jadom's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jmbz38's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
sarapalooza's review against another edition
3.0
I had a lot of trouble following this book. It was like a strange dream, where you run into your third grade teacher who is yelling about pickles while you realize your fingers are made of balloons. I didn’t mind it, but I can’t say I grasped it.
sanmeow's review against another edition
slow-paced
1.0
extremely disorganized and not comprehensive at all, confusing characters, and a style i didn't like. i'm just feeling so surprisingly blank that i don't think i'll remember anything about this book a month from now. the concept is nice at least.
ktrain3900's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
While in many cases, you skip the introductory material, here you want to read Eileen Myles' forward so you know what you're in for: a dreamworld. The book moves with the logic of dreams, which is to say a logic that makes little to no sense when you're awake, and to read you have to be awake. Somehow this book managed to be both intriguing and tedious, snail-paced and rushing headlong. There were times I was both so bored and lost I felt inclined to give up yet I couldn't. As the reader you're bewitched in a way. Is the book the history of the mill Uncle Hong was compiling? Is the new millennium the afterlife, and everyone is dead, in a labyrinthine, dreamlike purgatory? Like life, like love, it remains a mystery.
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm and Death
guolan's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
lamusadelils's review against another edition
3.0
Es un libro confuso, deliberadamente confuso. No creo que prestar atención a cada detalle realmente ayude a descifrar el profundo, misterioso y genial significado que Can Xue promete, pero definitivamente no se puede uno distraer porque de un párrafo al siguiente se puede perder todo el hilo.
Es una especie de juego en el que avanzas un paso pero son arenas movedizas y ese paso te desestabiliza y no sabes si avanzaste o solo te mantienes más o menos estable y cuando menos te das cuenta ya saliste pero no sabes cuando o como pasó.
Creo que este es un caso muy especial en el que realmente hay que sentir y dejar que la obra te marque, disfrutar los fragmentos que te hacen sentido y resuenan, pero también dejarte llevar un poco. Sin llegar a ser el lector de otro mundo que Xue espera para su obra, esa es una manera de poder abordarla sin que todo parezca un sinsentido.
Es una especie de juego en el que avanzas un paso pero son arenas movedizas y ese paso te desestabiliza y no sabes si avanzaste o solo te mantienes más o menos estable y cuando menos te das cuenta ya saliste pero no sabes cuando o como pasó.
Creo que este es un caso muy especial en el que realmente hay que sentir y dejar que la obra te marque, disfrutar los fragmentos que te hacen sentido y resuenan, pero también dejarte llevar un poco. Sin llegar a ser el lector de otro mundo que Xue espera para su obra, esa es una manera de poder abordarla sin que todo parezca un sinsentido.
mangomari's review against another edition
2.0
I thought if I got to the end of the book, I would understand. But I still don't really get it. It was interesting at times. I like all the parts about going back to one's hometown and history. But A Si and all the bath house ladies confused me. Honestly it all confused me. Took awhile to read.
porges's review against another edition
Didn’t actually finish this entirely; found it very hard going.