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The Obsessed
cover,Pub Languages ??Press, Foreign Languages Press. Heng as an outstanding young writer in China today, the circumstances of his realistic novels, the language is direct, forceful and full of rich local flavor. Dig each character of the psychological, so ...
- GenresFiction
Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 12, 2021
TW: Domestic violence, sexual assault, incest, violence, infidelity, suicide
4.5
An amazing collection of short stories! Liu Heng is an outstanding realist writer and I'm glad his works have been translated for the Western World. I was completely blown away by how he writes his characters - he especially delves deep into their psyche, how the characters define their actions and how they justify them.
I wasn't too engrossed in the first short story (which revolves around an incestuous relationship between an Aunt and a Nephew after the Aunt has been severely abused by the Uncle, and results in a child that grows up to become a carbon copy of the evil Uncle), as it was something that I wasn't very much interested in, but the narration and the writing was still spectacular. I was blown away by how simplistic the writing was but how impactful the story became - it truly goes to show that the most sophisticated writing does not need to be good in order to understand the human psyche. The reason why I couldn't connect well with the first story was that it simply was just too wild - the fact that the farmer married a younger woman and then ended up abusing her due to his numerous insecurities with himself was believable but the fact that the Nephew was still in love with the younger woman even after years of not seeing each other definitely required some suspension of disbelief. The story itself was confusing, and I didn't understand the ending that well - the fact that the family fell apart after the death of the Farmer happened too quickly and unrealistically. But overall, was still a good read.
The second story was a lot more relatable due to the fact that it was familiar and something that an everyday person can come across - that is the complicated inner world of a cheating husband who hates himself for being an adulterer and how he blames everyone but himself for his affair. I was interested in the way that Liu described the mind of the professor and how he justified his affair again and again - he would tell himself that he loved his wife and he loved his family while he goes out every other night to see the woman that he would cheat with. The main character was extremely unlikable due to his indifference to his actions and his overblown ego, but that would also make him relatable, as I believe that this reflects the mind of a real adulterer. Overall, this story was simple and I enjoyed the character study.
I was amazed by the last short story, Unreliable Witness, which deals with the aftermath of a suicide and the complications of a suicidal person's world. The way that Liu writes the inner world of a suicidal person really took my breath away - he really did try to make the person as compassionate and human as he possibly could and it worked out well. The narrator was so understanding and tender towards the main character which made for a wonderful read. I do wonder why the friend is the narrator and why he would be interested in the death of the main character, he never really justified his interest apart from the fact that the main character was just a strange person and the circumstances around his suicide were melancholy. Except that the narrator felt like he was telling more than he was showing - and I understand that it's hard to describe someone's whole life by showing how they lived it and telling how they lived is much easier, but it made the main character seem less realistic and robotic. Still, it was my favourite of the three stories as it definitely hit home for me and it gave a good insight of how people viewed depression and suicide.
4.5
An amazing collection of short stories! Liu Heng is an outstanding realist writer and I'm glad his works have been translated for the Western World. I was completely blown away by how he writes his characters - he especially delves deep into their psyche, how the characters define their actions and how they justify them.
I wasn't too engrossed in the first short story (which revolves around an incestuous relationship between an Aunt and a Nephew after the Aunt has been severely abused by the Uncle, and results in a child that grows up to become a carbon copy of the evil Uncle), as it was something that I wasn't very much interested in, but the narration and the writing was still spectacular. I was blown away by how simplistic the writing was but how impactful the story became - it truly goes to show that the most sophisticated writing does not need to be good in order to understand the human psyche. The reason why I couldn't connect well with the first story was that it simply was just too wild - the fact that the farmer married a younger woman and then ended up abusing her due to his numerous insecurities with himself was believable but the fact that the Nephew was still in love with the younger woman even after years of not seeing each other definitely required some suspension of disbelief. The story itself was confusing, and I didn't understand the ending that well - the fact that the family fell apart after the death of the Farmer happened too quickly and unrealistically. But overall, was still a good read.
The second story was a lot more relatable due to the fact that it was familiar and something that an everyday person can come across - that is the complicated inner world of a cheating husband who hates himself for being an adulterer and how he blames everyone but himself for his affair. I was interested in the way that Liu described the mind of the professor and how he justified his affair again and again - he would tell himself that he loved his wife and he loved his family while he goes out every other night to see the woman that he would cheat with. The main character was extremely unlikable due to his indifference to his actions and his overblown ego, but that would also make him relatable, as I believe that this reflects the mind of a real adulterer. Overall, this story was simple and I enjoyed the character study.
