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A review by spyralnode
I Am China by Xiaolu Guo
5.0
Breathtaking prose, going through topics like family, patriotism, ideologies, Chinese politics, history and culture, romance and mystery - it's all that rolled into one and it took me completely by surprise how much I loved this book and how intimate the narrative felt throughout.
The description is quite misleading I found. There are 2 stories here: one follows Iona, a Scottish translator on a freelance project involving the diaries and letters exchanged between Jian and Mu, and the second one follows Jian and Mu, encompassing their relationship and beyond. Because this latter story is expressed through first-person writing, it allows the reader to have personal insight into their feelings, motivations and fears. Doing it on the backdrop of protests for democracy in China made it come alive even more, as well as comparing their culture to that the Western world. This might also have been one of the best portrayals of alienation I have encountered so far when it comes to moving abroad and feeling like you're in an in-between state.
Moreover, one of the things that I find is missing from other reviews is also what a beautiful and perceptive description of London life is offered in quite a few of the passages, for example 'London is a raw, a slow explosion, scattering every living and dead thing and never letting them rest'. It evokes visually, auditorily and emotionally the contrast between these different lifestyles as well as the people's attitudes towards their home country and those around them.
Amazing and inspiring read, and I am so happy that I spent my Sunday on this book! It has made me want to check out more by Xioalu Guo - definitely a writer I am going to look out for.
The description is quite misleading I found. There are 2 stories here: one follows Iona, a Scottish translator on a freelance project involving the diaries and letters exchanged between Jian and Mu, and the second one follows Jian and Mu, encompassing their relationship and beyond. Because this latter story is expressed through first-person writing, it allows the reader to have personal insight into their feelings, motivations and fears. Doing it on the backdrop of protests for democracy in China made it come alive even more, as well as comparing their culture to that the Western world. This might also have been one of the best portrayals of alienation I have encountered so far when it comes to moving abroad and feeling like you're in an in-between state.
Moreover, one of the things that I find is missing from other reviews is also what a beautiful and perceptive description of London life is offered in quite a few of the passages, for example 'London is a raw, a slow explosion, scattering every living and dead thing and never letting them rest'. It evokes visually, auditorily and emotionally the contrast between these different lifestyles as well as the people's attitudes towards their home country and those around them.
Amazing and inspiring read, and I am so happy that I spent my Sunday on this book! It has made me want to check out more by Xioalu Guo - definitely a writer I am going to look out for.