Jin Village

by Vincent Stoia

For generations, the inhabitants of the remote Jin Village in China had almost no contact with the outside world. Nearby villages whispered of murder and odd disappearances. Then the Jin villagers vanished.

Now, one hundred years later, American historian Malcolm Wang and a team of archaeologists arrive at Jin Village to excavate the ruins. They uncover evidence of a long history of human sacrifice and cannibalism. What Malcolm and his companions don’t know is that Jin Village is still very much alive. There is something out there, a dangerous remnant of a forgotten past…and it has woken up.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, China, Adult

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

My deepest apologies to author Vincent Stoia, who sent me his book to read 4+ years ago. If it is any consolation, I have not accepted another offer since then because of my guilt in not having read his. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

What I liked was the setting of this book in a haunted, abandoned, cursed village in rural China. The half-Chinese protagonist, graduates from college, and joins his stepfather on his joint research project there. A pipeline is planned, and so there are different agendas, especially by the co-head, a well-known professor in China. It also reminded me of Poltergeist to some extent, things that scare people: in this case old wives' tales being quite significant. The tension among the characters was well-done as was the evil Mother Chen.

However, I thought there was too much dialogue and gore: suspense being more horrifying than slaughter, at least for me. Also, while like most Westerners, I am horrified by the binding of feet and the pain inflicted on generations of Chinese women, I did not need this repeated again and again, nor the deep dive into the process, despite its significance in the story.

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. So here it goes... (Review in Spanish at the bottom of the post)

I was a little skeptical at first, because horror stories can go from amazing to ridiculous in just a few pages. Luckily Jin Village had the perfect mix of humor, history and horror that kept me hooked until the end. This is pretty much me while reading this book:



I really liked Sean from the start. He is clever, hot, funny and a genuine nice guy... where do I sign up?

Sean laughed. Jill thought that when he smiled, he looked like a Chinese Matt Damon, only much younger. Such an odd thing to think but still, there were worse-looking guys out there than Matt Damon.

Sean Yang was a writer, thank you very much. So far he had published four articles in the Ithacan, his school's newspaper. Four! J. K. Rowling, move over! Sean liked to tell people that writing was a tough thing to study, but at least he'd have a good job when he graduated. The truth was that he'd rather be a poor writer that a wealthy anything else.

This part in particular made me laugh so hard! I was thinking the exact same thing just a second before I read it:

When it was Sean's turn, he walked up to the table, smiled and held out his bowl. "Good morning!"
With all the charm of a DMV clerk, Dawei snatched the bowl, filled it with broth, and pushed it back into Sean's hands. Sean wanted to ask the guy if he had ever heard of a TV show called Seinfeld, and if the term Soup Nazi meant anything to him.

When it came down to the horror, the historical background itself was enough to give me goose bumps. It was accurate, complete and simply horrifying.

Studies on foot binding cite different reasons for its practice. A common theory is the subjugation of women. It is easier to control a person when she can barely walk. That is probably true, but secondary. The main reason for foot binding was simple: men liked it. [...] Poems from pre-modern China describe the delicate beauty of a little foot that fit in the palm of one's hand. Intentional or not, some of these poems reveal a very strong sexual attraction.
Millions of women suffered unspeakable torture because the men had a foot fetish.

The author really knows what he's talking about, specially about the feet binding, an ancient Chinese tradition that intrigued and horrified me for years. This book not only made me remember all about it, it made me suffer it as well. Just thinking about what all those five years old girls went through makes me feel... just... AAAARRRRRRR!!!!!!

After Chen Lifen's feet were bound, her mother took her for walks every day. She could feel the broken bones in her feet grind and press together. The pain was monstrous, indescribable. It cast a gray fog over her brain, pushing out all conscious thought until there was only a dull, heavy misery.
[...]Why did they accept these things? Why did they turn away from their daughter's cries for help? [...] The mothers were as guilty as the fathers—maybe even more so, because they knew what the children were going through.
They were all guilty.

So yeah, I agree with her on this. And I totally understand her anger and her need for revenge. Maybe I wouldn't have murdered an entire village but... you know.
That made me appreciate so much more those few people that were against it. Like Hong, a hated and underestimated man that proved to be more courageous than anyone else.

Hong was not a political man, opposed to the barbarity of foot binding on moral grounds. He wasn't trying to make a statement. He simply couldn't do it. When he saw his daughter smile and jump, when he knew how she loved and trusted him, the thought of hurting her in that way made him want to cry.
He felt the same way about his other daughters and so none of them had bound feet. [...] He never doubted his decision for a second. The other villagers chastised Hong. They called him weak and henpecked. [...] Hong didn't mind. Al least his kids could walk.

Jin Village is an amazing and entertaining historical-horror book that will make you think about all the things that have changed in our societies over the years, for better or worse.

"We are a modern force in a place that is ancient. We are kicking over old bones, and we've disturbed something. Something that has risen to protect itself in the only way it knows how."

MI RESEÑA EN ESPAÑOL:

Me sentí un poco escéptica al principio, porque las historias de horror pueden pasar de asombrosas a ridículas en unas pocas páginas. Por suerte, Jin Village tuvo la combinación perfecta de humor, historia y horror que me mantuvo enganchada hasta el final. Esta soy más o menos yo al leer este libro:


Realmente me gustó Sean desde el comienzo. Es inteligente, caliente, gracioso y un verdadero buen tipo... ¿dónde me anoto?

Sean se rió. Jill pensó que cuando sonría parecía un Matt Damon chino, sólo que mucho más joven. Era algo extraño de pensar pero aún así, había tipos más feos que Matt Damon allá afuera.

Sean Yang era un escritor, muchas gracias. Hasta ahora había publicado cuatro artículos en el Ithacan, el periódico de su universidad. ¡Cuatro! ¡J. K. Rowling, muévete a un lado! A Sean le gustaba decir que la escritura era algo difícil de estudiar, pero que al menos tendría un buen trabajo cuando se graduara. La verdad era que él preferiría ser un pobre escritor que un rico cualquier-otra-cosa.

¡Esta parte en particular me hizo morir de risa! Estaba pensando exactamente lo mismo un segundo antes de leerlo:

Cuando fue el turno de Sean, él se acercó a la mesa, sonrió y sostuvo su tazón. "¡Buenos días!"
Con todo el encanto de un empleado de DMV, Dawei le arrebató el tazón, lo llenó con caldo, y lo empujó de vuelta a las manos de Sean. Sean quiso preguntarle al tipo si alguna vez había escuchado de un show de televisión llamado Seinfeld, y si el término "Nazi de la Sopa" significaba algo para él.

En cuanto al horror, el mismo trasfondo histórico fue suficiente para darme piel de gallina. Fue certero, completo y simplemente horrorizante.

Los estudios acerca del vendaje de pies citan distintas razones para su práctica. Una teoría muy común es la dominación de las mujeres. Es más fácil controlar a una persona cuando no puede caminar. Eso es probablemente cierto, pero secundario. La razón principal para el vendaje de pies era sencilla: a los hombres les gustaba. [...] Poemas de la China pre-moderna describen la delicada belleza de un pie pequeño que quepa en la palma de tu mano. Intencionalmente o no, algunos de estos poemas revelan una muy fuerte atracción sexual.
Millones de mujeres sufrieron torturas indescriptibles porque los hombres tenían un fetiche de pies.

El autor realmente sabe de lo que habla, especialmente acerca del vendaje de los pies, una antigua tradición china que me intrigó y horrorizó hace unos años. Este libro no sólo me hizo recordar todo acerca de ello, me hizo sufrirlo también. El solo pensar por lo que todas esas niñas de cinco años tuvieron que pasar me hace sentir... solo... AAAARRRRRRR!!!!!!

