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Life
An essential masterwork from Chinese literary giant Lu Yao—winner of the Mao Dun Literature Prize—available for the first time in English.
Lu Yao published only two novels before his untimely death—but their extraordinary influence catapulted the author to the top tier of Chinese contemporary fiction, establishing him as one of the most widely read and respected figures in Chinese literature.
In this first-ever translation of Lu Yao’s Life, we meet Gao Jialin, a stubborn, idealistic, and ambitious young man from a small country village whose life is upended when corrupt local politics cost him his beloved job as a schoolteacher, prompting him to reject rural life and try to make it in the big city. Against the vivid, gritty backdrop of 1980s China, Lu Yao traces the proud and passionate Gao Jialin’s difficult path to professional, romantic, and personal fulfillment—or at least hard-won acceptance.
With the emotional acuity and narrative mastery that secured his reputation as one of China’s great novelists, Lu Yao paints a vivid, emotional, and unsparing portrait of contemporary Chinese life, seen through the eyes of a working-class man who refuses to be broken.
Lu Yao published only two novels before his untimely death—but their extraordinary influence catapulted the author to the top tier of Chinese contemporary fiction, establishing him as one of the most widely read and respected figures in Chinese literature.
In this first-ever translation of Lu Yao’s Life, we meet Gao Jialin, a stubborn, idealistic, and ambitious young man from a small country village whose life is upended when corrupt local politics cost him his beloved job as a schoolteacher, prompting him to reject rural life and try to make it in the big city. Against the vivid, gritty backdrop of 1980s China, Lu Yao traces the proud and passionate Gao Jialin’s difficult path to professional, romantic, and personal fulfillment—or at least hard-won acceptance.
With the emotional acuity and narrative mastery that secured his reputation as one of China’s great novelists, Lu Yao paints a vivid, emotional, and unsparing portrait of contemporary Chinese life, seen through the eyes of a working-class man who refuses to be broken.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1982
About the author
Lu Yao
41 books23 followersLu Yao (Chinese: 路遥), born Wang Weiguo (Chinese: 王卫国), was a Chinese writer. He was born on 3 December 1949 in Qingjian County, Shaanxi Province, and died on 17 November 1992. He had six siblings and grew up in a very poor family. He began writing novels when he was a college student, and graduated from Chinese Department of Yan'an University in 1973. After graduation, he became an editor of Yanhe magazine. In 1982, Lu Yao published his novella "Life", which was made into a film in 1984. It was at this time that he started to become well-known across China. In 1991, Lu Yao finished his most famous work, Ordinary World, which won the Mao Dun Literature Prize. His writing was closely related to his own life and experiences, and focused mostly on young people from his native Shanbei striving to change their lives.
(from Wikipedia)
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 306 reviews
March 18, 2019
Lu Yao is one of the most celebrated, prominent Chinese writers of the twentieth century, and this, one of only two novels he wrote before his passing age forty-two, is the first English translation despite being originally published decades ago. My seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge on the cultural traditions of China and Japan in particular coupled with a very proficient translator made this truly a joy to read; I learned a lot about the country from a historical perspective. Despite being a work of fiction the author uses it as a device so readers can witness the hardship the Chinese were subjected to in the harsh political and economic climate of the 1980s - paying particular attention to class struggle and the impact of being poverty-stricken.
It's written in such a beautiful, lyrical and moving way that I almost felt as though the author had penned this fable for me personally; it's an affectingly honest piece it's clear comes straight from the heart. Moving along at a brisk pace it follows determined young man Gao Jialin as he attempts to navigate the trials and tribulations visited upon him by time and circumstance; it's almost impossible not to care about our protagonist with him being so likeable and resilient. This is a story that will resonate deeply with those who have come up against adversity in life, and let's face it that is the majority of us at one time or another; therefore, it has a wonderful universality about it.
In the end, the reader is richly rewarded for investing their precious time and after a while I found myself savouring every single word of it, so much so that I was sad when it concluded as it felt as though I had lost a friend. I can only hope that Yao's second and only other published work, Ordinary World, receives the same attention and eventual translation into English; when it does I will be there.
Many thanks to AmazonCrossing for an ARC.
