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A review by lidotchka
Red Sorghum by Mo Yan
1.0
★☆☆☆☆ - DNF at 28% - I do not recommend this book.
Spanning three generations, this novel of family and myth is told through a series of flashbacks that depict events of staggering horror set against a landscape of gemlike beauty, as the Chinese battle both Japanese invaders and each other in the turbulent 1930s.
I guess the main reason why I am so disappointed is that I was expecting a lot from this book. Honestly, the back cover hyped me so much and I wanted to love [b:Red Sorghum|894154|Red Sorghum|Mo Yan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327945265l/894154._SY75_.jpg|460549]! It sounded like it had everything I love in a book (especially because I am very much into historical stuff).
Also, this book is insanely well-known in China, it won numerous prizes and was adapted as a movie, which contributed to making it kinda famous worldwide.
Anyway, I really tried to love it. But I couldn't ignore the super boring narrative of this book. I have rarely seen so much description and so little action. At first, I thought it was only because the narrator wanted to maybe describe super precisely the setting, to begin with, and then, things will start to happen.
I won't say that nothing happens in the first 28% of that book. Because stuff happens. But it was like 95% description and 5% action. Definitely not for me. I don't think it's a bad book though, I'm sure some people will absolutely love it.
To conclude, is this book very bad? Probably not. Was it made for me? Absolutely not.
I'm sure if you don't mind long descriptions and little action, you will like it. And please, remember that I did not finish this book, so my review only takes into account the first 28% of it. Maybe it is better after, I don't know.
Spanning three generations, this novel of family and myth is told through a series of flashbacks that depict events of staggering horror set against a landscape of gemlike beauty, as the Chinese battle both Japanese invaders and each other in the turbulent 1930s.
I guess the main reason why I am so disappointed is that I was expecting a lot from this book. Honestly, the back cover hyped me so much and I wanted to love [b:Red Sorghum|894154|Red Sorghum|Mo Yan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327945265l/894154._SY75_.jpg|460549]! It sounded like it had everything I love in a book (especially because I am very much into historical stuff).
Also, this book is insanely well-known in China, it won numerous prizes and was adapted as a movie, which contributed to making it kinda famous worldwide.
Anyway, I really tried to love it. But I couldn't ignore the super boring narrative of this book. I have rarely seen so much description and so little action. At first, I thought it was only because the narrator wanted to maybe describe super precisely the setting, to begin with, and then, things will start to happen.
I won't say that nothing happens in the first 28% of that book. Because stuff happens. But it was like 95% description and 5% action. Definitely not for me. I don't think it's a bad book though, I'm sure some people will absolutely love it.
To conclude, is this book very bad? Probably not. Was it made for me? Absolutely not.
I'm sure if you don't mind long descriptions and little action, you will like it. And please, remember that I did not finish this book, so my review only takes into account the first 28% of it. Maybe it is better after, I don't know.