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A review by dreesreads
I Live in the Slums: Stories by Can Xue
3.0
Booker International 2021 Longlist. My 8th read of 13 from the longlist.
This book consists of unusual short stories. Some are weird and almost nonsensical (I Live in the Slums). Others don't really go anywhere, and there is no resolution (Venus). A lot of them are based in nature and have flora/fauna narrators, rather than human. My favorites were all toward the end of the book, my favorite two being Her Old Home and I Am a Willow Tree.
I don't know that I would consider these stories unique in any way other than often being confusing. I don't know why this made it onto the longlist, but the longlist and shortlist are both so strange and disappointing this year this is actually one I have enjoyed more.
This book consists of unusual short stories. Some are weird and almost nonsensical (I Live in the Slums). Others don't really go anywhere, and there is no resolution (Venus). A lot of them are based in nature and have flora/fauna narrators, rather than human. My favorites were all toward the end of the book, my favorite two being Her Old Home and I Am a Willow Tree.
I don't know that I would consider these stories unique in any way other than often being confusing. I don't know why this made it onto the longlist, but the longlist and shortlist are both so strange and disappointing this year this is actually one I have enjoyed more.