"Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun is an important work, a reminder of humanity’s boundless potential for compassion or cruelty, once war forces a fight for survival... [It] vividly captures the psychological and physical trauma of surviving war... Endo’s memoir is also a call to action. It’s part of a history that has been deliberately ignored, and deserves to be remembered."—The Japan Times
"Endo has carefully studied the historical material as well as her own traumas. Consequently, she has elected to place a heavy emphasis on the little things in life and the fleeting moments of another era, shifting her attention away from animosity and antipathy, and preventing us of becoming overwhelmed with enmity."—The Literary Review
"There are things written in this book that are difficult to repeat aloud – haunting moments that stun the reader and stick in his or her mind long after the book is closed... Even today, no Chinese publisher has been willing to publish this book for fear of retribution. That’s what makes Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun so important. It reveals a truth hidden for so long and brings to light stories of the people who suffered, the people who were forgotten... It’s a reminder of how far human apathy can sink, the destructive power of selfishness and the necessity of empathy. It’s a reminder of how far people will go to survive and how much farther they will go with hope of a better life. It’s a monument to the truth and a memento to the forgotten dead."—The Daily Nebraskan
"[Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun] is a fascinating, harrowing story of resilience and struggle that has been overlooked by most people and historians. It is a story that needs to be told, in order that it will not be repeated."—Lost In Translation blog
"A chilling yet inherently fascinating and intensely personal memoir, Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun is exceptionally well written, organized and presented."—Midwest Book Review
"Endo’s very personal and nuanced narrative of the family’s experiences in Changchun, Yangqi, and Tianjin provide valuable lessons about political ambitions, armed conflict, and societal upheavals, and their effects on ordinary people... Teachers at all levels, as well as high school and college students, will benefit from reading about Endo’s experiences."
—Education About Asia
“A tour de force.”
—Mainichi Shinbun
“[Homare Endo] may love [her homeland] but says, ‘What happened at Changchun is a stain that remains on the birth of modern China. It is time to speak out about the truth!’ And we agree.”
—Asahi Shinbun
“An exceptional true-to-life documentary narrative.”
—Yomiuri Shinbun
"Reveals the power of official history to write its own story and exclude what troubles that narrative."
"Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun is an important work, a reminder of humanity’s boundless potential for compassion or cruelty, once war forces a fight for survival... [It] vividly captures the psychological and physical trauma of surviving war... Endo’s memoir is also a call to action. It’s part of a history that has been deliberately ignored, and deserves to be remembered."
"Endo has carefully studied the historical material as well as her own traumas. Consequently, she has elected to place a heavy emphasis on the little things in life and the fleeting moments of another era, shifting her attention away from animosity and antipathy, and preventing us of becoming overwhelmed with enmity."
It’s a reminder of how far people will go to survive and how much farther they will go with hope of a better life. It’s a monument to the truth and a memento to the forgotten dead."
"[Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun] is a fascinating, harrowing story of resilience and struggle that has been overlooked by most people and historians. It is a story that needs to be told, in order that it will not be repeated."
"A chilling yet inherently fascinating and intensely personal memoir, Japanese Girl at the Siege of Changchun is exceptionally well written, organized and presented."
—Midwest Book Review
