Review by: Angela Hsu
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Based off of the history of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and the "re-education" of Chinese teenagers by communists, this book is interesting, insightful, and quite touching.
The main character and his best friend, struggling to survive their exile into the countryside, find solace when they discover a trunkful of "banned" books by authors such as Balzac and Flaubert. Along with a beautiful, young seamstress, they discover themselves, emotionally, mentally, and sexually.
The writing is very easy to read, and it is a short book without barely any filler or fluff. It is deep and honest, and portrays that time in history and its impact with fluidity and sincerity.
I highly recommend it, especially if you enjoy historical fiction...but anyone could enjoy this book. |
