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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
While in Belize, I read Rickshaw Boy by Lao She, recommended by Molly Hamm for my #2014ReadingChallenge. I must preface this by saying that I only gave it 4 stars but I wish I could give it 4.8 stars and the only reason it isn't 5 is because I wanted more. I wanted a happier ending, I wanted a resolution, I wanted so much more for him. The quality of the book is superb. The hero pulls a rickshaw around Beijing and the sum total of his life's dream is to own his own rickshaw and maybe someday have a family. The book follows him as he works towards his dream and every time he comes close to achieving it, it is knocked away from him. He is continuously ALMOST happy but life keeps taking more and more away from him. I connected with his life wish to just be independent and to follow the idea that if he just works hard, he will achieve what he wants. The whole book feels like a snapshot of a life that is parallel to me, of a person that I would never have thought of their life.
Edícia z 1962. Je trochu smiešne, keď čítate knihy cca 60 rokov staré, lebo je v nich cítiť archaizmy a všelijaké zdrobneniny, ktoré by sa dnes už ani nepoužívali.
Ale inak bol Rikšiar román o dedinskom chlapcovi, čo prišiel zarábať do veľkého mesta Peking a to behaním s rikšou.
Nevyznám sa až tak v čínskej histórii, ale Číňania dávajú všetkému hrozne poetické názvy (požičovňa rikší Ľudský súlad, Most zlatej korytnačky, Chrám bielych oblakov) a život rikšiarov v 20.storočí bol fakt ťažký.
Ale inak bol Rikšiar román o dedinskom chlapcovi, čo prišiel zarábať do veľkého mesta Peking a to behaním s rikšou.
Nevyznám sa až tak v čínskej histórii, ale Číňania dávajú všetkému hrozne poetické názvy (požičovňa rikší Ľudský súlad, Most zlatej korytnačky, Chrám bielych oblakov) a život rikšiarov v 20.storočí bol fakt ťažký.
challenging
dark
informative
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book had a profound effect on me, and I’m so glad I read it. I read the last 100 pages in one sitting last night, marking it up with sticky tabs even though I hadn’t done that for a single moment before. There was just so much in there to comment upon, to feel, to acknowledge
This book is well written, it doesn’t have the formalities and difficulty of English classics, it’s just to the point and honest. It’s brutally honest at times, saying more about the human experience than most English books are willing to.
It’s also a fascinating insight into Chinese culture and history. The translation feels very literal, the way this book is written isn’t like anything an English person would right. It’s the result of translation, and you can feel the different mindset and storytelling patterns within this translation
Nothing good happens to Xiangzi. This is a very cyclical story, no matter what he tries he always ends up back where he started. It reflects on the cyclical nature of poverty, and how poverty breeds more poverty. The corruption of Xiangzi was a heart wrenching tale.
I think everyone should read this book
This book is well written, it doesn’t have the formalities and difficulty of English classics, it’s just to the point and honest. It’s brutally honest at times, saying more about the human experience than most English books are willing to.
It’s also a fascinating insight into Chinese culture and history. The translation feels very literal, the way this book is written isn’t like anything an English person would right. It’s the result of translation, and you can feel the different mindset and storytelling patterns within this translation
Nothing good happens to Xiangzi. This is a very cyclical story, no matter what he tries he always ends up back where he started. It reflects on the cyclical nature of poverty, and how poverty breeds more poverty. The corruption of Xiangzi was a heart wrenching tale.
I think everyone should read this book
adventurous
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was too noire and desperate in the end. Reminded Dreiser' Jennie.
But the character's where vivid and it had strong socialist sentiment.
But the character's where vivid and it had strong socialist sentiment.
It was an insight to a very fragile time of history.
Xiangzi is the victim of the society. Society teaches us to work hard; society despises us if we don’t, and laughs at us if we do.
Xiangzi is a country boy who moves to Beiping (Beijing). He works as a rickshaw puller, and through hard work, saving, clean living, and honesty, he plans to save until he can buy his own rickshaw and eventually own a rickshaw stand. Despite his best efforts, he is thwarted every time he starts to get ahead, through no fault of his own, and eventually gives up his grand dreams, and then his basic dreams as well.
An easy read, but fairly repetitive and obvious once you catch on to the pattern. Also sad and predictable.
——————
This novel has been very popular in China, and is an indictment of the philosophy of individualism (per the back cover)--one man, working hard alone, is unlikely or unable to move ahead given a lack of safety net or family/friend network.
An easy read, but fairly repetitive and obvious once you catch on to the pattern. Also sad and predictable.
——————
This novel has been very popular in China, and is an indictment of the philosophy of individualism (per the back cover)--one man, working hard alone, is unlikely or unable to move ahead given a lack of safety net or family/friend network.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes