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lastmohik's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ranok's review against another edition
3.0
Very pretty language, a very well-translated book. In terms of a story, it is wandering and dream like, which was the point, but a bit tedious. Perhaps as an American, I didn't find it ban-worthy, but I guess we are used to making fun of our leaders, so the very subtle slights about Xi's Chinese Dream seemed obvious enough to detect, but not terribly inflammatory.
christine97's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't enjoy this book. It's not really a story - more a sequence of scenes. The writing is very repetative and I definitely get the sense that I'm missing something when it comes to the significance placed on certain elements. Not for me.
francescavhum's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A gruesome and visceral depiction of the worst parts of human nature, the greedy desire for wealth, and the willingness to do whatever it takes to reach higher echelons. But questioning the true motives of "human nature" by inserting dark, mysterious, and brutal conditions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, and Blood
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide
kiayaa's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
connorosd's review against another edition
4.0
A very unique and wholly interesting book. The writing took some time to get to grips with but once I was familiar, I was engrossed. Setting the book across one night really brings our every single detail and Yan LianKe has a undeniable talent for drawing you in and making you feel part of the world. At times very comical as well, which was nice.
mxleigh's review against another edition
5.0
It's hard to read in one setting, not because of the language but because of what it tries to convey. A critical take--a perversion (or disclosure?) of the Chinese Dream.
eggmama's review against another edition
1.0
"The odd thing was that no one was speaking about the present. No one wanted the present. This was a war over the past and the future...There was no present. The present had disappeared."
The major thematic conflict of this novel lies between modern life and technology, and the past and traditions. It also speaks to the feelings, desires, and courage that we have while dreaming, but often lack in the waking world.
I feel bad giving this book a one star for a few reasons. First, this book is a translation, and translations, no matter how beautiful or true to the core of the story, are bound to differ from the original text. Something is inevitably lost.
Second, the writing style, while not my favorite, works well with the dreamwalking plot. Sentences are repeated two, three times, with subtle variations that provide emphasis and make more apparent the thin line between dreams and reality, this sentence and the previous one. Lianke's decision to use himself as a character in the novel is also a nice touch.
Third, this is apparently satire, but I didn't quite get it. I can attribute this "falling flat" because of my lack of knowledge about China and its culture and politics.
This book addresses heavy-hitting topics, but I feel like it could have been done more artfully. For me, it just dragged on, and I only found myself excitedly reading the last 40 or so pages.
The major thematic conflict of this novel lies between modern life and technology, and the past and traditions. It also speaks to the feelings, desires, and courage that we have while dreaming, but often lack in the waking world.
I feel bad giving this book a one star for a few reasons. First, this book is a translation, and translations, no matter how beautiful or true to the core of the story, are bound to differ from the original text. Something is inevitably lost.
Second, the writing style, while not my favorite, works well with the dreamwalking plot. Sentences are repeated two, three times, with subtle variations that provide emphasis and make more apparent the thin line between dreams and reality, this sentence and the previous one. Lianke's decision to use himself as a character in the novel is also a nice touch.
Third, this is apparently satire, but I didn't quite get it. I can attribute this "falling flat" because of my lack of knowledge about China and its culture and politics.
This book addresses heavy-hitting topics, but I feel like it could have been done more artfully. For me, it just dragged on, and I only found myself excitedly reading the last 40 or so pages.
clarkso6's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked how Lianke writes (I've read reviews that people hate this). I like the concept of the book. However, the two together felt odd and although I enjoyed the book, it's not a 5 star.