Written about the Chinese cultural revolution where the educated were reduced to subservient jobs and their children where taken to remote areas and re-educated to be peasants. This story is lighter and more whimsical than most I have read in this setting. There is plenty of grim events, but they act as a counterpoints to the story of the two young men who want life to return to some sort of normal. They want to do more than just exist. They desire books, which are forbidden in this new China so they can feed their soul with events outside their lives and beautiful words. The two young men come by a book and try to educate the little seamtress, a beautiful innocent girl, who lives in an even more remote village. They endeavor takes some interesting twists and turns including the fact that they are keeping books, which are illegal. An enjoyable read and a well done audio. Written about the Chinese cultural revolution where the educated were reduced to subservient jobs and their children where taken to remote areas and re-educated to be peasants. This story is lighter and more whimsical than most I have read in this setting. There is plenty of grim events, but they act as a counterpoints to the story of the two young men who want life to return to some sort of normal. They want to do more than just exist. They desire books, which are forbidden in this new China so they can feed their soul with events outside their lives and beautiful words. The two young men come by a book and try to educate the little seamtress, a beautiful innocent girl, who lives in an even more remote village. They endeavor takes some interesting twists and turns including the fact that they are keeping books, which are illegal. An enjoyable read and a well done audio.
It was a quick enough read but I feel that was part of the problem... the characters were not developed at all. I didn't feel like I ever really got to know them so ultimately didn't care what happened to them. Learned some interesting things about the cultural revolution but wish the book had been more developed. The ending was very abrupt, in fact it kind of took me by surprise when it ended, and I was very disappointed in never really finding out what happened to the characters.
—Anjali
I missed this book when it first came out, and it sat on my shelves for several years. What a delightful read! It's about how art changes us, moves us and how we seek it out even if doing so is very dangerous. I've read several memoirs of survivors of the cultural revolution. This story concentrates on the forbidden fruit of western literature.I believe this was made into a film, and want to seek it out. Highly recommended!
—PaintingKnight
Me ha gustado muchísimo. Una preciosa oda a la literatura clásica y a la libertad de expresión.
—Wintertmm
This got good reviews but I was very disappointed.
—Taneale
A good read.
—thonayo