It's written in such a beautiful, lyrical and moving way that I almost felt as though the author had penned this fable for me personally; it's an affectingly honest piece it's clear comes straight from the heart. Moving along at a brisk pace it follows determined young man Gao Jialin as he attempts to navigate the trials and tribulations visited upon him by time and circumstance; it's almost impossible not to care about our protagonist with him being so likeable and resilient. This is a story that will resonate deeply with those who have come up against adversity in life, and let's face it that is the majority of us at one time or another; therefore, it has a wonderful universality about it.
In the end, the reader is richly rewarded for investing their precious time and after a while I found myself savouring every single word of it, so much so that I was sad when it concluded as it felt as though I had lost a friend. I can only hope that Yao's second and only other published work, Ordinary World, receives the same attention and eventual translation into English; when it does I will be there.
Many thanks to AmazonCrossing for an ARC.
March 26, 2021
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I've been on a literary fiction kick and while looking through my Kindle and trying to decide my next read, I came across Lu Yao's LIFE. Set in China during the 1980s, an incredible period of flux in terms of cultural and industrial development, this book revolves around the life of Gao Jialin. Jialin has just been fired from his job because of nepotism-- one of the village bigwigs needed his cushy teaching position for his own son-- and has returned to his parents to the drudgery of being a peasant, filled with grudging resentment.
Opportunity presents itself, though, in mysterious ways, and soon Jialin finds himself on the path he dreamed for himself once more: working at a prestigious position in the county seat, rekindling his old relationship with a past flame. Torn between two women representing drastically different styles of life, Jialin is not really sure whether his heart lies with the hard-working and diligent peasant girl, Qiaozhen, or the spoiled city girl, Yaping.
Like Russian literature, a lot of the Chinese literature I've read has been both epic and depressing, so I spent the whole book waiting for the shoe to drop. Which it did, although not as viciously as I expected. 90% of this book is about the complex interactions and relationships between people, and the tension between the old ways and the new, which might not be your cup of tea, since it's almost entirely character-driven, but I found it fascinating. Maybe it's because, even though this book could be gloomy, it never felt like it was without hope. I did feel like maybe Jialin was being punished for his hubris... but not at the cost of potential redemption.
Anyone who enjoys learning about other cultures and big epics will enjoy this book, I think. Apparently the author only wrote two books before dying relatively young, and this was one of them. The translation is very good (in that it flows smoothly and doesn't even really feel like a translated book at all) and it's about such an interesting time period. I'm glad I picked this up for World Book Day!
4 stars
March 7, 2019
2.5 rounded down
Lu Yao's novel Life was written in 1981, and, for me, this is not a novel that has aged particularly well. Those familiar with the politics and goings on in China at the time - the Cultural Revolution had recently ended, the trial of the Gang of Four was taking place, 改革开放 (economic reform aka "reform and opening up") was beginning- will find this a familiar story: a young man gets ousted from his role as a teacher, only to find his feet again because of nepotism before being publicly shamed and losing it all. Chuck in some manual labour, class struggle, angsty parents, pressure to get married, unrequited love, and you have all the hallmarks of a late 20th century Chinese tale.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a particularly bad read - it is quite snappy and fast paced. Unfortunately for this reader Life just didn't have anything particularly new or interesting to say.
Thank you Netgalley and AmazonCrossing for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Lu Yao's novel Life was written in 1981, and, for me, this is not a novel that has aged particularly well. Those familiar with the politics and goings on in China at the time - the Cultural Revolution had recently ended, the trial of the Gang of Four was taking place, 改革开放 (economic reform aka "reform and opening up") was beginning- will find this a familiar story: a young man gets ousted from his role as a teacher, only to find his feet again because of nepotism before being publicly shamed and losing it all. Chuck in some manual labour, class struggle, angsty parents, pressure to get married, unrequited love, and you have all the hallmarks of a late 20th century Chinese tale.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a particularly bad read - it is quite snappy and fast paced. Unfortunately for this reader Life just didn't have anything particularly new or interesting to say.
Thank you Netgalley and AmazonCrossing for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2022
This is a book that has been languishing on my TBR list for a considerable amount of time. I was ambivalent about reading it, having picked it up as a freebie.
