A review by fantasyreader223
To Live by Yu Hua

5.0

In his quest to define the essence of life, Yu Hua creates a compelling story about a man who never loses hope in the face of tragedy and constant suffering. To Live depicts the transformation of Fugui, a man troubled with gambling addiction. To Live is a captivating story that compels every reader and viewer to see the value in life and all it has to offer. Yu Hua left me with a raw, intense, viciously honest truth that life is a harsh occurrence to endure. I love this book so much because it was completely honest in telling you that life is a harsh, cruel force that can only be endured through everlasting hope. As an avid reader, I have read books from a variety of genres, but I tend to avoid realistic fiction. This is because I find these novels revolve around teenage love triangles and “too good to be true” endings. To my surprise, To Live exceeded all of my expectations. I have never read such a moving or inspiring novel and I have never met a more compelling or authentic character than Fugui. Yu Hua leaves nothing out when relaying the brutality that life can have on a person through the deaths of Fugui’s entire family, leaving him to live out the rest of his days alone. However, Fugui’s resilience through these losses has inspired me to remain strong in times of suffering and sorrow. I also found Jiazhen’s devotion to Fugui something I can only strive for in any friendship or relationship. The commitment to her family and her love for Fugui during times of pain and loss is truly magnificent. Hence, I have come to the conclusion that To Live is one of the most amazing novels I’ve ever read and because of this, it is my new favorite novel.