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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
funny
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reads like a caricature of personalities - brilliantly witty
Qian Zhongshu was as good a wordsmith as he was a poet, however the satire was a little overdone, maybe to non-Chinese audience this would be more amusing. I was hoping for a deeper read on Chinese ideas similar to the likes of Yu Hua / Mo Yan
Overall a decent read
Overall a decent read
A terrific novel, and a delight to read, certainly in this vivid Dutch translation.
Ik heb al meer citaten uit dit boek aangehaald. Het is misschien geen perfecte roman, maar wel een heel onderhoudende, en je kunt eruit blijven citeren. ('De Ier vloekte en tierde, bedronk zich en ging met rooddoorlopen ogen op zoek naar een Chinees om in elkaar te slaan.') Maar ik denk dat ik maar gewoon een andere recensent citeer: Ger Leppers, die in Trouw een heel goed beeld van het boek schetste (afgezien van één m.i. onterechte kanttekening bij de vertaling) en zijn recensie als volgt afsloot:
Daar kan ik me helemaal in vinden.
Ik heb al meer citaten uit dit boek aangehaald. Het is misschien geen perfecte roman, maar wel een heel onderhoudende, en je kunt eruit blijven citeren. ('De Ier vloekte en tierde, bedronk zich en ging met rooddoorlopen ogen op zoek naar een Chinees om in elkaar te slaan.') Maar ik denk dat ik maar gewoon een andere recensent citeer: Ger Leppers, die in Trouw een heel goed beeld van het boek schetste (afgezien van één m.i. onterechte kanttekening bij de vertaling) en zijn recensie als volgt afsloot:
Het is lang geleden dat ik om een roman zo aanhoudend heb moeten gniffelen, gnuiven en grinniken. Laat u dus niet misleiden door de omslagillustratie. Die belooft een sentimenteel liefdesverhaal vol hartstocht, passie en jaloezie. Maar dat is wel het laatste wat dit boek is. Belegerde vesting is een meeslepende en sprankelende, tijdloze satire, geschreven in een tintelende, zeer persoonlijke stijl, vervuld van een illusieloos maar genereus en al half vergevend mededogen.
Daar kan ik me helemaal in vinden.
"Marriage is like a fortress besieged: those who are outside want to get in, and those who are inside want to get out." - French proverb
So starts Qian Zongshu's modern masterpiece, a story of a young man returning from studying abroad with little to show for it beyond a sharp tongue, a habit of philosophical proselytizing, and a fake degree. There is so little I can say that will do this book justice because the story really does not go much of anywhere, the main character, Fang Hung-Chien more or less goes wherever the winds of war, love and job availability takes him. Instead, Fortress Besieged strengths lie in two parts, the first being its vivid writing capable of capturing the confused and coy romances of its characters and the second, twice the size the first, is the effortlessly clever sarcasm and wit absolutely dripping off each page.
Every part of the book, from its story to its characters, to its page-by-page narration and descriptions provides an avenue for some geopolitical takedown, a tongue-in-cheek observation or a rambling diatribe decrying the failings of modern academia. The jokes range from biting to playful, to bitter and sad. I can't count the number of times I laughed aloud or thought to myself how poignant and accurate this nearly century old work could be. Fortress Besieged is a hilarious and insightful book, but to try and explain exactly why is to try and explain a joke -- it just doesn't work.
So rather than fumble with my own clumsy words, here are a few choice passages in the early chapters of the book that I couldn't help but appreciate:
Hung-Chien on the subject of faking his college degree:
"Fang had once been a philosophy major, and to a philosophy major lying and cheating were not always immoral. In Plato's Ideal State soldiers were justified in fooling the enemy, doctors in fooling their patients and officials in fooling the people."
Hung-Chien on having his clothes fixed up by his then-girlfriend:
"He knew that her services were not to be taken casually; every time she sewed on a button or mended a hole, the moral obligation to propose to her increased by one point."
Hsin-Mei on the subject of personal health:
"How much nicer it would be if a man had no body, but was all mind. I'm not really guarding my health. I'm just babying it so it won't give me any trouble."
Hung-Chien on the subject of modern philosophers:
"A lot of so-called philosophers these days don't really study philosophy at all; they just study personalities or works in philosophy. Strictly speaking, they shouldn't be called philosphers, but rather 'philophilosophers.'"
Hsieh-Chuan's feelings while sharing his poetry:
"Even if they praised him, their praise wouldn't be sincere or to the point. Yet he was waiting for their praise, despite the knowledge he wouldn't be satisfied with it; it was like finding a pack of cigarettes when one craves opium."