Después de que los pies de Chen Lifen fueran vendados, su madre la llevó a dar caminatas todos los días. Ella podía sentir los huesos rotos de sus pies moliéndose y aplastándose. El dolor era monstruoso, indescriptible. Lanzaba una niebla gris sobre su cerebro, erradicando todo pensamiento consciente hasta que sólo quedaba una lánguida y pesada miseria.
[...] ¿Por qué ellas aceptaban estas cosas? ¿Por qué ignoraban los gritos de socorro de sus hijas? [...] Las madres eran tan culpables como los padres—quizá más todavía, porque ellas sabían lo que sufrían las niñas.
Todos eran culpables.

Entonces sí, concuerdo con ella en esto. Y entiendo totalmente su ira y su necesidad de venganza. Quizá yo no habría asesinado a una aldea entera pero... en fin.
Y eso me hizo apreciar mucho más a esas pocas personas que estaban en contra de ello. Como Hong, un hombre odiado y subestimado que resultó ser mucho más valiente que cualquier otro.

Hong no era un hombre político, oponiéndose a la brutalidad del vendaje de los pies por razones morales. No intentaba hacer una declaración. Él simplemente no podía hacerlo. Cuando veía a su hija saltar y reír, sabiendo cuánto lo amaba y confiaba en él, el solo pensar en lastimarla así lo hacía querer llorar. Se sentía de la misma manera acerca de sus otras hijas, de modo que ninguna de ellas tenía sus pies vendados. [...] Él jamás dudó de su decisión ni por un segundo. Los otros aldeanos castigaron a Hong. Lo llamaron débil y dominado por su mujer. [...] A Hong no le importaba. Por lo menos sus niñas podían caminar.

Jin Village es un libro asombroso y entretenido de horror-histórico que te hará pensar acerca de todas las cosas que han cambiado en nuestras sociedades con el paso de los años, para bien o para mal.

"Somos una fuerza moderna en un lugar antiguo. Caminamos sobre viejos huesos, y hemos perturbado algo. Algo que se ha levantado para protegerse de la única manera en que sabe hacerlo."

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a confession to make. Yes, it's a deep dark one that will probably disturb and disgust everyone but IT MUST BE SAID. I get nauseous when people start talking about plastic surgery. Seriously. I end up all queased out with my eyes rolling around in my head. Does anyone remember that episode of The X-Files where the guy was doing plastic surgery and ... Nope, I can't even talk about it (by the by, I've never been able to watch that episode all the way through without cringing behind a finger wall and peeking out to make sure the gross parts are done).

Why am I talking about this? you might be asking yourself. Well, the practice of binding a young girl's feet is discussed at some length and it added this whole new level of horrified terror to the book for me. No joke. I was sitting there all bug-eyed and faint and then people starting dying in an awful, terrible, no-good manner and I was like "AT LEAST THERE'S NO MORE FOOT BINDING!" *fans self*

Here's the thing, this book is already full of spooky goodness. It has a wonderfully creepy setting (abandoned village deep in the heart of nowhere, China) and the type of bad guy that makes your skin feel too small. Mother Chen is a confusing mix of pure evil and a dark product of what was done to her. There were times I felt for her. Sure, those times were quickly overshadowed by her craziness but... well, she had her moments.

Dark and claustrophobic, this book brought the creep factor and kept the tension high. The characters were flawed and likeable and they fought against this insidious evil the only way they knew how. I can't lie, I was hooked early on.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE A GOOD GHOST STORY. THE HISTORY IN THE BOOK WENT INTO MORE OF THE HORRIBLE DETAILS OF THE BINDING OF THE FEET. I KNEW THIS WAS HORRIFIC BUT IT GOES INTO GREAT DETAIL. MOTHER CHEN MAKES A GREAT GHOST THAT YOU WOULD DEFINATELY NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH, BUT I CAN SEE HOW SHE TURNED OUT THE WAY SHE DID.. A GREAT QUICK READ BUT VERY GOOD INDEED.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I won this in a goodreads giveaway.

I was a bit nervous when I found out I won this book, because horror can be hit or miss. I'm not a gorehound. I love atmospheric, creepy horror. I shouldn't have worried. This books has TONS of atmosphere and creep. Matter of fact, for the first couple parts of the book (it's split up into parts as the story progresses) it was nothing but atmosphere.

There's a bit of a jarring transition from the creepy atmosphere to something much more physical. It actually put me off for a day or so, before I picked the book back up. I didn't understand it, but upon finishing the book I think that's because I didn't recognize the mythology behind it. It felt like gee, suddenly zombies! However, everything is (very quickly, I might add) explained so the reader doesn't feel so annoyed or confused by the shift. And just as quickly we find out the critters are very different from the American version we know and love.

The best thing about this book is the mythology. I don't pretend to know anything about Chinese legend and myth so I couldn't tell you how much research the author did, but since he's been living in Taiwan since 2004...well, I'm going to assume he's not just making it up. The mythology is quite interesting, as are the glimpses into the past of the village itself.

I found the characters quite interesting as well. The author makes them intriguing and doesn't skimp on showing us the hardships and terror they experience throughout the story. I really can't fault his characterization in what turns out to really be a survival horror book.

Randomly, I wanted to say how impressed I was with the physical binding of the book. The cover has a neat texture and feels very high quality. The paper is decently heavy stock and the printing is very nice. I'm not sure why I was so impressed with the binding, but I was, so I thought I'd put it in here. It's not often I pull a book out and my first thought is 'wow, this is high quality'.

[Rianne Heartfilia · Rating 2 out of 5]

It actually feels pretty harsh to give this book 2 stars but 3 feels a bit too much for my liking. Let me say the most important thing first: this book wasn't bad, just not my cup of tea. The writing was nice, nothing bad to say about it, explained clearly when it was about Chinese words that I obviously didn't know. The only thing that annoyed me some time was the long stories that weren't that important. Especially one situation I could point out was where Hong didn't bind his daughters' feet. Yet Stoia explained everything about foot binding. Which is interesting, for people that don't know about it. I did and I have to admit something that didn't make it much easier: I was eating at the point of reading that. I still can't imagine how the people of China could have done that at that time.

People should remind me during my reading that I’m going to make notes so I could make a proper review once I’m done. What I do know is that I found the book cliché and not, because basically the gunshot, the dying part when it is all almost over.. cliché. However it was Chinese legends, not so cliché especially if you have never read about it. I was very interested about all that and it was interesting but I don’t have to read this book again.
The beginning was interesting, just the way the ending was done. But the in between took me way too long to read to be comfortable with and it wasn’t only because I was too busy working as a freelance painter in my own mother’s house. Besides I got this book to read as a horror, now I don’t mind horrors, my mind simply goes in overdrive and freaks out about things that make the horror story more plausible. My brain was probably bored by this book and didn’t have to make up plausible horror stories and which made the book for me not interested based on that genre. The Chinese culture was a bit more interesting.

Based on the characters, I didn’t really like anyone. Sean was interesting but too easy for me the moment he set eyes on Amy. Which was before all the ‘horror’ adventures started. Such an easy guy. Lee.. let’s not even get there. Amy.. same, although she was less of a disaster, she was just not my type of friend. Zhongen was fine and Malcolm was okay too. But no one caught my eye to say: damn favourite.

