Reviews

Strange Beasts of China by Yan Ge

hsbean's review

emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-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

theeuphoriczat's review

4.0

Loved it a lot more than I expected. I appreciated the themes on death, influence, moral dilemmas, perceptions and fate and most importantly human relationship with the supernatural or unnatural.

manolitagafotas's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

crystalroses68's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

spamrisk's review

3.0

The real China is the strange beasts we met along the way.

yoshii's review

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

2.75

ingari's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

joowin's review against another edition

3.75

ending is a bit messy but still enjoyable to read 

catlislibrary's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Heartbreakingly noir yet playfully imaginative, Strange Beasts of China is magical realism at its best. From the start, I was arrested by Ge’s creativity. But it’s the novel’s eccentric exploration of humanity and what it means to be human (or beast) that captured my heart. 

caldridge's review

dark mysterious medium-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? Yes

3.25