There are so many more passages like this, so many more moments where I laughed or guffawed or just shook my head in silent appreciation. But don't get it wrong, Fortress Besieged is not a joke-per-page kind of book, in fact, it never really feels as though it treats itself as a comedy or as it is billed, a satire. So much of what happens in the story is delivered as dryly as possible that there are times where it becomes difficult or slow to read. There is no pomp, there is no circumstance, the humor lies in its observations of everyday life and the jokes come up naturally. Therein lies Qian Zhongshu's true talent: he doesn't need to force his characters into ridiculous scenarios, reality is already funny enough, all he needs to do is point it out.
So starts Qian Zongshu's modern masterpiece, a story of a young man returning from studying abroad with little to show for it beyond a sharp tongue, a habit of philosophical proselytizing, and a fake degree. There is so little I can say that will do this book justice because the story really does not go much of anywhere, the main character, Fang Hung-Chien more or less goes wherever the winds of war, love and job availability takes him. Instead, Fortress Besieged strengths lie in two parts, the first being its vivid writing capable of capturing the confused and coy romances of its characters and the second, twice the size the first, is the effortlessly clever sarcasm and wit absolutely dripping off each page.
Every part of the book, from its story to its characters, to its page-by-page narration and descriptions provides an avenue for some geopolitical takedown, a tongue-in-cheek observation or a rambling diatribe decrying the failings of modern academia. The jokes range from biting to playful, to bitter and sad. I can't count the number of times I laughed aloud or thought to myself how poignant and accurate this nearly century old work could be. Fortress Besieged is a hilarious and insightful book, but to try and explain exactly why is to try and explain a joke -- it just doesn't work.
So rather than fumble with my own clumsy words, here are a few choice passages in the early chapters of the book that I couldn't help but appreciate:
Hung-Chien on the subject of faking his college degree:
"Fang had once been a philosophy major, and to a philosophy major lying and cheating were not always immoral. In Plato's Ideal State soldiers were justified in fooling the enemy, doctors in fooling their patients and officials in fooling the people."
Hung-Chien on having his clothes fixed up by his then-girlfriend:
"He knew that her services were not to be taken casually; every time she sewed on a button or mended a hole, the moral obligation to propose to her increased by one point."
Hsin-Mei on the subject of personal health:
"How much nicer it would be if a man had no body, but was all mind. I'm not really guarding my health. I'm just babying it so it won't give me any trouble."
Hung-Chien on the subject of modern philosophers:
"A lot of so-called philosophers these days don't really study philosophy at all; they just study personalities or works in philosophy. Strictly speaking, they shouldn't be called philosphers, but rather 'philophilosophers.'"
Hsieh-Chuan's feelings while sharing his poetry:
"Even if they praised him, their praise wouldn't be sincere or to the point. Yet he was waiting for their praise, despite the knowledge he wouldn't be satisfied with it; it was like finding a pack of cigarettes when one craves opium."
There are so many more passages like this, so many more moments where I laughed or guffawed or just shook my head in silent appreciation. But don't get it wrong, Fortress Besieged is not a joke-per-page kind of book, in fact, it never really feels as though it treats itself as a comedy or as it is billed, a satire. So much of what happens in the story is delivered as dryly as possible that there are times where it becomes difficult or slow to read. There is no pomp, there is no circumstance, the humor lies in its observations of everyday life and the jokes come up naturally. Therein lies Qian Zhongshu's true talent: he doesn't need to force his characters into ridiculous scenarios, reality is already funny enough, all he needs to do is point it out.
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My quest to read more Chinese books continues and I decided to take a break from the 武侠 genre. 围城 by 钱钟书 was one of the top recommendations that came up and am I glad that it did!
We follow 方鸿渐 as he returns to China after drifting aimlessly across Europe on the pretext of studying. When home, he continues his aimless lifestyle, being pushed from one appointment to another, culminating in marriage. Along the way, he disappoints those around him and is disillusioned as well. Yet, we do not see any change on his part nor any indication that he admits his role in his situation.
There might be heaps of social commentary but I only caught a few with my limited understanding of Chinese society then. From the preference for Western thought and habits to the self-importance of academics, many aspects of society were satirized. Most obvious, of course, was the institution of marriage, from which the book gets its title from. None of the themes were heavy-handed, yet all were highly effective in getting the point across. It was honestly quite fun, seeing the different things 钱 was lampooning.
On that vein, I really have to talk a little about the writing. Of course, plenty flew over my head due to my limited mastery of the language. However, what I got, was simply amazing. Razor sharp wit, an acerbic tone, and more hidden in the subtext than was written, left me giggling and in awe in turns. I truly wish that 钱 had written more books because I just can’t get enough of his writing. Will definitely be revisiting this one when my command of the language has improved, if ever.
Diversity meter:
Chinese characters
challenging
funny
reflective
slow-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
lighthearted
reflective
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:
Yes
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes