sam_bizar_wilcox's review against another edition
4.0
This is a weird one!
The book ostensibly follows the various adventures in a young woman's life after her father goes mad in an early 20th century Chinese town. Ge Fei's writing is breezy and dazzling, and the book is incredibly fast-paced, introducing mysterious figures who show up in town out of the blue, valuable artifacts, espionage, etc. The scope is so broad it's hard to succinctly discuss the book, or provide a basic summary (as some reviewers, but often not me) want to do. What stands out more than the plot, however, is the commentary on feminity, politics, labor, and inheritance. The subtext isn't overdone, and what Ge Fei wants to say isn't always clear, but in a refreshing way. Here is an author who trusts his readers to understand his novel. And I will admit, too, that a lot of it went past me: his work comes with cultural and literary references that I didn't know. But this novel was so beautifully written and interesting that imagine more wise readers will have an even better reading experience.
The book ostensibly follows the various adventures in a young woman's life after her father goes mad in an early 20th century Chinese town. Ge Fei's writing is breezy and dazzling, and the book is incredibly fast-paced, introducing mysterious figures who show up in town out of the blue, valuable artifacts, espionage, etc. The scope is so broad it's hard to succinctly discuss the book, or provide a basic summary (as some reviewers, but often not me) want to do. What stands out more than the plot, however, is the commentary on feminity, politics, labor, and inheritance. The subtext isn't overdone, and what Ge Fei wants to say isn't always clear, but in a refreshing way. Here is an author who trusts his readers to understand his novel. And I will admit, too, that a lot of it went past me: his work comes with cultural and literary references that I didn't know. But this novel was so beautifully written and interesting that imagine more wise readers will have an even better reading experience.
phoebe912's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
jordanjac's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
smiley938's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully written. There was just something about the writing that was meditative, even though the actual content was anything but. I'd definitely read the rest of this series if it ever becomes available in English. I also loved the cover design and heftiness of the paper.
alexainsworth's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I surprised myself by how much I was intrigued not just by the story telling in this saga but also this part of Chinese history. I definitely want to read more by Ge Fei if I can find other translated works and I will be adding some non-fiction about this part of Chinese history to my TBR in the near future.
voraciousbookworm's review against another edition
Overall missing the context it feels this book needs to and I wasn't feeling like a or anything like it in my reading life right now.
Spoiler
rape scenekes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cmcrockford's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Well thats just a perfect novel isn't it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, War, Violence, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
bpello2020's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
stacialithub's review against another edition
4.0
This book feels epic yet intimate in scope. The action moves along at a good clip &, in a way, seems like a soap opera with each chapter having new action or some event. I enjoyed it, the mix of fiction/allegory/history. I think my only (very minor) quibble was that you had a male author writing a female main character & I sometimes had an indistinct & fleeting impression of noticing that.