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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
Challenge 9 of the #readharderchallenge2019: a book with fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads.
I was very into the story at first and was enjoying learning about the town. But my god this book DRAGGGGGED, I found myself skipping through the last 1/4 because I was just bored. I finished but read a sentence of each of the last pages because I just couldn’t anymore.
I was very into the story at first and was enjoying learning about the town. But my god this book DRAGGGGGED, I found myself skipping through the last 1/4 because I was just bored. I finished but read a sentence of each of the last pages because I just couldn’t anymore.
There were times where this book was very difficult to read and after finishing it i was left with many questions and could barely remember what i had read but i know it was crazy
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Wonderfully written, it begins satirical and darkly humorous, descends into the stuff of brutal nightmares, and reaches a conclusion both sad and beautiful. It's certainly political allegory, but Yan has plenty to say about human nature, and despite the surreal proceedings there is a lot to be gleaned about life in this part of China. Some may be annoyed by the writing style and the pacing, but I was enthralled.
The story felt like it kept repeating over and over again, but not in a productive or interesting way. This book was just not for me.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't know if it was just a bad translation but I just couldn't stand the writing style.
It was really interesting and wonderfully written.
mysterious
medium-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read for a book club assignment.
Almost every sentence in this book is expressed as a metaphor or simile. Also, the narrator and characters repeat themselves as though the reader won't understand unless without reading something multiple times. It's interesting at first, but soon grows tiring. Perhaps this is a normal way of writing in Chinese, but I found it got in the way of the story.
The story itself is an interesting way to present criticism of the government in a fictitious manner, which I assume helps the author avoid punishment. The concept of people reverting to their base instincts while dream walking is compelling.
The author makes fun of his own books in multiple ways throughout. Firstly, he make cameo appearances as a neighbor and uncle of the 14-year-old narrator. Also, this narrator reads, but doesn't much like, the authors books, saying things like, "When I read his books, it is as though I were asking my eyes to eat rotten fruit..." and, "Even if I felt that Uncle Yan did not write well, I would have no choice... but to read his books, the same way that even if you don't like sweet potatoes, you still have no choice but to eat them if that is all you have." And to top this off, he makes fun of his books by giving them fake names. For example, the book "Lenin's Kisses" is referred to in the story as "Kissing Lenin" among other names.
Again, much nuance might have been lost in the translation. But I felt that overall the story was rather tedious and many of the characters' responses to life and death rather dull and uninspired. Fortunately, it's a much shorter novel than Atlas Shrugged.
Almost every sentence in this book is expressed as a metaphor or simile. Also, the narrator and characters repeat themselves as though the reader won't understand unless without reading something multiple times. It's interesting at first, but soon grows tiring. Perhaps this is a normal way of writing in Chinese, but I found it got in the way of the story.
The story itself is an interesting way to present criticism of the government in a fictitious manner, which I assume helps the author avoid punishment. The concept of people reverting to their base instincts while dream walking is compelling.
The author makes fun of his own books in multiple ways throughout. Firstly, he make cameo appearances as a neighbor and uncle of the 14-year-old narrator. Also, this narrator reads, but doesn't much like, the authors books, saying things like, "When I read his books, it is as though I were asking my eyes to eat rotten fruit..." and, "Even if I felt that Uncle Yan did not write well, I would have no choice... but to read his books, the same way that even if you don't like sweet potatoes, you still have no choice but to eat them if that is all you have." And to top this off, he makes fun of his books by giving them fake names. For example, the book "Lenin's Kisses" is referred to in the story as "Kissing Lenin" among other names.
Again, much nuance might have been lost in the translation. But I felt that overall the story was rather tedious and many of the characters' responses to life and death rather dull and uninspired. Fortunately, it's a much shorter novel than Atlas Shrugged.