Now, I am really pleased that I read it. The story is based on Gao Jialin a young Chinese man,born to poor peasant parents, he is intelligent and capable. The book is about this struggle to find a place in life that he believes is befitting for him. It follows his ups and downs, and discovery of love.
There are quite a few life lessons in this book and it really resonated with me. A lovely story very beautifully told.
Now, I am really pleased that I read it. The story is based on Gao Jialin a young Chinese man,born to poor peasant parents, he is intelligent and capable. The book is about this struggle to find a place in life that he believes is befitting for him. It follows his ups and downs, and discovery of love.
There are quite a few life lessons in this book and it really resonated with me. A lovely story very beautifully told.
June 18, 2020
This is Lu Yao's first translated work.
The author grew up in China and his writings reflect many of his own experiences. He writes about young people trying to change their lives amid the many outside influences -- society, government, family, class prejudices. The writing is very simple and straightforward, and reminded me of how Pearl Buck wrote in The Good Earth. Rather lovely, perhaps too simple.
The free ebook offered an accompanying free audible, but I preferred not to listen to it because the reader paused before all the Chinese surnames as if he was trying to sound them out. It grew very annoying.
The author grew up in China and his writings reflect many of his own experiences. He writes about young people trying to change their lives amid the many outside influences -- society, government, family, class prejudices. The writing is very simple and straightforward, and reminded me of how Pearl Buck wrote in The Good Earth. Rather lovely, perhaps too simple.
The free ebook offered an accompanying free audible, but I preferred not to listen to it because the reader paused before all the Chinese surnames as if he was trying to sound them out. It grew very annoying.
June 6, 2020
Lu Yao is a giant in Chinese literature, but his works haven’t found their way to the English-speaking world. ‘Life’ is one of the first such translations and I am delighted I found it for free on Amazon as part of their World Book Day celebrations.
Staying close to the heart of village life, this is a poignant look at one young man’s journey from misery to hope to despair all in the space of a few months. This is life, the author tells us. This constant shift from one end of the spectrum to another.
There are masterful depictions of Chinese rural life, the way of communist working, and tender little love stories throughout. What’s not to like?
Staying close to the heart of village life, this is a poignant look at one young man’s journey from misery to hope to despair all in the space of a few months. This is life, the author tells us. This constant shift from one end of the spectrum to another.
There are masterful depictions of Chinese rural life, the way of communist working, and tender little love stories throughout. What’s not to like?
June 27, 2022
I'm wrecked.
"She had thought about dying. But when she looked at the mountain valley she had lived and labored in for more than twenty years, when she looked at the earth and plants that she had kept green with her own sweat, those thoughts dissipated instantly. She was reluctant to leave this world; she loved the sun, loved the earth, loved work, loved the clear and bright Great Horse River, loved the grasses and wildflowers that grew on the riverbank . . . She couldn’t die! She should live! She wanted to work the land. There was something in the earth that could be found nowhere else".
This book is set in 1980's China, but it's major plot could have easily been in Eastern Kentucky anytime between then and yesterday and it's giving me some serious flashbacks. Sure, my upbringing didn't involve the communist agenda, but I know what is to be born poor, working class and how hard it is to leave a small town for a better life. I relate to Julian so much it physically hurts me, even if some of his personal choices strike me a little cold. A book like this is such a beautiful thing, allowing us to reach across time and culture to see that shared hope and pain.
"She had thought about dying. But when she looked at the mountain valley she had lived and labored in for more than twenty years, when she looked at the earth and plants that she had kept green with her own sweat, those thoughts dissipated instantly. She was reluctant to leave this world; she loved the sun, loved the earth, loved work, loved the clear and bright Great Horse River, loved the grasses and wildflowers that grew on the riverbank . . . She couldn’t die! She should live! She wanted to work the land. There was something in the earth that could be found nowhere else".
This book is set in 1980's China, but it's major plot could have easily been in Eastern Kentucky anytime between then and yesterday and it's giving me some serious flashbacks. Sure, my upbringing didn't involve the communist agenda, but I know what is to be born poor, working class and how hard it is to leave a small town for a better life. I relate to Julian so much it physically hurts me, even if some of his personal choices strike me a little cold. A book like this is such a beautiful thing, allowing us to reach across time and culture to see that shared hope and pain.
April 29, 2019
This was a deep philosophical book.... on life and how we go about living it.
I need to read it again, I don’t have a suitable review in my mind yet. This book deserves thought and insight. I love how it makes you think and reconsider things.
I WILL say that the main character was annoying...
I need to read it again, I don’t have a suitable review in my mind yet. This book deserves thought and insight. I love how it makes you think and reconsider things.
I WILL say that the main character was annoying...
July 23, 2021
I once took a Chinese film class with selections that spanned the decades of the 20th century. Some of the films were from the same time period in which this novel is set. While reading, I kept thinking this would make a great movie for that class.
Turns out, they did make a film in 1984, and it won the Hundred Flowers Award, which is the Chinese equivalent of the Academy Awards.
Turns out, they did make a film in 1984, and it won the Hundred Flowers Award, which is the Chinese equivalent of the Academy Awards.
Want to read
April 18, 2020Amazon World Book Day 2020
China
China
June 10, 2020
Life follows a Chinese man who just recently lost his job and now he hast to figure out what to do with his life. We follow him literally living life trying to find a new place to work a new ambition a new everything. He thought he had his life figured out until that moment so it’s really just following his life. How many times did I just say life? LOL
December 29, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book though I read it nearly straight through as it kept my attention throughout. In many ways it reminded me of old European novels, the earnest protagonist with a good heart trying to improve his lot in life, but at the same time it's set in 1980s Communist China with economic and cultural differences making such comparisons too ridiculous to consider. Boy aspires to rise in society through his talents - a classic set up for a Bildungsroman - but there are obstacles and lessons to be learned about how the world really works. Young, handsome, talented, poor, loved, envied.... You might be able to guess the arc of the young man's story, but it was enjoyable and eminently readable with some local flavors thrown in for spice separating it lightly from a universal tale.
September 12, 2021
This was a beautiful and heartbreaking read. I'm sure I missed details Chinese readers will interpret or understand differently, nevertheless I enjoyed the deep dive into that small mountain village and the life of Gao Jialin.
June 23, 2019
Visit the locations in the novel here
A good friend sent me this book as he knows I enjoy a good translated novel and I was so pleased he did. This was a tiny sized book which packed an enormous punch. It’s one of those which lingers after you’ve read it and you’re left with wanting to know more, not just about the book, but also the author.
My research told me that Lu Yao is one of the most celebrated, prominent Chinese writers of the twentieth century. He sadly died aged 42, but he wrote two books which have made such a mark on the literary world. He writes about the small villages and region of his youth and encapsulates their world so well with so few words, it’s quite remarkable. The translated version is exquisitely done.
This book has a story but it’s more of a literary experience than a novel. You float through the novel,watching the people, living their culture and their problems but also their joys. It’s a journey where you learn a lot about the culture and history of China without actually realising it. I really take my hat off to the translator that this read so easily and that the subjects were so accessible throughout.
It was heartbreaking to read about in places and to learn of the harsh political and economic climate of the 1980s. Add to that, the poverty, the weather, the harvests, the lack of education and the class struggle. Together, this makes the novel offer a unique view of that time from many angles.
It almost reads as if the author has written a diary. A personal account that I was privileged enough to read. He writes from the heart and you feel the gammet of emotions through his pen. A book to read slowly as each word counts.
I felt moved and very calm at the end. A reading experience I would heartily recommend to find out more from this Chinese author.
May 15, 2020
Part one of this book almost had me put it down, but the book is aptly named. When the book begins Gao Jialing has just lost his job and part one drags on because life seems to drag on while we're getting used to life after a disappointment. Part two picks up by the end of the book, the title couldn't have been anything else.
August 27, 2021
I enjoyed LIFE and its expression of the time in our lives when we make big decisions. Set in the past in China, the external forces influencing those decisions are different than what I faced at that age. Or are they the same? The human experience might be more similar than we assume.
