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A review by nothingforpomegranted
Deadly Quiet City: True Stories from Wuhan by Murong Xuecun
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
3.75
This was a devastating, chilling read that outlined the experiences of eight or so people in the earliest months of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was fascinated by the author himself, who travelled secretly to Wuhan and then fled the country after seeing several of his friends, peers, and colleagues disappear for their outspoken portraits of what was truly happening in China. It was eerie to consider those early, mysterious days, weeks, and months, and it is horrifying to see the effects of China’s totalitarian regime and attempts to suppress information.
At times, the chronology was a bit confusing, despite the timestamps, and I struggled with some of the verb tenses, which may have been an issue of translation. In addition, I would have actually preferred more insights from the author’s perspective about how he conducted these interviews and the experience of compiling this book.
At times, the chronology was a bit confusing, despite the timestamps, and I struggled with some of the verb tenses, which may have been an issue of translation. In addition, I would have actually preferred more insights from the author’s perspective about how he conducted these interviews and the experience of compiling this book.