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A review by vanessaglau
I Am China by Xiaolu Guo
4.0
In the bookshop, the pretty blue cover and strong title spoke to me first. Next was the blurb which is intriguing, but doesn't do the book justice, as I've learned later.
The writing style is simple and sober which matches the protagonist's voice very well. Iona seems to be a disillusioned woman who loses herself in translation work by day and has sex with strangers by night. Some sentences or paragraphs sounded a little artificial because they violated the 'show don't tell' rule. In some cases they were necessary to move the story along, in some cases not. Iona seems detached from the world and estranged, she looks at everyday matters with confusion. That state of mind is familiar to me, so I saw the loneliness behind her facade and was intrigued immediately.
The story focuses the Chinese lovers Mu and Jian, united in their love for art and poetry in a rigidly political and conformist society, as told through their letters and journals. Both of them have their distinct voice and handwriting (as seen through occasional photos in the book - I love the idea!), Jian confident and determined, Mu more thoughtful and sensitive. The way their story is linked with Chinese politics, the educated yet hopeless youth and struggle of the arts in China fascinated me throughout the entire book. In the end their conflicts become a matter of national (even international) importance. I'm not sure if the scale isn't too big for a love story so deep and personal, but it certainly upped the stakes and added suspense towards the end of the book.
Iona's story is hidden between their words and harder to interpret. I'm still not sure how to read the last scene despite having a few ideas. Still, her mental evolution compliments Jian and Mu's physical journey nicely. The book wouldn't be complete without Iona's conflict and I loved how it highlighted the power of stories, communication and intercultural exchange. Everything we read influences what we think and, eventually, how we act. That is precisely why translation is such important work.
Like I already mentioned, the characters spoke to me personally (because I'm interested in language, translation and China myself), but their love, their desire to be heard and understood and their loneliness touched me on a more universal level. I think this book carries an important message - that as well as the emotional stories wrapped into a small neat package is what makes it worth reading. And reading again (I know I will).
The writing style is simple and sober which matches the protagonist's voice very well. Iona seems to be a disillusioned woman who loses herself in translation work by day and has sex with strangers by night. Some sentences or paragraphs sounded a little artificial because they violated the 'show don't tell' rule. In some cases they were necessary to move the story along, in some cases not. Iona seems detached from the world and estranged, she looks at everyday matters with confusion. That state of mind is familiar to me, so I saw the loneliness behind her facade and was intrigued immediately.
The story focuses the Chinese lovers Mu and Jian, united in their love for art and poetry in a rigidly political and conformist society, as told through their letters and journals. Both of them have their distinct voice and handwriting (as seen through occasional photos in the book - I love the idea!), Jian confident and determined, Mu more thoughtful and sensitive. The way their story is linked with Chinese politics, the educated yet hopeless youth and struggle of the arts in China fascinated me throughout the entire book. In the end their conflicts become a matter of national (even international) importance. I'm not sure if the scale isn't too big for a love story so deep and personal, but it certainly upped the stakes and added suspense towards the end of the book.
Iona's story is hidden between their words and harder to interpret. I'm still not sure how to read the last scene despite having a few ideas. Still, her mental evolution compliments Jian and Mu's physical journey nicely. The book wouldn't be complete without Iona's conflict and I loved how it highlighted the power of stories, communication and intercultural exchange. Everything we read influences what we think and, eventually, how we act. That is precisely why translation is such important work.
Like I already mentioned, the characters spoke to me personally (because I'm interested in language, translation and China myself), but their love, their desire to be heard and understood and their loneliness touched me on a more universal level. I think this book carries an important message - that as well as the emotional stories wrapped into a small neat package is what makes it worth reading. And reading again (I know I will).