Scan barcode
A review by perfect_leaves
South China Morning Blues by Ray Hecht
4.0
I received and ARC copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Gist: Something about this book is bloody brilliant, but I can't exactly tell what it is. I liked it but I also hated it.
I actually rated the book at 3.5 based on my parameters, but Goodreads doesn't allow half stars so I rounded up. I'm issuing a tepid recommendation of South China Morning Blues.
To be honest, I was a bit confused by this book, and within 30 pages (the number of pages I commit to before deciding to give up on a book) I was ready to quit. As someone who has lived in Shanghai for a few years and who has grown quite fond of China and Chinese culture, the complaints about and blatant disrespect towards China and its people really turned me off. To make matters worse, this book is drenched in descriptions of sexual activities, which is the last thing I wanted to read just after Ramadan, and is something I try to avoid in general. Because I agreed to read and review the novel, I pressed on.
South China Morning Blues is actually three separate books, with separate plots and characters that don't mix until the third book (actually, there may have been some mixing partway through the second book). At times I had a hard time keeping track of the characters and figuring out their relationships with one another. In this respect, those who can't read Chinese would benefit from keeping the Dramatis Personae on hand. Bookmark the page and keep returning to it if you have too. Even with the ability to remember who was whom based on the Chinese, I still got lost from time to time.
Despite the difficulty of creating and developing 12 different characters, Hecht manages the task fairly well. Hecht doesn't attempt to create twelve fully-fledged characters. Rather, he allows secondary personalities to be involved on the story while heavily leaning on the main actors. He doesn't arbitrarily focus on characters. Instead, he develops the lesser characters only as instruments to further the plot of the novel.
Throughout the novel there are a few instances of forced symbolism (I won't include them here so as to avoid turning people's subconsciouses towards them), and I was a little irritated by the stereotypical characters. I must admit, though, that part of my irritation stemmed from being well acquainted with the stereotypes presented: alcoholic writers, unqualified stoner English teachers, and lewd business men. The gratuitous sex scenes definitely hindered the novel. For the most part, the plot could have been advanced without them.
While I'm not in love with the book, it was a good, light read. I was surprised by a few of the events in the novel; towards the end I felt sorry for some of the characters I initially hated. Eliciting such a reaction shows craftiness on Hecht's part, and it is one of the reason I gave the book such a high rating. South China Morning Blues is a novel I might read again some time in the distant future, but it's not something I'd keep on my favorites shelf.
Gist: Something about this book is bloody brilliant, but I can't exactly tell what it is. I liked it but I also hated it.
I actually rated the book at 3.5 based on my parameters, but Goodreads doesn't allow half stars so I rounded up. I'm issuing a tepid recommendation of South China Morning Blues.
To be honest, I was a bit confused by this book, and within 30 pages (the number of pages I commit to before deciding to give up on a book) I was ready to quit. As someone who has lived in Shanghai for a few years and who has grown quite fond of China and Chinese culture, the complaints about and blatant disrespect towards China and its people really turned me off. To make matters worse, this book is drenched in descriptions of sexual activities, which is the last thing I wanted to read just after Ramadan, and is something I try to avoid in general. Because I agreed to read and review the novel, I pressed on.
South China Morning Blues is actually three separate books, with separate plots and characters that don't mix until the third book (actually, there may have been some mixing partway through the second book). At times I had a hard time keeping track of the characters and figuring out their relationships with one another. In this respect, those who can't read Chinese would benefit from keeping the Dramatis Personae on hand. Bookmark the page and keep returning to it if you have too. Even with the ability to remember who was whom based on the Chinese, I still got lost from time to time.
Despite the difficulty of creating and developing 12 different characters, Hecht manages the task fairly well. Hecht doesn't attempt to create twelve fully-fledged characters. Rather, he allows secondary personalities to be involved on the story while heavily leaning on the main actors. He doesn't arbitrarily focus on characters. Instead, he develops the lesser characters only as instruments to further the plot of the novel.
Throughout the novel there are a few instances of forced symbolism (I won't include them here so as to avoid turning people's subconsciouses towards them), and I was a little irritated by the stereotypical characters. I must admit, though, that part of my irritation stemmed from being well acquainted with the stereotypes presented: alcoholic writers, unqualified stoner English teachers, and lewd business men. The gratuitous sex scenes definitely hindered the novel. For the most part, the plot could have been advanced without them.
While I'm not in love with the book, it was a good, light read. I was surprised by a few of the events in the novel; towards the end I felt sorry for some of the characters I initially hated. Eliciting such a reaction shows craftiness on Hecht's part, and it is one of the reason I gave the book such a high rating. South China Morning Blues is a novel I might read again some time in the distant future, but it's not something I'd keep on my favorites shelf.