This could be a rating anywhere from 3.5 to 5 stars.

The story drove me nuts: the headmaster is full of vice, makes horrible choices, and is actually a pedophile, and it is hard for me to get over that. On the other hand, the book is extremely well written, and the character, while unlikeable to me, is complex and multi-faceted. The book overall paints a fascinating - if difficult to see - portrait of life in Vietnam during those years.