I was amazed by the last short story, Unreliable Witness, which deals with the aftermath of a suicide and the complications of a suicidal person's world. The way that Liu writes the inner world of a suicidal person really took my breath away - he really did try to make the person as compassionate and human as he possibly could and it worked out well. The narrator was so understanding and tender towards the main character which made for a wonderful read. I do wonder why the friend is the narrator and why he would be interested in the death of the main character, he never really justified his interest apart from the fact that the main character was just a strange person and the circumstances around his suicide were melancholy. Except that the narrator felt like he was telling more than he was showing - and I understand that it's hard to describe someone's whole life by showing how they lived it and telling how they lived is much easier, but it made the main character seem less realistic and robotic. Still, it was my favourite of the three stories as it definitely hit home for me and it gave a good insight of how people viewed depression and suicide.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2017
The classic movie “Juduo” from renowned filmmaker Zhang Yimou is based upon the Liu Heng story originally named “Fuxi Fuxi,” but changed to “The Obsessed,” which is also the title of this three-piece collection. The movie is grim and disturbing, yet beautiful in the Zhang fashion. The short story (more like a novella at 125 pp) is even more difficult to take. It's worth nothing that this is not something for the feint of heart or those who are troubled by graphic depictions of rape or sexual content.
On the other hand, Heng’s writing in this story is simply gorgeous, all the more impressive given that it's translated, often a process that produces clumsy or confusing attempts to equate idioms or symbolism across languages. Heng describes things in a dreamy, evocative manner, and you are transported to the rural farm in the early days of Mao Zedong’s China.
For those unfamiliar with the movie, “The Obsessed” tells the tale of a love triangle. I’d add the word “tragic” to the description, but for anyone familiar with Chinese literature (and movies), it’s fairly implied. The author lets the reader know early on how things will go for all involved, so I’m not betraying any secrets. Besides, the real value of this work is in the details of this slow burning web of deception. It’s haunting and lingers in your mind afterward, just as the movie does. It’s a chilling cautionary tale of how the powerful force of love can move human beings to do terrible things. Juduo is the beautiful, young, but unfortunate woman wed to an old and cruel landowner. Also working on the farm is the old man’s nephew, a few years younger than Juduo, who falls instantly in love with her at first site, the day of her wedding. Even as the author hints at the endings for all involved, your heart will still break as the story unfolds. If this were the only story, I'd give this book the highest rating, but alas it wasn't.
I wish the other two stories were as moving as the first. The second story, titled “Whirlpool,” is a cold but well-written account of a man’s affair with a co-worker. It drags a bit and has an unsatisfying ending, but Heng captures the conflicting emotions of the character well. The last one, “Unreliable Witness” was a disappointment. It’s a long, drawn out tale of a dull, luckless man who commits suicide in the opening pages, and the friend who tries to make sense of things. I kept wondering how the author of that story could’ve been the same to write “The Obsessed,” because the finale was tedious and redundant, with no pay-off.
On the whole, if you can find this cheaply or at your library (I bought a used copy), it’s worth it for the title story. You can skip the last two.
On the other hand, Heng’s writing in this story is simply gorgeous, all the more impressive given that it's translated, often a process that produces clumsy or confusing attempts to equate idioms or symbolism across languages. Heng describes things in a dreamy, evocative manner, and you are transported to the rural farm in the early days of Mao Zedong’s China.
For those unfamiliar with the movie, “The Obsessed” tells the tale of a love triangle. I’d add the word “tragic” to the description, but for anyone familiar with Chinese literature (and movies), it’s fairly implied. The author lets the reader know early on how things will go for all involved, so I’m not betraying any secrets. Besides, the real value of this work is in the details of this slow burning web of deception. It’s haunting and lingers in your mind afterward, just as the movie does. It’s a chilling cautionary tale of how the powerful force of love can move human beings to do terrible things. Juduo is the beautiful, young, but unfortunate woman wed to an old and cruel landowner. Also working on the farm is the old man’s nephew, a few years younger than Juduo, who falls instantly in love with her at first site, the day of her wedding. Even as the author hints at the endings for all involved, your heart will still break as the story unfolds. If this were the only story, I'd give this book the highest rating, but alas it wasn't.
I wish the other two stories were as moving as the first. The second story, titled “Whirlpool,” is a cold but well-written account of a man’s affair with a co-worker. It drags a bit and has an unsatisfying ending, but Heng captures the conflicting emotions of the character well. The last one, “Unreliable Witness” was a disappointment. It’s a long, drawn out tale of a dull, luckless man who commits suicide in the opening pages, and the friend who tries to make sense of things. I kept wondering how the author of that story could’ve been the same to write “The Obsessed,” because the finale was tedious and redundant, with no pay-off.
On the whole, if you can find this cheaply or at your library (I bought a used copy), it’s worth it for the title story. You can skip the last two.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews