zoes_human's review against another edition
3.5
Feng Jicai became a cultural figure as a founder of the Scar Literature movement, which directly confronted the traumas of the Cultural Revolution. Also an artist and a cultural scholar, his oeavre ranges a wide breadth of genres, and he is renowned for his work to preserve Chinese folk heritage. This book reflects that mission.
Faces in the Crowd is a collection of vignettes of late 19th and early 20th century life in Tianjin. In that era, it was a city on the cusp of history with rising conflicts between those who sought to protect traditional life and those who embraced modernism. These 36 tales of unique characters function as do the small pictures in a photographic mosaic with each small work of art helping to create a vivid picture of the city as it was a hundred years gone. It is a literary tribute to the history of the metropolis, yet it feels like a comfortable conversation with a friendly local eager to fill you in on the secrets, beauties, and inside jokes of their home.
I was reminded a a bit of Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster stories—both in the manner in which the stories center cleverness and social commentary, and as well in the tendency for this to feel repetitive to me. However, that is a somewhat subjective thing, and regardless of my longing for something that felt more varied and less expected, these stories were exceptionally well executed.
Faces in the Crowd is a collection of vignettes of late 19th and early 20th century life in Tianjin. In that era, it was a city on the cusp of history with rising conflicts between those who sought to protect traditional life and those who embraced modernism. These 36 tales of unique characters function as do the small pictures in a photographic mosaic with each small work of art helping to create a vivid picture of the city as it was a hundred years gone. It is a literary tribute to the history of the metropolis, yet it feels like a comfortable conversation with a friendly local eager to fill you in on the secrets, beauties, and inside jokes of their home.
I was reminded a a bit of Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster stories—both in the manner in which the stories center cleverness and social commentary, and as well in the tendency for this to feel repetitive to me. However, that is a somewhat subjective thing, and regardless of my longing for something that felt more varied and less expected, these stories were exceptionally well executed.
juliwi's review
5.0
I've been trying to read more and more Chinese literature while I live in Shanghai and it has really enriched my experience here. Many of them were set in Shanghai, so I decided to branch out when I saw Faces in the Crowd, which has given me a fascinating insight into a city I'm yet to visit: Tianjin. Thanks to Sinoist Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Faces in the Crowd presents the reader with 36 short tales, taken from the streets of Tianjin of the 19th and 20th century. This collection of stories feels like walking down the streets of old-school Tianjin, dropping in here or there to pick up a story. It's like sitting down in a restaurant or tea house and just listening to the conversations going on all around you. There are stories about food, business, reputation, disaster, and just stories about good old fun! Part of Feng Jicai's work is in preserving the old stories and traditions of China as it roars its way towards the future, and there's stories are a key part of that. Getting to know an enormous city like Tianjin through its people and its history is fascinating and Jicai's tone throughout makes it feel like a gentle, friendly visit.
My favourite story probably came towards the end and was called 'The Yellow Lotus Divine Matriarch'. It was a story about the Boxer Uprising, and especially about the Red Lanterns, the women's fighting groups, as the village women weren't allowed to join the men's groups. There is something very mythical and powerful about this story, the women and their leader, the titular Yellow Lotus Divine Matriarch'. It is also a story about resistance and the magic these women said to hold. Some of these stories, like 'The Swallow, Li San', felt very fable-like. Most of the stories, except three, are about men which was a little bit of a disappointment. However, there is still plenty to enjoy as Jicai excels at drawing character profiles despite the brevity of the stories. These stories made me curious to read his larger works and explore all he has to offer as both a writer and an artist.
Each story is prefaced by a small drawing, done by Jicai himself. He explains how after writing the stories the characters were still with him and that drawing them was like a final farewell. The drawings are simply but incredibly evocative and I really enjoyed revisiting the drawings after each story and rediscover it all anew. Jicai is unsentimental and direct in his stories, there is no pretense at trying to make anything appear better than it truly is. These stories are humorous and offer a whole new insight into what Tianjin was like in the previous centuries. It is so important to get these kind of insights and this kind of enjoyment into other kind of cultures and countries.
Faces in the Crowd is a brilliant collection of short stories, introducing the reader to the Tianjin of yore. Combining his stories with his drawings, Feng Jicai almost recreates this Tianjin for his readers and makes them hungry for more from them.
Faces in the Crowd presents the reader with 36 short tales, taken from the streets of Tianjin of the 19th and 20th century. This collection of stories feels like walking down the streets of old-school Tianjin, dropping in here or there to pick up a story. It's like sitting down in a restaurant or tea house and just listening to the conversations going on all around you. There are stories about food, business, reputation, disaster, and just stories about good old fun! Part of Feng Jicai's work is in preserving the old stories and traditions of China as it roars its way towards the future, and there's stories are a key part of that. Getting to know an enormous city like Tianjin through its people and its history is fascinating and Jicai's tone throughout makes it feel like a gentle, friendly visit.
