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aforeman's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
jhaneveauguste's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Classism, Animal cruelty, Death, Infidelity, Alcoholism, and Animal death
kiwi_of_serenity's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I read this book after finishing a course on Chinese history because I wanted to engage with Chinese literature more. Although I understood the historical setting, I could sense that a lot of cultural references went over my head. The story was also heavily patriarchal, and it made me want to read more female perspectives from China int he future.
But, overall, I had fun with this book. Its little scenes are fun, yet poignant, and I loved the tone and voice that Mo Yan uses. This is a book that makes you feel like you are visiting a place every time you open it— I started to think, “I wonder what’s going on in Ximen village”, and then I’d go find out. It was also a book that made me question why I was reading it every step of the way because it could be so buzarre and tangential that I would think “Is this great or just wacky?” In the end, all I’m certain of is that it was fun.
But, overall, I had fun with this book. Its little scenes are fun, yet poignant, and I loved the tone and voice that Mo Yan uses. This is a book that makes you feel like you are visiting a place every time you open it— I started to think, “I wonder what’s going on in Ximen village”, and then I’d go find out. It was also a book that made me question why I was reading it every step of the way because it could be so buzarre and tangential that I would think “Is this great or just wacky?” In the end, all I’m certain of is that it was fun.
dragonsandfoxes's review against another edition
5.0
Bu kitabın ardından buraya ne yazsam eksik kalacakmış gibi hissediyorum. Nefret, hüzün, umut, merak, huzur... Çoğu duyguyu hissettim bu neredeyse 1000 sayfalık kitapta.
Çocukluk çağında gece uyumadan önce anlatılan uzun bir öykü gibiydi Yaşam ve Ölüm Yorgunu'nun bıraktığı his. Elimden her bırakışımda bir sonraki okuma zamanımı bekledim heyecanla. Bütün odağımı sözcüklere yönlendirdim.
Çin edebiyatının beni bir kez daha hayal kırıklığına uğratmadığını söyleyebilirim. Okuması biraz sancılı olsa da oldukça keyifliydi.
Ximen Jinlong en hoşlanmadığım ve adının geçişinde bile göz devirdiğim bir karakterdi. Onun dışındaki her karakterin yaptıklarını, yaşadıklarını, söylediklerini bir noktada anlayışla karşılayabilmiştim.
Mutlaka okunmasını önereceğim bir kitap oldu. Ne kadar seversiniz bilmem ancak değerli birkaç düşünceye varacağınıza inanıyorum.
Çocukluk çağında gece uyumadan önce anlatılan uzun bir öykü gibiydi Yaşam ve Ölüm Yorgunu'nun bıraktığı his. Elimden her bırakışımda bir sonraki okuma zamanımı bekledim heyecanla. Bütün odağımı sözcüklere yönlendirdim.
Çin edebiyatının beni bir kez daha hayal kırıklığına uğratmadığını söyleyebilirim. Okuması biraz sancılı olsa da oldukça keyifliydi.
Ximen Jinlong en hoşlanmadığım ve adının geçişinde bile göz devirdiğim bir karakterdi. Onun dışındaki her karakterin yaptıklarını, yaşadıklarını, söylediklerini bir noktada anlayışla karşılayabilmiştim.
Mutlaka okunmasını önereceğim bir kitap oldu. Ne kadar seversiniz bilmem ancak değerli birkaç düşünceye varacağınıza inanıyorum.
emilyhan0906's review against another edition
5.0
Bizarre, unique, tragic modern Chinese history through one family. When I read the book I thought, these radical social movements back and forth cannot have all happened in one person’s lifetime. And I realize it is the same time period my grandparents would have lived through, and begin to appreciate how this part of history has shaped 奶奶 who shows zero interest in anything political, 爷爷 who follow contradictory ccp rhetorics with not a trace of cognitive dissonance, 外公 who has his own beliefs and is depressed and worried about being spied on. I also wonder, how has our first taste of absolutist alternative reality through the last three years of radical zero-covid movement shaped our generation?
beccaej's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
konkrete's review against another edition
fast-paced
5.0
Couldn't put it down. Funny, vast, and impossible to understand how anyone had all those ideas.