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nafisa_tabassum's review against another edition
5.0
It's hard to describe or evaluate this sprawling epic of a book. It's not a traditional story in its structure, and I can think of many flaws that made it less enjoyable (like the huge, disorientating narrative leaps), but as a whole this is a masterpiece.
The novel follows the life and death of the Shangguan family, led by the mother, a character that's hard to forget. The family lives through multiple crucial upheavals in Chinese history. It reminds me of Tolstoy's War and Peace in the way it weaves personal reality with historical events; but where Tolstoy covered one war through several aristocratic characters, this book covers several wars through the eyes of one poor family. The narrator is Shangguan Jintong, the family's only son, another character that got under my skin. However, the focus is obviously the mother.
Ultimately, if I were to describe this book simply, it's about women in history. The female characters, the male characters, their interactions, the surrounding symbolism, and the plot - all create a story whose soul is a study of womanhood in history. I've been affected by this emotionally, in ways hard to describe. I won't attempt to do so here, but I'm glad I've read this book.
The writing is fluid and scenic. It feels like an art movie. The pacing is a bit off and the book in general is hard to digest quickly for me, which is why I took ages to finish it.
Overall, this book is probably not for everybody and isn't easy to read, but it's a masterpiece of storytelling.
The novel follows the life and death of the Shangguan family, led by the mother, a character that's hard to forget. The family lives through multiple crucial upheavals in Chinese history. It reminds me of Tolstoy's War and Peace in the way it weaves personal reality with historical events; but where Tolstoy covered one war through several aristocratic characters, this book covers several wars through the eyes of one poor family. The narrator is Shangguan Jintong, the family's only son, another character that got under my skin. However, the focus is obviously the mother.
Ultimately, if I were to describe this book simply, it's about women in history. The female characters, the male characters, their interactions, the surrounding symbolism, and the plot - all create a story whose soul is a study of womanhood in history. I've been affected by this emotionally, in ways hard to describe. I won't attempt to do so here, but I'm glad I've read this book.
The writing is fluid and scenic. It feels like an art movie. The pacing is a bit off and the book in general is hard to digest quickly for me, which is why I took ages to finish it.
Overall, this book is probably not for everybody and isn't easy to read, but it's a masterpiece of storytelling.
siajng's review against another edition
challenging
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, and Suicide
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