pickThis was not the easiest book to read. Although the narrative was not particularly difficult to follow, the fact that it's a Chinese translation of an allegorical, magic-realist metafictional chronical of a tiny village growing to a megalopolis might have something to do with it. It's rewarding, bizarre and satirical tho. The growth is accomplished by scheming, theft and prostitution mainly carried out by one family and their connections.
The story of the development of society, rampant greediness and what we are willing to sacrifice for the prosperity.
#quotsynov17 #aura
pickIn Lianke's wonderfully warped, 'mythorealist,' satirical tale of China's hyper-modernization, flora flowers and fauna fauns, fairytale-like, based on the actions of two feuding families in the village of Explosion. I don't like satire as a general rule, and as with any satire, had no emotional connection to any of the characters, yet found this novel strangely and all but completely transfixing.
These wacky plot twists! 💖
Maybe it's just because I had a long day, but this sentence made me laugh.. 😂😂
Art by Mojo Yang.
Every time a member of the Kong family does anything momentous in this novel, the surrounding flora goes nuts…lushly bonkers.
This novel, like the other one of Lianke's I read, is just bonkers! I do not at all mean this in a bad way.
Photo by Chen Yu (https://jp.pinterest.com/pin/62346776066562663/)
I read his novella Marrow late last year, and am stoked to be starting this Booker-nominee novel today!
pickThe basic story is simple-we read the chronicle about growth of the village into the city.When villagers taste the power of money, the development starts to rotate at high speed. It's story written in a satirical style, with mythorealism elements, story about the progress of society and what we are willing/forced to sacrifice for prosperity. It isn't fun or enjoyable read, the story is absurd, bizarre, but it is important and thought provoking.
I'm going to start the season for #ManBookerInternationalPrize2017 with this book. Lianke was nominee on shortlist last year and The Four Books was my pick for the winner. My expectations are high!
Yan Lianke - China 🇨🇳
The Explosion Chronicles: A Novel | 
