Ocean of words cover

Ocean of words

by Ha Jin

Ocean of Words is set on the Chinese-Russian border in the early 1970s. Soldiers and officers in the People's Liberation Army are trapped in lives shaped by the madness and perversity of the times. A brilliant portrait of collective fate, Ocean of Words resonates with the desperation and nobility of human desire.

More by Ha Jin

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?