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CJHG

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默读 (默读 #1)

by Priest

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CJHG said: " I'm still reading 默读, but would give it 5 stars without a doubt. I'm reading it in the original Chinese with the help of the very helpful translation by edanglars. Although the translation is quite accurate (and literal), I would strongly recommend t I'm still reading 默读, but would give it 5 stars without a doubt. I'm reading it in the original Chinese with the help of the very helpful translation by edanglars. Although the translation is quite accurate (and literal), I would strongly recommend that anyone who can read Chinese at an intermediate or higher level read the original as there are numerous expressions that don't translate naturally to English. There's also a drama based on the novel coming out in 2022? (hopefully?) and I'm very curious to see how well this book translates to a censor-friendly TV series.

I won't say too much about the plot (since that is covered by other reviews and I'm still getting through the novel!) but will touch on a few other aspects of the book which are really interesting and well done.

Setting: The book is set in the fictional city of 燕城 (Yancheng), where there's a clear divide between the haves and have-nots. Socioeconomic and class issues are vividly fleshed out through the characters: Fei Du (as a fuerdai) has more money than he can spend in a lifetime and lives out of hotels, Tao Ran is solidly middle-class and frets over finding a wife and making enough to live comfortably, and Luo Wenzhou (as the son of a government official and therefore a member of an elite, albeit not wealthy, class) gets by well enough even as he instinctively disapproves of Fei Du's profligate lifestyle. There are also various interesting tidbits about social media mobs, bureaucratic politics etc. If (like me) you're not familiar with modern Chinese society, the novel is quite an eye-opener. Priest describes these social issues with a clear eye, but without being didactic or judgmental.

Narrative: Priest has a wonderful narrative voice - snarky, warm and compassionate. (Look out for the parts where the narrator goes into Lang Qiao's head as she starts shipping Luo Wenzhou and Fei Du - it's hilarious!) Also, while Priest's narrative is generally heavy on description, various relationship turning points are not described explicitly and left to the reader to infer from the dialogue and characters' actions. I wish she used this narrative technique more often.

Main couple: Luo Wenzhou and Fei Du are complex characters, and it's clear that both characters and their relationship are works in progress. Priest takes her time to depict the subtle progressions in their relationship in a compelling and realistic way. When the novel begins, they've already known each other for 7 years and have more or less grown to despise each other during that time. They also both have the hots for Tao Ran, who's straight and in love with someone else. Revelations about their shared past (plus the reality that Tao Ran will never return either of their affections) then nudge them towards each other, especially when they realise they aren't the same people they were before, and they learn to navigate their new relationship. There's nothing explicit in the novel, but that shouldn't deter anyone because the romance is legit and definitely one of the highlights of the novel (just not in terms of wordcount). ...more "

Feb 13, 2022 01:32AM · see review

CJHG is currently reading

by qntm (Goodreads Author)

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— Jul 11, 2021 11:23AM

Jul 11, 2021 11:23AM

CJHG is currently reading

The Wizard Knight

by Gene Wolfe

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— May 27, 2021 04:15AM

May 23, 2021 10:09AM

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CJHG’s Quotes

“It is natural for lawyers to think in terms of liability formulas. When we learn law we often do so as if learning spells at Hogwarts. So, we are taught that negligence involves a duty, breach, causation and damage. We learn that we can resist these claims by asserting counteracting magic spells which themselves have their own formulas.”
― Robert Stevens

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