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A review by arwoomer
Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet by Xinran
2.0
I am currently living in China and so this book definitely grabbed my attention when I saw it sitting on my friend's bookshelf. I had wanted to save it for when I was actually in Tibet but that looks like it won't be happening so I brought it with me on my trip to Xi'an this last week.
I am happy that I read it while living in China. I did feel a bit of a connection to the story. Granted, I am not living in 1950s China or Tibet but there are still locations, food, and mannerisms that I completely understand after living here for awhile.
I'm still on the fence about whether or not I actually liked this book. It was a very easy read and I flew through it but I still don't know if I like it. It is unclear whether this story is fact or fiction--if it's fact, then it is an incredible story but if it is fiction, then it could have been a lot better.
I did not like the character of Shu Wen. I found her annoying, passive, and all around unlikable. None of the other characters really leapt out at me, either. I am the type of person that loves good, solid characters; if they are based off of real people, then that's sad.
I had a hard time feeling bad for Shu Wen as she complained about not feeling accepted by the Tibetan people, how they stared, how they talked about her, and how she always felt like an outsider... That is how it is being a Westerner living in China today. You are always an outsider, people are always staring and talking about you as you walk by... For that, I did not feel bad for her at all--welcome to what everyone else experiences!!
I did, however, enjoy seeing life in Tibet--the family life, the terrain, the rituals, and of course the sky burial.
I feel like this book had potential to be something great but it fell very flat...
I am happy that I read it while living in China. I did feel a bit of a connection to the story. Granted, I am not living in 1950s China or Tibet but there are still locations, food, and mannerisms that I completely understand after living here for awhile.
I'm still on the fence about whether or not I actually liked this book. It was a very easy read and I flew through it but I still don't know if I like it. It is unclear whether this story is fact or fiction--if it's fact, then it is an incredible story but if it is fiction, then it could have been a lot better.
I did not like the character of Shu Wen. I found her annoying, passive, and all around unlikable. None of the other characters really leapt out at me, either. I am the type of person that loves good, solid characters; if they are based off of real people, then that's sad.
I had a hard time feeling bad for Shu Wen as she complained about not feeling accepted by the Tibetan people, how they stared, how they talked about her, and how she always felt like an outsider... That is how it is being a Westerner living in China today. You are always an outsider, people are always staring and talking about you as you walk by... For that, I did not feel bad for her at all--welcome to what everyone else experiences!!
I did, however, enjoy seeing life in Tibet--the family life, the terrain, the rituals, and of course the sky burial.
I feel like this book had potential to be something great but it fell very flat...