I wasn’t best disposed to Xiaolu Guo’s new novel A Lover’s Discourse from the outset. It opens with a quote from Roland Barthes, with whose work it shares a title. Oh God, Barthes – didn’t I read him for my Master’s? Am I really up for a book that opens with a Barthes quote? AmContinue reading “Review #5: A Lover’s Discourse”
Tag Archives: reviews
Review #3: Must I Go
Does this book belong in a blog for books ‘about China’? Yiyun Li was born in Beijing but has lived in the US since 1996, now teaching at Princeton. Unlike her earlier novels, China features only in the background of Must I Go: a handful of diary entries take place in Shanghai in 1931; aContinue reading “Review #3: Must I Go”
Review #2: I Live In The Slums
The best books I own release deep emotional memories when I handle them, or see them on my shelves. Whether a pang of longing, or a pleased satisfaction of a compelling plot, they tap into something deep-seated in my emotional being. Whenever I catch a glimpse of the first Can Xue book I read –Continue reading “Review #2: I Live In The Slums”
Review #1: Braised Pork
An Yu’s debut work leaped off the shelf to me – a beguiling cover design (it’s no surprise that Harvill Secker have put its best creative support behind this considering the 7-way auction) and a fabulously intriguing title. This was one of those books I wanted to read as little as possible about beforehand. BraisedContinue reading “Review #1: Braised Pork”
Charlie Reads China 