This book is a tour de force. In a mere 280 pages, Lary has packed quotes, writings, and data that conveyed well the tragedy that befell the helpless Chinese people for 4 more years, after 8 years of Japanese occupation.
Her command of sources is impressive. There is even a reference to a 2007 novel on the Japanese occupation of Penang by TanTwan Eng a Malaysian. The novel is The Gift of Rain {p 24}. This book is a tribute to the grit and sufferings of the many Chinese who believed in progress and change for the country they loved. Sadly, as Lary put in her dedication, after the war many were persecuted and denied the chance to contribute their talents.