Matthew White Ellis > Recent Status Updates

André Alexis is one of my favourite writers. He presents his stories with such ease. There's a confidence in his writing. His writing never feels like it's trying to do more than co vey are really good story. Yes, there are literary diamonds on every page, but this novel in particular reads like a thriller. I'm so excited to read the entire series.

While Japan invades a small Chinese village during the second Sino-Japanese War, Shangguan Lu is giving birth to her 8th child and praying for a boy, as per the pressuring of her mother in law. Her husband and mother-in-law are revealed to be brutal abusers of Mother for having previously delivered 7 girls from extramarital affairs (the husband is infertile). The scene is way sicker than I can describe in a post.