Shenzheners

by Yiwei Xue, Darryl Sterk (Translation)

The first book in English by acclaimed Chinese-Canadian writer Xue Yiwei, Shenzheners is inspired by the young city of Shenzhen, a market town north of Hong Kong that became a Special Economic Zone in 1980 as an experiment in introducing capitalism to Communist China. A city in which everyone is a newcomer, Shenzhen has grown astronomically to become a major metropolitan centre. Hailed as a Chinese Dubliners, the original collection was named one of the Most Influential Chinese Books of the Year in 2013, with most of the stories appearing in Best Chinese Stories.

Genres: China, Fiction, Short Stories

188 pages, Paperback

Published August 9, 2016

Reviews

[Siyang · Rating 4 out of 5]

So addicted to the author's tendency to use repetitious language.

"But that was a dream my parents made me dream. It eas a dream that our manic society made me dream"

"As in the past, I covered my face in the curtain, as if afraid he would see me. As if last Thursday had not happened. Maybe he had never even seen me, I thought, embarrassed. Maybe he would never see me."

"She chose reliability. Even though he was just a salesman in a real estate agency. Even though he wasn’t cultivated. Even though he didn’t look dashing. Even though he was twenty full centimetres shorter than his rival. Even though he fell short by far in wit and manner. Even though he did not like Vivaldi and had never heard of either The Unbearable Lightness of Being or Remembrance of Things Past. It was just because he struck her as reliable."

[Evelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reconfirms my qualms about short stories. None of Xue's stories (save for a select one or two) give enough time to delve into... anything. One-dimensional characters with emotions seldom truly explored, strange relationships spanning over a hundred pages, with utterly bizarre descriptions of women and the form that are more irritating than not to read.

So sure, Shenzheners has the potential to be compelling, but it falls short by a distance. I have little to remark on it.

[Hoong · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yiwei's stories and vignettes share the characteristic sociocultural Chinese atmosphere, which fits the genre I choose to read to reminisce. However, I find the stories somewhat disorienting as they do not follow the typical American short story template. This might likely confuse other readers who are not used to a different style of storytelling. Overall, it was satisfactory, allowing me, a Chinese diaspora, to experience other Chinese supposedly lived experiences.

[Nicholas Bonnin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Airplane Read.

Very very male. Too fast and too much like a puzzle and not enough like a painting. He can’t let it breathe. Obnoxiously male. The characters have no agency.

I wanted to dive into this pond and pick water grass from the bottom but there was an unappealing algae covering the surface from edge to edge.

I felt “The Taxi Driver” was a strong story.

[Ankit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Books and Brews #3

[Arjen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reads as if written for a high school assignment. The emotions feel too big, the stories too one dimensional, not quite the ‘maverick’ promised on the back page yet.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

These stories are extremely well crafted, but also somewhat depressing on their view of humans and human relationships.

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars