Set within the urban of Nanjing throughout the time of the Sino-Japanese warfare (1937--1945), this novel tells the tale of 4 humans stuck up within the violence and tumult of those years: John Winthrop and his MIT classmate, the bright chinese language physicist Calvin Ren (Ren Kewen); Judy, Calvin's Chinese-American spouse; and the gorgeous and decided younger girl Chen might. John and Calvin take in positions at Nanjing's nationwide imperative college and collaborate on a top-secret undertaking to layout and construct warplanes to let the chinese language to guard themselves opposed to eastern bombers. in the meantime, John enjoys his new existence in Nanjing. He is helping the beautiful might along with her English, falling a bit in love together with her; he retailers for antiques; meets with Chiang Kai-Shek and Madame Chiang; and as soon as attends an evening's leisure at one in every of Nanjing's infamous Wine homes. but if the japanese invade, there is not any secure position within the urban. the japanese homicide, torture, and rape indiscriminately. (The invasion and career have been defined through the historian Iris Chang as "the forgotten holocaust.") may well sees her family killed; John works in a take care of for ladies and youngsters; Calvin's relatives flees the town whereas Calvin, weakened via overwork, remains in the back of to paintings at the warplane undertaking. every one attempts to outlive opposed to the percentages. may perhaps vows to seek down the soldier who murders her father. whilst the conflict is over, she unearths him sweeping Nanjing streets as a struggle prisoner. the tale then ends with the strength of an explosion.Vivid and aggravating, Nanjing by no means Cries bargains a compelling tale of the horror of struggle and the facility of affection and friendship.