January 7, 2021
'Life' begins as a very interesting story set in Communist China as its characters struggle with modern vs traditional ideas of work and relationships. The translation is very good and, for awhile at least, it's available for free if you trial Kindle Unlimited. Unfortunately, the second half becomes a bit of Chinese soap opera and one loses interest fast. The most striking aspect to me is how 'un-Western' the book's ending is, as most characters find themselves where they started instead of achieving their dreams. Horatio Alger it is not.
May 23, 2020
If you like plots twisted with unrequited love, you’ll like this novella. It’s a deep, well-written work which deals with the issue of abandoning one’s roots in rural China to make it big in the city. What holds the story back a little in my opinion is the author’s habit of explaining thoughts instead of allowing the reader to read between the lines. That being said, it’s not cliché, and it’s full of wisdom, especially towards the end.
October 8, 2021
A Life's Lesson
The author has beautifully woven the story around life of a common man and his experiences in life on both career and personal relationships. Its so relatable and makes the reader ponder over what actually would be the right thing to do in such unexpected situations that life throws at us. Thoroughly enjoyable and once you start, you will stay hooked to it!
The author has beautifully woven the story around life of a common man and his experiences in life on both career and personal relationships. Its so relatable and makes the reader ponder over what actually would be the right thing to do in such unexpected situations that life throws at us. Thoroughly enjoyable and once you start, you will stay hooked to it!
February 22, 2023
The title of the book says it all.
The experience of life in several people living in early 1980's China.
How life affects these peoples lives from the choices they make to just life experiences.
The culture was shown through the government, which was the Communist party at the time, Chinese culture and the new way of life.
To me it was an OK story but in the end it was very thought provoking.
The experience of life in several people living in early 1980's China.
How life affects these peoples lives from the choices they make to just life experiences.
The culture was shown through the government, which was the Communist party at the time, Chinese culture and the new way of life.
To me it was an OK story but in the end it was very thought provoking.
July 9, 2020
Something around 2.8 stars.
It was a ok read.
Not sure why I picked it up in the first place. I guess it was a recommendation from Kindle.
It was a ok read.
Not sure why I picked it up in the first place. I guess it was a recommendation from Kindle.
April 3, 2019
Life by Lu Yao is a novel about the struggle to move from one societal class to another. It is filled with lyrical prose that describes the scenery of rural China with such sweetness that you can feel the soil running through your fingers.
The characters are just as beautifully described, and it is easy to find yourself swept away into the time and place that was rural 1980’s China. I fell in love with Qiaozhen. She was the true heroine and someone I admired deeply for her loyalty to both her land and her people.
It tackles many universal themes: financial and spiritual desire, what it means to be successful in work and in relationships, love of country and people, betrayal, societal expectations, economic hardships – many themes that we all struggle with every single day.
There were moments I found it quite difficult to read, but it was so worth persevering.
#netgalley #life #LuYao
The characters are just as beautifully described, and it is easy to find yourself swept away into the time and place that was rural 1980’s China. I fell in love with Qiaozhen. She was the true heroine and someone I admired deeply for her loyalty to both her land and her people.
It tackles many universal themes: financial and spiritual desire, what it means to be successful in work and in relationships, love of country and people, betrayal, societal expectations, economic hardships – many themes that we all struggle with every single day.
There were moments I found it quite difficult to read, but it was so worth persevering.
#netgalley #life #LuYao
April 23, 2022
I see why this is a classic. The story is compelling, following Gao Jialin, a talented, intelligent and headstrong young man who yearns for more than the rural peasant life of his ancestors. Yet at the same time he feels pulled back to his humble roots and the simple life connected to the land. The tension between his conflicting desires is also personified in his relationships with women who represent the benefits/cons of city versus rural life. While the setting and values are uniquely Chinese, the overall tension between rural and city life is international. This could be set in any country during it's period of industrializing, with the main character remaining torn between the possibilities of the city and their traditional country roots. I also enjoyed the picture of what China was like during the 1980s. Worth the read!
August 25, 2021
I fell like this book is constructed to support the lessons of life that Yao feels are no longer being taught in the China of his time. (This reminds me that these lessons on virtue are no longer being passed down to the next generation in our time in this country: honesty, hard work, that life has its ups and downs, and that we should be building for a better life for future generations, and that happiness is not found in the "things" we seek to acquire that we think will bring us happiness.)
