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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
Quite incredible and absolutely amazing, I feel like reading what a drunken man has written.
It's a story within a story and telling another story, It's rich and disgusting at times, yet so much power hold in what it's saying.
The story of how Li Yidou In-law childhood, make me awe and feel sorry for her, how saying 'afraid' constitute to bringing danger, and how she bravely faces what comes next is truly wonderful.
It's a story within a story and telling another story, It's rich and disgusting at times, yet so much power hold in what it's saying.
The story of how Li Yidou In-law childhood, make me awe and feel sorry for her, how saying 'afraid' constitute to bringing danger, and how she bravely faces what comes next is truly wonderful.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
The book was definitely enjoyable and seems to be a nice way of looking at the modern take on magical realism from a totally different, Chinese perspective.
But my feeling was too much is being wasted on me: historical and cultural refernces (some were explained in translator's footnotes, but not all of them obviously), but my key problem with the book is that while it is being described as "satirical" I can't say I perceived it that way. It is obviously metaphorical and describs real issues of people and society in an exaggerated, mystical way, but the satire is not felt from outside of China or with little knowledge of it.
Yet the book does create a special and unique atmosphere and is accessible enough for someone not acquinted with Chinese culture.
But my feeling was too much is being wasted on me: historical and cultural refernces (some were explained in translator's footnotes, but not all of them obviously), but my key problem with the book is that while it is being described as "satirical" I can't say I perceived it that way. It is obviously metaphorical and describs real issues of people and society in an exaggerated, mystical way, but the satire is not felt from outside of China or with little knowledge of it.
Yet the book does create a special and unique atmosphere and is accessible enough for someone not acquinted with Chinese culture.
My favorite book of Mo Yan! I'm from the province of Canton, where the craving for exotic food is almost sickening.
Любопытствую: почему не дают премию Мураками, кто постоянно из-под носа забирает у него главный приз? Прекрасно понимаю, что премия политизирована донельзя. Но Мо Янь ("молчун") не под запретом в Китае, не убежал из Китая, и хотя и заигрывает с образами, дорогими и близкими китайскому коммунисту - не переходит невидимой черты. Более того - занимает неплохой пост в китайском Союзе писателей. Так за что?
Не очень понятно из одной книги, вероятно, надо знакомиться глубже - но если он весь такой, что на трезвую голову лучше не читать (доселе мне попадались такие вещи - скажем, отдельные главы у Рабле, и через века известно, в каком состоянии писал автор, это ценно)... Если он весь такой, то лучше приступим к нему зимой. Китайский Сорокин? Магический реализм? Намёки на Пу Сунлина? На "Записки о поисках духов, сделанные по рассказам, услышанным в столице"?
Чёрт его знает. Ещё хочу.
Не очень понятно из одной книги, вероятно, надо знакомиться глубже - но если он весь такой, что на трезвую голову лучше не читать (доселе мне попадались такие вещи - скажем, отдельные главы у Рабле, и через века известно, в каком состоянии писал автор, это ценно)... Если он весь такой, то лучше приступим к нему зимой. Китайский Сорокин? Магический реализм? Намёки на Пу Сунлина? На "Записки о поисках духов, сделанные по рассказам, услышанным в столице"?
Чёрт его знает. Ещё хочу.
Erikoinen kirja joka on hankala arvostella. Kieleltään erinomainen ja rakenteeltaan eksoottinen. Maaginen realismin kerrontatapa yhdistettynä (ajoittain?) puistattavaan ja ällöttävään tarinaan on toisinaan lähes oman ellotuksensietokykyni tuolla puolen, muttei ihan kuitenkaan. Toisaalta kun kirja lähti viemään mukanaan, niin sehän myös vei. Vaikka välillä kirja onkin inhoittava, niin toisinaan se sai minut myös hihittämään. Aivan oma lukunsa on toistuvat käsistä lähtevät ylistykset viinalle, jotka yllättävät kekseliäisyydellään. Irvokasta ja mieletöntä, mutta samaan aikaan kekseliästä ja huvittavaa. 4 tähteä, kai.
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book was at least 25% too long. I'm not sure I liked how there were two threads, one being a chain of letters between a "Mo Yan" and Li Yidou, and the other being the investigation by hopelessly incompetent Investigator Ding. He's so terrible. Most of the characters are male, and one main character is called the lady truck driver--for most of the novel she does not have a name. That really irritated me. Some of this can be forgiven since it was written in the 90s, but at the end of the day, I just did not like this book.
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes