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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
"His inspiration has completely dried up, and his soul is exhausted. He also claims that it is as a result of his writing that he has become annoyed with this world."
"...and his face was as impassive as if it were a brick that had been removed from an old wall."
"Our family made a decent living profiting off dead people."
"If they really didn't want people to know, they shouldn't have done it."
"Most of this coldness was produced from people's hearts."
"My mind was completely blank, like a bald mountain in the middle of winter."
"You are such a small person, I never imagined you were capable of accomplishing such an extraordinary deed."
"Uncle Yan, do you think it is better for people to spend their lives listening to stories, or to focus on telling stories to others."
"The world had disappeared, and all that remained was the sound of those black ice pellets falling and smashing to the ground."
"...and his face was as impassive as if it were a brick that had been removed from an old wall."
"Our family made a decent living profiting off dead people."
"If they really didn't want people to know, they shouldn't have done it."
"Most of this coldness was produced from people's hearts."
"My mind was completely blank, like a bald mountain in the middle of winter."
"You are such a small person, I never imagined you were capable of accomplishing such an extraordinary deed."
"Uncle Yan, do you think it is better for people to spend their lives listening to stories, or to focus on telling stories to others."
"The world had disappeared, and all that remained was the sound of those black ice pellets falling and smashing to the ground."
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
it’s giving the purge
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, War
Minor: Ableism, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Grief, Cannibalism
A curious and hypnotic novel that uses a mass sleepwalking event as a metaphor for ancient and hidden resentments, desires, and power fantasies coming to life. An interesting look at how family histories can calcify into condemnations and how people struggle to escape those generational fates.
The novel's odd use of repetition and its perfunctory and overabundant use of similes aims to give a hallucinatory feel to the prose, but it becomes grating and makes it easy to zone out if you're not careful. Its meandering plot, though intentional and thematically appropriate, also doesn't help.
Much more successful is the novel's bizarre internal logic and its mangling of time. It's dark humor is also handled well, and the way it coalesces into an explosive end is satisfying. Though occasionally frustrating, its odd uniqueness kept me engaged.
The novel's odd use of repetition and its perfunctory and overabundant use of similes aims to give a hallucinatory feel to the prose, but it becomes grating and makes it easy to zone out if you're not careful. Its meandering plot, though intentional and thematically appropriate, also doesn't help.
Much more successful is the novel's bizarre internal logic and its mangling of time. It's dark humor is also handled well, and the way it coalesces into an explosive end is satisfying. Though occasionally frustrating, its odd uniqueness kept me engaged.
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War
Moderate: Suicide, Classism
‘A powerful, captivating work of art.’
South China Morning Post
‘This exuberant but sinister fable confirms its author as one of China’s most audacious and enigmatic novelists.’
Economist
South China Morning Post
‘This exuberant but sinister fable confirms its author as one of China’s most audacious and enigmatic novelists.’
Economist
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes