A review by cocoonofbooks
The Garlic Ballads by Mo Yan

2.0

I had a hard time getting through this book despite its relatively short length. Everything is told out of order, which can work to good effect if done well and with a purpose, but it mostly just confused me. The plot seemed like a way to string together moments of shock value — Gao Yang having to drink his own urine (which happened three different times in his life and was revisited again and again), open wounds bleeding and festering, people laying violent blows on one another, etc. I did not find myself very engaged with or sympathetic to the characters, and it's just as well with such a Hamlet ending. I understand this was historical fiction, but I don't feel like I came away with a great understanding of this period of history or what exactly the government did to the garlic farmers. It may be a translation issue or a cultural difference, but I did not enjoy or appreciate this book very much.