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Il Supplizio Del Legno Di Sandalo (2001)

by Mo Yan(Favorite Author)

4.04 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

8806186612 (ISBN13: 9788806186616)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Einaudi

review 1: Nobel Prize-winner Mo Yan, one of China's most recognized literary artists, offers the tale of execution and those who do the job, it's not pretty work and it's not an engaging endictment of pre-Communist China. It's set during the Boxer Rebellion -- 1898 to 1901 -- and casts the characters against an anti-imperialist struggle waged by North China's farmers and craftsmen who oppose Western influence. The story is as embellished as a Russian novel, filled with lyrical, sensual imagery, but the story's density works against the book being an engaging read. However, the translation work of Howard Goldblatt is a stunning accomplishment. The books itself, for modern American tastes, not so much.
review 2: Just love the novel to pieces! First, it gives me a rough pic... moreture of what it must have been like when the fall of Qing Empire loomed ahead. The hardship people had to encounter, political and social turmoil, xenophobia, persecution by Western nations who came to China in order to reap benefits, etc. Some historical figures are mentioned as well, e.g. Empress Dowager Cixi and Yuan Shikai, who triggers some interest in me to the extent that I have to research more about him and his dominance on the Qing Dynasty. I also learn more about Maoqiang Opera, which, it seems, is rare these days. Personally, I am more familiar with the Chinese opera performed in Thailand, which I guess, is influenced by the Peking Opera. The description of local people coming together at the site where Sandalwood Death is to be performed on Sun Bing is very vivid. The part describing the people giving the choral "meow meow" to Sun Bing's singing is soooo vivid that I could hardly keep myself from singing "meow meow" along with them! Too bad I can't read Chinese so I have no chance of learning how beautiful Mo Yan's original text sounds. ;(Another part of the novel that captivates me the most is the graphic description of Qian Xiongfei's execution. I could almost picture each tormenting cut on myself and couldn't help imagining how excruciatingly painful it must be. There're loads more about the novel that intrigue me. But that's it for now. LOL less

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