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What Members Thought
While I enjoyed this book, I found it was somewhat of a disappointment to me. Someone told me that the English version was translated from French, so maybe that was the problem. I was expecting the more lyrical style that I am used to from the other Asian literature that I have read (Gail Tsukiyama, Amy Tan, Lisa See, and others). I can't say that I wish I hadn't read it, though, as it deals with a time in Chinese history that I have not read or thought much about. The Cultural Revolution and th
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I thoroughly enjoyed this small book.
It is the story of two young men whose parents have found themselves for one reason or another in trouble with the government during the Chinese Cultural Revoution. The young men are sent into the countryside to be "re-educated", a sentence which for many is never rescinded.
They end up going to a mining village on a mountain where the meager belongings they do have are amazing and suspicious to the local folk. They are made to do the menial degrading work th ...more
It is the story of two young men whose parents have found themselves for one reason or another in trouble with the government during the Chinese Cultural Revoution. The young men are sent into the countryside to be "re-educated", a sentence which for many is never rescinded.
They end up going to a mining village on a mountain where the meager belongings they do have are amazing and suspicious to the local folk. They are made to do the menial degrading work th ...more
Mar 17, 2018
Marie (UK)
rated it
really liked it
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review of another edition
Shelves:
2018-reading-challenge
This is a beautiful book describing the life of 2 Chinese teenagers undergoing re-education. It is not a book describing that re-education but a novel depicting their journey into secret literature, their ability for storytelling and their effect on other people's lives. It is really difficult to describe but a real joy to read.
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This book was a four star read until the very dissatisfying ending. Am I missing something here?! Am I not making necessary parallels between this book and the writings of Balzac? Help me out here.
Engaging and quick little read, but its brevity may be its weakness for me. While I enjoyed the bright and clean writing style, there just wasn't enough depth to deliver on the (potential but not fully realized) themes. I do, however, feel compelled to read some Balzac now...or something else with the depth I prefer.
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Oct 28, 2009
Silvia
marked it as to-read
Dec 06, 2009
Stephen
marked it as to-read
Dec 18, 2009
Angela Randall
marked it as to-read
Jan 25, 2010
Eileen Woie
marked it as to-read
Aug 12, 2010
Emily
marked it as to-read
Sep 13, 2010
Amber
marked it as to-read
Dec 18, 2010
Ann
marked it as to-read
Mar 20, 2011
Mary
marked it as to-read
Jul 13, 2013
Serenity
marked it as to-read
Jan 29, 2015
Lahni
marked it as to-read
Jul 06, 2015
Lindsay
marked it as to-read
Oct 11, 2017
Lisa Wilkinson
marked it as wishlist
Oct 17, 2019
Gretchen
marked it as to-read
