest between Taiwan and China.

My grandpa was a high school math teacher educated in Japan. Due to his ties with Japan, he was accused by Chiang Kai-shek’s KMT of being a spy. He was harassed to the point of institutionalization, and many of my classmates’ grandparents share similar stories—especially those educated or had an opinion. My family rarely talk about our history, but reading Green Island brought it flooding back.

The book’s transition to the SARS subplot felt abrupt, nonetheless I appreciated its inclusion. I was studying public health in Taiwan when SARS hit, and Taiwan’s isolation from the WHO during that time deeply affected my understanding of propaganda and manipulated public perception. That was before calling out fake news was made trendy!

Ultimately, I feel the political backdrop is too complex and insufficiently explained for readers unfamiliar with Taiwan’s history to fully appreciate the emotional tug of this book. With historical fiction like this, who is the author writing for? Is it meant for insiders who already know the history and can appreciate its intimate resonance, or for outsiders, so our history and stories can be heard? With Green Island, I think it aimed to bridge both audiences but ultimately leaned toward those already in the know.

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