kandicez's review against another edition
3.0
Set in a near-future China, An Excess Male follows the story of Wei-Guo as he tries to marry into the family of Mei-ling as her third husband. They all live in a dystopia where an excess of males (over 40 million) in the population has led to women taking second and now third husbands. Most men’s lives are centered on raising money for a dowry and hoping they are lucky enough to impress the right woman or family. These husbands to be tend to be older since it takes a long time to establish oneself and save dowry money.
Wei-Guo tries to woo Mei-ling by inviting her to his exercise studio, where he is a physical trainer, helping men fulfill their state-mandated fitness regimen. Mei-ling stumbles in carrying her hyperactive toddler and his plans fall to pieces. Her first husband, Hann, joins them soon after, and what Wei-Guo hoped would be a seductive date turns into an awkward dance lesson between the four of them. We begin to realize that he is not marrying Mei-ling, but her family. This reminded me of Big Love and the way Fundamental Mormon households are arranged.
Hann is gay or, as the government puts it, 'Willfully Sterile. Hann has hidden this froml those outside his family. His brother, XX, is somewhere on the autism spectrum, and though he is a genius working for one of the most important digital security corporations in China, his quirks add to the danger of the discovery of his “abnormality.” Hann has spent most of his life trying to protect himself and his brother. He has done his best to convince Mei-ling that his homosexuality is not a choice regardless of what the law says. Mei-ling, for her part, loves Hann and their child, but has grown to resent XX, and sees Wei-Guo as a potential outlet for her sexual frustration. She spends her time taking care of their one child. Wives are expected to sleep with each husband once a week until she conceives one child for each, but has only conceived with Hann. If either of her husband's 'conditions' are discovered, the family risks dissolution, forced sterilization, and the loss of their child to the state.
Family is the most prominent element in the work. It is the central source of tension. Mei-ling struggles to accept her family, Hann struggles to keep his family together, XX struggles to find his place in its structure, all while Wei-Guo tries to become a part of their unit. Our characters become deeply entangled with each other's lives long before the marriage becomes a reality. This forces the reader to realize family goes beyond living under the same roof, sleeping in the same bed; it is what we make of it.
The take was unique, but I feel that the ending left something to be desired. I won’t spoil anything, but I don’t think a story like can, or should, have a happy ending. While I guess you can’t say everything was “Happily ever after…” there was definitely a bow and some tying involved.
Wei-Guo tries to woo Mei-ling by inviting her to his exercise studio, where he is a physical trainer, helping men fulfill their state-mandated fitness regimen. Mei-ling stumbles in carrying her hyperactive toddler and his plans fall to pieces. Her first husband, Hann, joins them soon after, and what Wei-Guo hoped would be a seductive date turns into an awkward dance lesson between the four of them. We begin to realize that he is not marrying Mei-ling, but her family. This reminded me of Big Love and the way Fundamental Mormon households are arranged.
Hann is gay or, as the government puts it, 'Willfully Sterile. Hann has hidden this froml those outside his family. His brother, XX, is somewhere on the autism spectrum, and though he is a genius working for one of the most important digital security corporations in China, his quirks add to the danger of the discovery of his “abnormality.” Hann has spent most of his life trying to protect himself and his brother. He has done his best to convince Mei-ling that his homosexuality is not a choice regardless of what the law says. Mei-ling, for her part, loves Hann and their child, but has grown to resent XX, and sees Wei-Guo as a potential outlet for her sexual frustration. She spends her time taking care of their one child. Wives are expected to sleep with each husband once a week until she conceives one child for each, but has only conceived with Hann. If either of her husband's 'conditions' are discovered, the family risks dissolution, forced sterilization, and the loss of their child to the state.
Family is the most prominent element in the work. It is the central source of tension. Mei-ling struggles to accept her family, Hann struggles to keep his family together, XX struggles to find his place in its structure, all while Wei-Guo tries to become a part of their unit. Our characters become deeply entangled with each other's lives long before the marriage becomes a reality. This forces the reader to realize family goes beyond living under the same roof, sleeping in the same bed; it is what we make of it.