This book flows very well and is very readable. As I usually do with books that have names of characters that are not a familiar pattern, I write these names down on a strip of paper and note their spelling, their relationship to others in the story and their status. This helps me to keep them straight.
I will share the passage at the end of the book where the older man shares his pep talk with Jialin, who can't get much lower in spirit.
"Grandfather Deshun used a patched sleeve to wipe the tears from his eyes. "I heard you were coming back today so I came here to wait for you to tell you a few things. You mustn't lose hope! You also mustn't look down at our little town." He used a shriveled finger to point at the mountains and rivers and land around them. "This place - it has taken care of us for generations. Without land, we'd have nothing! Nothing! And as long as we love labor, , things will be OK. Besides, the party's laws are correct, and life continues to get better for us. The future looks good for our village - you'll see! My boy, don't lose heart! A strapping young lad such as yourself shouldn't fear falling. Just don't stop climbing, or else your really will be as dead as mutton." p.320
Grandfather, your words have helped me understand. I will remember them and they'll help me start a new life. By the river earlier, I ran into some other people and they spoke to me kindly as well. But I'm worried that Gao Minglou's and Liu Liben's families will make trouble for me."
"Aiya, don't worry! i just went to Minglou's house to see him about this exact issue. Years ago, his father and I were sworn brothers, So I'm not afraid to give him advice. I got him to agree not to pester you anymore. Oh! And I forgot to tell you. At Minglou's, I saw Qiaozhen imploring him to go work his magic at the commune and let you keep teaching. Tears were streaming down her face as she was her pleading. Minglou relented."
The characters are very easy to understand as they have the same yearnings, talents and faults that are familiar to any set of humans. The author weaves an interesting set of events that draws you in to story, has you empathizing with them and then drops in some philosophical advice as the events progress. The foreshadowing was very heavy and you could hardly not see the consequence coming.
I obtained a copy of this book on World Day, an Amazon Crossing event that allows you to download several books that have been translated into English and have won awards in foreign countries. I thank them for opening up the different viewpoints and styles for all to enjoy.
This book flows very well and is very readable. As I usually do with books that have names of characters that are not a familiar pattern, I write these names down on a strip of paper and note their spelling, their relationship to others in the story and their status. This helps me to keep them straight.
I will share the passage at the end of the book where the older man shares his pep talk with Jialin, who can't get much lower in spirit.
"Grandfather Deshun used a patched sleeve to wipe the tears from his eyes. "I heard you were coming back today so I came here to wait for you to tell you a few things. You mustn't lose hope! You also mustn't look down at our little town." He used a shriveled finger to point at the mountains and rivers and land around them. "This place - it has taken care of us for generations. Without land, we'd have nothing! Nothing! And as long as we love labor, , things will be OK. Besides, the party's laws are correct, and life continues to get better for us. The future looks good for our village - you'll see! My boy, don't lose heart! A strapping young lad such as yourself shouldn't fear falling. Just don't stop climbing, or else your really will be as dead as mutton." p.320
Grandfather, your words have helped me understand. I will remember them and they'll help me start a new life. By the river earlier, I ran into some other people and they spoke to me kindly as well. But I'm worried that Gao Minglou's and Liu Liben's families will make trouble for me."
"Aiya, don't worry! i just went to Minglou's house to see him about this exact issue. Years ago, his father and I were sworn brothers, So I'm not afraid to give him advice. I got him to agree not to pester you anymore. Oh! And I forgot to tell you. At Minglou's, I saw Qiaozhen imploring him to go work his magic at the commune and let you keep teaching. Tears were streaming down her face as she was her pleading. Minglou relented."
The characters are very easy to understand as they have the same yearnings, talents and faults that are familiar to any set of humans. The author weaves an interesting set of events that draws you in to story, has you empathizing with them and then drops in some philosophical advice as the events progress. The foreshadowing was very heavy and you could hardly not see the consequence coming.
