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A review by sunleung
I Live in the Slums: Stories by Can Xue
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.25
I did not know what to expect when I picked up this collection of short stories. I had read somewhere that she had an outside chance of winning the Nobel Prize for Literature. So, something good?
What I got was a challenging read that was difficult to finish. The words, individually, I knew what they meant. But when arranged in this order, the meaning escapes me.
For a couple of the stories, I imagine that the author is hiding her criticisms of certain social dynamics in China. However the language is so difficult to penetrate, I often wonder whether I imagined those criticisms.
More than a couple of times I would reach the end of a story and think “what the fluff?”.
Certainly a worthy challenge but not entirely enjoyable. I do admire how she can convey feelings of being oppressed though - I was made uncomfortable a couple of times while reading the short stories.
What I got was a challenging read that was difficult to finish. The words, individually, I knew what they meant. But when arranged in this order, the meaning escapes me.
For a couple of the stories, I imagine that the author is hiding her criticisms of certain social dynamics in China. However the language is so difficult to penetrate, I often wonder whether I imagined those criticisms.
More than a couple of times I would reach the end of a story and think “what the fluff?”.
Certainly a worthy challenge but not entirely enjoyable. I do admire how she can convey feelings of being oppressed though - I was made uncomfortable a couple of times while reading the short stories.