My favourite story probably came towards the end and was called 'The Yellow Lotus Divine Matriarch'. It was a story about the Boxer Uprising, and especially about the Red Lanterns, the women's fighting groups, as the village women weren't allowed to join the men's groups. There is something very mythical and powerful about this story, the women and their leader, the titular Yellow Lotus Divine Matriarch'. It is also a story about resistance and the magic these women said to hold. Some of these stories, like 'The Swallow, Li San', felt very fable-like. Most of the stories, except three, are about men which was a little bit of a disappointment. However, there is still plenty to enjoy as Jicai excels at drawing character profiles despite the brevity of the stories. These stories made me curious to read his larger works and explore all he has to offer as both a writer and an artist.
Each story is prefaced by a small drawing, done by Jicai himself. He explains how after writing the stories the characters were still with him and that drawing them was like a final farewell. The drawings are simply but incredibly evocative and I really enjoyed revisiting the drawings after each story and rediscover it all anew. Jicai is unsentimental and direct in his stories, there is no pretense at trying to make anything appear better than it truly is. These stories are humorous and offer a whole new insight into what Tianjin was like in the previous centuries. It is so important to get these kind of insights and this kind of enjoyment into other kind of cultures and countries.
Faces in the Crowd is a brilliant collection of short stories, introducing the reader to the Tianjin of yore. Combining his stories with his drawings, Feng Jicai almost recreates this Tianjin for his readers and makes them hungry for more from them.
goldenfenris's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book of a diverse set of people from Tianjin. Tianjin is a city that I haven't had a chance to visit yet in China, but I hope to go one day. This little book gave me a little insight into the people and the culture before I get there. China is a very diverse country and the group of people in this book shows it well. Each story is accompanied by at least one drawing by Feng Jicai, and it helps to really capture the vibe of each of these unique people. The stories range from funny, to sad, to almost mythical in their atmosphere. I will say that if you're looking for stories about women from this place and time, there are only maybe three about women. Otherwise it's a man's world. Overall, it's a really great collection of short stories that I would recommend for any reader of Chinese literature. Thank you Netgalley and Sinoist books for the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
goldenfenris's review
3.0
I really enjoyed this book of a diverse set of people from Tianjin. Tianjin is a city that I haven't had a chance to visit yet in China, but I hope to go one day. This little book gave me a little insight into the people and the culture before I get there. China is a very diverse country and the group of people in this book shows it well. Each story is accompanied by at least one drawing by Feng Jicai, and it helps to really capture the vibe of each of these unique people. The stories range from funny, to sad, to almost mythical in their atmosphere. I will say that if you're looking for stories about women from this place and time, there are only maybe three about women. Otherwise it's a man's world. Overall, it's a really great collection of short stories that I would recommend for any reader of Chinese literature. Thank you Netgalley and Sinoist books for the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
It was a pleasure to read this fascinating and engrossing book.
It was like travelling back in time to another place and discovering a world you didn't know.
An excellent book, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It was like travelling back in time to another place and discovering a world you didn't know.
An excellent book, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
goldenfenris's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book of a diverse set of people from Tianjin. Tianjin is a city that I haven't had a chance to visit yet in China, but I hope to go one day. This little book gave me a little insight into the people and the culture before I get there. China is a very diverse country and the group of people in this book shows it well. Each story is accompanied by at least one drawing by Feng Jicai, and it helps to really capture the vibe of each of these unique people. The stories range from funny, to sad, to almost mythical in their atmosphere. I will say that if you're looking for stories about women from this place and time, there are only maybe three about women. Otherwise it's a man's world. Overall, it's a really great collection of short stories that I would recommend for any reader of Chinese literature. Thank you Netgalley and Sinoist books for the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
michelle_deeter's review against another edition
4.0
This is a delightful little book, well translated and with one expressive line drawing accompanying each chapter. Each chapter is a brief sketch of a particularly colorful person who lives in Tianjin. I really enjoyed the Fifth Master Feng story, on the classic theme of book smarts versus business smarts. Also, the story about Yang Qi and Yang Ba is probably better than any “how to do business in China” book on the market. I think that was my favorite. The book does not take itself too seriously, but there are lessons to be learned for those who can read between the lines of the jokes. After the third chapter, I was positively hooked.
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
It was a pleasure to read this fascinating and engrossing book.
It was like travelling back in time to another place and discovering a world you didn't know.
An excellent book, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It was like travelling back in time to another place and discovering a world you didn't know.
An excellent book, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
kleonard's review against another edition
2.0
A series of vignettes about the people of a Chinese port city. A bit tedious and dull, unfortunately, although these are occasional gems of phrase and description.
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