I obtained a copy of this book on World Day, an Amazon Crossing event that allows you to download several books that have been translated into English and have won awards in foreign countries. I thank them for opening up the different viewpoints and styles for all to enjoy.
June 15, 2020
Not a review as much as phrases that come to mind.
The book kept pulling me back to my own childhood growing up in rural Jamaica against a backdrop of a farming community (Banana Ground, represent!). It is probably why I could readily identify with a lot of the actions and thoughts of Gao Jialin that to others might seem strange.
I am mindful that it is a translated work but, even accounting for that, the writing style is so unique. The narrator at times literally stops telling the story to philosophise on the implications of the circumstances that characters find themselves in then jumps right back into storytelling. I liked it.
The resolution at the end though..... I'm feeling emotions across the spectrum. Sadness at Gao Jialin's ambitions deferred for an eternity; anger that he was made out to be a villain of sorts for daring to place ambitions above love but also some satisfaction that his ending circumstances were livable.
I was sort of pissed off with the ending because my own values don't fully align with those of the writer. For me, being equally yoked with a partner is an important consideration for long-term relationships. The writer seemed to reject this notion out of hand. Instead, he seems to posit that maintaining fielty to your roots and circumstances above other matters ought to be the supreme consideration for young people.
I imagine that Lu Yao wrote this novel as an ode to the virtues of rural existence. Given the time that he wrote this novel (very early 1980s) this would have been when China was just having ideas of aggressive industrialisation. Something tells me that the shift in Zeitgeist in that country would result in a different reception for the book were it published today.
Definitely read it. I saw parts of myself in Gao Jialin and that is why on an emotional level I connected with the book so much. I could do without all the sobbing though. Damn.
The book kept pulling me back to my own childhood growing up in rural Jamaica against a backdrop of a farming community (Banana Ground, represent!). It is probably why I could readily identify with a lot of the actions and thoughts of Gao Jialin that to others might seem strange.
I am mindful that it is a translated work but, even accounting for that, the writing style is so unique. The narrator at times literally stops telling the story to philosophise on the implications of the circumstances that characters find themselves in then jumps right back into storytelling. I liked it.
The resolution at the end though..... I'm feeling emotions across the spectrum. Sadness at Gao Jialin's ambitions deferred for an eternity; anger that he was made out to be a villain of sorts for daring to place ambitions above love but also some satisfaction that his ending circumstances were livable.
I was sort of pissed off with the ending because my own values don't fully align with those of the writer. For me, being equally yoked with a partner is an important consideration for long-term relationships. The writer seemed to reject this notion out of hand. Instead, he seems to posit that maintaining fielty to your roots and circumstances above other matters ought to be the supreme consideration for young people.
I imagine that Lu Yao wrote this novel as an ode to the virtues of rural existence. Given the time that he wrote this novel (very early 1980s) this would have been when China was just having ideas of aggressive industrialisation. Something tells me that the shift in Zeitgeist in that country would result in a different reception for the book were it published today.
Definitely read it. I saw parts of myself in Gao Jialin and that is why on an emotional level I connected with the book so much. I could do without all the sobbing though. Damn.
April 8, 2021
“In a flash, things can change for the better. Yet while people may feel happy with their accomplishments, they may also feel a sense of loss at the suddenness of their success.”
This book may not have touched my soul like others I have read so far in 2021, but I found it.....alright. I wanted to really love and appreciate this book, but it felt like it was lacking in some areas.
This may be due to translation, but the writing was very simple and phrases reused frequently. People sobbed. Fell to the ground crying or buried their face and cried or let tear streak down their face a lot. Then it moved on? I wish there was more substance here and more explanation, better detail that really conveyed the emotions and thoughts of the characters.
I did enjoy the story, it reminded me a lot of a Chinese Romeo and Juliet, with cautions to young people thrown in at random times. The story was alright, I’m not mad I read it, but wasn’t my favorite.
This book may not have touched my soul like others I have read so far in 2021, but I found it.....alright. I wanted to really love and appreciate this book, but it felt like it was lacking in some areas.
This may be due to translation, but the writing was very simple and phrases reused frequently. People sobbed. Fell to the ground crying or buried their face and cried or let tear streak down their face a lot. Then it moved on? I wish there was more substance here and more explanation, better detail that really conveyed the emotions and thoughts of the characters.
