A review by over60
I Live in the Slums: Stories by Can Xue

4.0

Another Booker Prize long-listed book. I usually really love the books chosen for this award, but this year, I have read two books for which I cannot give five stars! This translation started with a short story told from a rat's POV, and it almost made me abandon the whole thing. The next story was from a magpie's POV, and the prose was better. I like the stories, but am not sure if it is the translation that is not fully effective for me. This book of short stories is good tho - and I do recommend it.