If I have to pick one and this is not based on the story but it would be Mother Chen. This is for a different reason than the book. As a friend of mine plays/played an old woman on an RP game and well his character definitely reminded me of Mother Chen which made her all together quite hilarious to me. But as I point out, if I didn’t know his character, she wouldn’t be fun either.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story. At first, I felt a bit intimidated about it being over 500 pages. But the story was fast paced and it kept my interest from the beginning.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A REALLY enjoyable first novel from this exciting foreign-based author Vincent Stoia. From the get-go, the location had already piqued my interest. Ancient Chinese villages, lost in the mountains (not to mention the mists of time) are hardly your typical horror story location. Add in some archaeology, malevolent ghosts and characters whose motivations are at times extremely suspect and you have the makings of a cracking good read. The strongest part of the novel though, were the flashbacks into the history of Jin Village. Foot-binding, traditions and superstitions of ancient Chinese culture are all featured and help to educate the reader while further enhancing the terror which is to follow. I won't be whistling at night while simultaneously wearing red and looking at moon anytime soon, I'll say that much!

[Kim Moyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story although I didn't find it as suspenseful as other horror books I've read. It was still creepy though and wasn't gore-filled in any way (I really dislike gore-horror; suspense is much better, IMO).

I thought the history of Jin Village and the legends, myths and tales known by generations of people living nearby were intriguing and well put-together. I also thought the inclusion of the saddening past of foot binding in China was a nice tie in.

I wish that more information was given on Mother Chen and how she obtained and grew her powers. The story just skips over all of that.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I had tried to win this book at least ten times over the last year or so. I finally gave in and purchased it. I'm not sorry. The story is a good one. The setting couldn't have been more interesting and characters were as well. Learning about the Chinese culture was really fascinating and I enjoyed the small gems of folklore, like don't whistle at night. I did think there was some awkward transitioning in the writing when moving from place to place or between time periods but overall it was well written and easy to read. It was just the right amount of creepy without making me terrified.

[Ani · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a wonderful first novel! I really loved to read this story.
I won this novel on Goodreads, this was my first try with giveaways – well, I’m very happy with this horror/thriller novel! Why I wanted to read? Chinese culture, Ghosts, Thriller – It can’t be bad!
I think my favourite part was Malcolm and Sean’s friendly conversation. I really loved this part! Heartwarming.
Mother Chen is a genius evil and the zombies… I can’t stop in reading…! I was sad because of Amy’s pain and Malcolm’s shoot.
The most scariest thing in the novel was the story of The Foot Binding Process.
One more thing: I really like the book’s cover.

(Sorry for my English :))

[Bibash Sapkota · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.

This was an interesting read. The best part of this book is the story of Hong and his daughter, and the information about foot binding culture. I was shocked to know the cruelty of ancient Chinese society towards female. In addition, it also provides some insights over Chinese culture and superstitions. I found that some of those superstitions match with ours. But first half of this book is little slow and this book lacks twist and turns. Apart from these two complaints, I have nothing to make against this book. 

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it was a horror story (and i don't do horror), i really couldn't put this book down. There were some parts that made me cringe (foot binding),but made the story more believable. The characters were authentic. Mother Chen is one bad mother. At first i thought she was some Chinese version of Mother Earth, I was wrong. She was creepy, sinister, and evil. All the things you want from a wu po (witch).

[Elin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a first-reads giveaway.

I don't usually read horror books, so story-wise this might not have been for me. But I have to say I really liked the writing. The switches from different persons point-of-view was beautifully done, and also between first and third person. It could have gotten messy and hard to follow, but no such thing.

It was a very enjoyable read, and if Mr Stoia decides to write another book in a different genre I'm definitely reading it!

[Mindi Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It kept me hooked from start to finish. For a debut novel, I feel this is up there with Stephen King's horror stories. The characters were well developed and the story kept me turning page after page. I can't wait to read more of Stoia's work.

[Azet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I damn well never read horror at all but because of a threat from an psycho class-mate, i was forced to read this one and i actually don`t regret it after i finished it.

It was very exciting but scared the shit out of me.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story of life and traditions in the Chinese culture.

[Alytha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find out everything you've never wanted to know about Chinese foot-binding...*shudder*.
All in all, very creepy, somewhat straight horror, although sometimes the pacing isn't as good as it could be.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed the mix of archaeology, Chinese history, and horror. I give it 4.5 stars.