I did enjoy the story, it reminded me a lot of a Chinese Romeo and Juliet, with cautions to young people thrown in at random times. The story was alright, I’m not mad I read it, but wasn’t my favorite.
September 16, 2020
I read this book for the ATY 2020 Reading Challenge Week 1: No A, T, or Y in the title.
While reading this book, I was also reading The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, it was very interesting to see the overlap of these two different cultures in China and the effect of Communism on the people. However, the idea that life is the same for all people is what I got out of the book. There are struggles, joys, triumphs, disappointments, and hardships. What you do with how you live is THE important part of your life, of Li-yan's life, and of Gao Jialin's life. Gao Jialin's life is rather a roller coaster. How would you live your life, if you were in his shoes, I wonder?
While reading this book, I was also reading The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, it was very interesting to see the overlap of these two different cultures in China and the effect of Communism on the people. However, the idea that life is the same for all people is what I got out of the book. There are struggles, joys, triumphs, disappointments, and hardships. What you do with how you live is THE important part of your life, of Li-yan's life, and of Gao Jialin's life. Gao Jialin's life is rather a roller coaster. How would you live your life, if you were in his shoes, I wonder?
May 12, 2020
Echt thuis ben ik niet in de Chinese literatuur, maar dit boek heeft er me helaas niet verder warm voor gemaakt. Het verhaal speelt zich af in landelijk China in het begin van de jaren tachtig. We volgen de lotgevallen van Jialin, een jongeman die op het platteland woont en voorbestemd is om een ‘peasant’ te zijn, maar die grootsere dromen en ambities najaagt. Blijkbaar wordt het boek vrij geprezen, maar ik miste diepgang. Het voelt meer als een parabel aan dan als een roman. De schrijfstijl is vrij eenvoudig, de personages vertonen weinig complexiteit en de dialogen voelen niet altijd even realistisch aan.
May 15, 2021
This was a very informative and interesting glimpse into the lives of young people living under the restrictions placed on them by the Communist Chinese government in the 1980's. While many of the challenges faced by the main character are unique to his culture and situation in life, there are many aspects of his struggle that are all too relatable. Depression, discouragement, ambition, hope, loyalty, love, failure, pain, conflict and the eternal struggle to decide between what is right and what is easy. I enjoyed this.
May 19, 2019
I received an advance digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When the old couple saw their son return, their faces, as dry and wrinkled as walnut shells, bloomed like two flowers; they were clearly happy their son had made it home before the rain started. In their eyes, it was as though their precious son was returning home after years at the ends of the earth, instead of after a week of working in Madian.
4.5 stars | This is my introduction to chinese literature, I haven't read anything from china before. I think, this novella is a perfect introduction to this genre. It is beautfiully written and describes perfectly the contrary lifes during that time. To some thoughts I could relate so much, it became quite scary 😅
Especially the ending blew my mind. Two thirds into the book and I wasn't sure anymore what is going to happen. Everything was possible. Hopefully Lu Yaos other book will be translated in the future. Can't wait to get messed up again!
Not only was there no money at home for oil and salt, but his parents were getting older and still had to work hard. As a member of the younger generation, how in good conscience could he continue to laze about, eating all day?
When the old couple saw their son return, their faces, as dry and wrinkled as walnut shells, bloomed like two flowers; they were clearly happy their son had made it home before the rain started. In their eyes, it was as though their precious son was returning home after years at the ends of the earth, instead of after a week of working in Madian.
4.5 stars | This is my introduction to chinese literature, I haven't read anything from china before. I think, this novella is a perfect introduction to this genre. It is beautfiully written and describes perfectly the contrary lifes during that time. To some thoughts I could relate so much, it became quite scary 😅
Especially the ending blew my mind. Two thirds into the book and I wasn't sure anymore what is going to happen. Everything was possible. Hopefully Lu Yaos other book will be translated in the future. Can't wait to get messed up again!
Not only was there no money at home for oil and salt, but his parents were getting older and still had to work hard. As a member of the younger generation, how in good conscience could he continue to laze about, eating all day?
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