The take was unique, but I feel that the ending left something to be desired. I won’t spoil anything, but I don’t think a story like can, or should, have a happy ending. While I guess you can’t say everything was “Happily ever after…” there was definitely a bow and some tying involved.
antigonus's review against another edition
4.0
Regardless of an individual’s sex, any attempt to lead a normal life in a gender imbalanced society throws up numerous difficulties. If you add state oppression and social engineering into the mix, you get Maggie Shen King’s AN EXCESS MALE.
In an extrapolation of China’s current marriage problems, polyandry is not only the law of the land, but the State even encourages a woman to get hitched to three husbands, as a sign of their patriotism. While the element of state oppression is not as stifling as Orwell’s ‘1984’, the 4 main characters really shine through due to their distinctive personalities, hopes, fears, secrets and regrets.
Wei-guo is close to reaching the age of 50 and desperate to realize his dreams of a wife and a family. With the help of his two dads, he has finally up enough money as dowry. After a long wait, May-Ling and her two husbands, Hann & XX, pick him out as a potential match out of thousands of photos. While sticking to the nationalistic tune on the surface, every member of May-Ling’s family has their own, dark, reason to pursue a third marriage.
A particular highlight of this book is the way the author sets up scenes. While the adults are almost always involved in a heated discussion, the argument usually flows around BeiBei, May-Ling’s tantrum-prone two-year old boy. As you can imagine, the traditional concept of marriage is broadened in this instance. Wei-guo has to court May-Ling and her husbands in an equally successful fashion.
This is a very carefully sculpted scenario of the future where lonely, unmarried men are dispensable and treated as a nuisance. And women, despite the high-esteem in which they are hold, end up having little or no control over their own fate.
In an extrapolation of China’s current marriage problems, polyandry is not only the law of the land, but the State even encourages a woman to get hitched to three husbands, as a sign of their patriotism. While the element of state oppression is not as stifling as Orwell’s ‘1984’, the 4 main characters really shine through due to their distinctive personalities, hopes, fears, secrets and regrets.
Wei-guo is close to reaching the age of 50 and desperate to realize his dreams of a wife and a family. With the help of his two dads, he has finally up enough money as dowry. After a long wait, May-Ling and her two husbands, Hann & XX, pick him out as a potential match out of thousands of photos. While sticking to the nationalistic tune on the surface, every member of May-Ling’s family has their own, dark, reason to pursue a third marriage.
A particular highlight of this book is the way the author sets up scenes. While the adults are almost always involved in a heated discussion, the argument usually flows around BeiBei, May-Ling’s tantrum-prone two-year old boy. As you can imagine, the traditional concept of marriage is broadened in this instance. Wei-guo has to court May-Ling and her husbands in an equally successful fashion.
This is a very carefully sculpted scenario of the future where lonely, unmarried men are dispensable and treated as a nuisance. And women, despite the high-esteem in which they are hold, end up having little or no control over their own fate.
kellymariez's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
ginnikin's review against another edition
I only read a few pages, but I got such an uncomfortable vibe from it that I couldn't. There were clearly hints to sociopolitical movements, but they were too thin to keep me going. I didn't like that although women were scarce, the man was still in charge of the family, still much older than the woman, and women were sheltered and coddled and caged. I have to think that at some point, we can stop with this narrative. This does not appear to be that. :(
56lispenard's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
m_hates_reading's review
Idk how to explain it but it was kinda icky and I just wasn’t feeling it
jerseygrrrl's review
5.0
Will write more when I get a chance. In the meantime: a page turner, interesting characters, smart prediction about one possible dystopic future for China. Definitely worth reading.
Update February 2020:
I picked up this novel while waiting for my requests to come in from the library. Before I realized it, I was completely hooked. This is an extraordinary story with fantastic writing and a clear vision of one potential future for China.
Update February 2020:
I picked up this novel while waiting for my requests to come in from the library. Before I realized it, I was completely hooked. This is an extraordinary story with fantastic writing and a clear vision of one potential future for China.