[Shivani · Rating 5 out of 5]

an amazing storyline.... i would die to read this book... can't wait

[Jeffrey Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is a horror/thriller with an interesting premise and strong character development.

The characters are well-crafted, each undergoing important growth as they confront the village’s grim secrets.

Stoia’s writing style is immersive, with vivid descriptions that bring the eerie setting to life, making the reader feel the weight of the village’s tragic history.

However, the pacing falters, with some sections dragging while others rush through critical moments, and the story could define some character motivations more clearly.

Historical flash-backs feel like info-dumps rather than integrated sections of the narrative.

Overall, Jin Village is a gripping read that will appeal to fans of historical mysteries and supernatural thrillers.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but found it dragged in some parts. Loved the setting and the Chinese folklore.

[Tam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this as a Goodreads giveaway.

Warning: I'm not so confident giving this book a review. I might be a bit too harsh since thriller is not my usual genre, and thus I have no sense where the book's quality stands. As a result, I have to resort to comparing it with some others - heavier towards fantasy - that I read before. Overall it is an enjoyable read for me, but it could have been better.

Jin Village is kinda a Chinese version of Mummy. The comparison is bad, I know, but that gives you a general idea: ancient, evil, powerful force vs. some modern men and women. It is about a group of archeologists and engineers going to excavate an ancient, forgotten, cursed village and then finding themselves trapped in a nightmare.

There are a few problems I encounter with the book.

First is characters. In the beginning, there are 40 people and I was feeling very optimistic for I thought there would be interesting interactions among this group, a political/sociology study or sth. But instead, Jin Village has quite a narrow focus: only 5 of them are actually active. The rest plays only a very trivial role, in fact they disappear too quickly. Five main characters are two professors (one evil-one kind), two assistants (a college boy and a phD student) and one former military man. There is also, of course, stories from the main evil and another farmer named Hong (whose story I like most). The stories are mainly told in their viewpoints. The narrow focus would be fine if these characters show some more psychological depth and more distinct personalities. However, I find them very indistinguishable. It seems anyone can behave just like the way they do? And then there is this evil professor, which I find not very convincing, quite simplistic and one dimensional. Also, I find these characters' personal anecdotes are not really connected into the story but remain detached and sometimes disrupt the story line, rather distracting. The sexual tensions between Amy and Sean, for example, is unneccessary in my opinion (but maybe interesting for other readers?). Their growing attachment is not convincing for me.

Then the plot. I feel a bit disappointed since I expect a more well-structured and developed plot. You know, the type that every minute details, every small hints work together towards a big grand scheme. Maybe some connections between the past and the present. Above all, I wish that Mother Chen's past, her driving force for revenge, were stronger and better told. Not that the story is not convincing, but it is still somewhat weak. Her development into power is ignored, which is such a waste. I wish her power is more well imagined (how it works, where does the power come from? etc., a clearer system). In short, the plot is quite sketchy and a bit fragmented. Writings could have been improved, more descriptives and showing not telling could have been more effective.


Despite all of these weaknesses, Jin Village has a major strength that outweighs all and that makes me finish the book. It is Stoia's ability to create the atmosphere of the ancient, isolated Chinese village. I was quite absorbed into that quiet and yet thrilling world. The cover itself is captivating! I immediately visualize the mountains and houses, etc. It feels distinctively Chinese, which is a great achievement. Perhaps this is because the author is able to integrate quite accurately Chinese cultures and traditional customs into the book. I believe many will be fascinated by paragraphs on bound feet, they are very informative and yet short enough not to interrupt the flow of the book.

[Greta Samuelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story- I enjoyed it. I think it would make a great movie.
I wonder if one of Vincent Stoia's influences is Stephen King, it felt like that must be the case while I was reading this book.

[Richard Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jin Village was a scary book. Great first novel for Mr. Stoia.