Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom, Katherine Paterson
Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom, Katherine Paterson
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom

Author: Katherine Paterson

Narrator: George Guidall

Unabridged: 7 hr 5 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 03/25/2011

Categories: Children's Fiction


Synopsis

When 15-year-old peasant Wang Lee is kidnapped by ruthless bandits, he is afraid his life is over. But his fear turns to astonishment when a mysterious stranger, beautiful young Mei Lin, rescues him to serve in the forces of the Heavenly Army. As they fall in love, the two Chinese youths are caught up in the heady Taiping Rebellion and the beginning of The New Age. Suddenly they are separated by a new edict: men and women will no longer live or work together. This award-winning tale is of one of Katherine Paterson's best. It was chosen for the American Bookseller "Pick of the Lists" and the Bank Street Children's Book of the Year. Set against a backdrop of one of China's most dramatic periods of history, it follows these two young soldiers as they are torn between the idealism of a movement seeking to restore the Empire to its people-and a perilous desire for each other.

About Katherine Paterson

Katherine Paterson is one of the world’s most celebrated and beloved authors. Among her many awards are two Newberys and two National Book Awards, and she was recently named a ""Living Legend” by the Library of Congress. She has been published in more than 22 languages in a variety of formats, from picture books to historical novels.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Kimberly on January 23, 2019

I never really learned much of the Taiping Rebellion, so this was an interesting book to share with my kids as a read-aloud, during our history study. An interesting piece of historical fiction. This is definitely more YA than middle grades. I skipped over some short parts, as my 7 y.o. listens, too......more

Goodreads review by Matt on January 12, 2019

An interesting, intense YA novel that focuses on how military life, religious indoctrination, and violence can change a person, for better and for worse. Unique in that its focus in on a little-remembered (in the West anyway) war in China with the protagonists speaking as cultural nobodies who are c......more

Goodreads review by Sandy on July 31, 2019

This was an interesting story about a time and place that I am not at all familiar with, 1850's China. I am debating whether I would recommend it to my teens. It is so full of culture and history, but at the same time the realities of issues such as concubines and prostitution are not my favorite.......more

Goodreads review by Michael on October 09, 2020

Not enough is said about this insane period in history—basically everything I know about it I learned from non-Chinese sources; in a book on China I have, it appears as a mere footnote, despite causing a greater estimated number of casualties than WWI. That said, I appreciated this book as a bold ef......more

Goodreads review by Dee on June 25, 2024

Audible Plus 7 hours 4 min. Narrated by George Guidall (A) This is an intriguing introduction to the Chinese culture set 1850 and the Taipang Rebellion. Paterson is a talented writer, and her childrens books have more awards than those of any other writer. Her books cause the reader to challenge what......more