Review by Ilsze -- The Sound of Spring by G.X. Chen
-
Ilsze
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 18 Oct 2019, 06:40
- Currently Reading: The Instant Economist
- Bookshelf Size: 11
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ilsze.html
- Latest Review: The Sound of Spring by G.X. Chen
Review by Ilsze -- The Sound of Spring by G.X. Chen
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Sound of Spring" by G.X. Chen.]
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The Sound of Spring follows the heartaches and tribulations of the young Chun Ming during the Cultural Revolution. Chun contents herself with new love and family pleasures. But the socio-political landscape is fraught with the threat of devastation, even for those who keep their heads down. As the great red boot of Chinese Communist ideology presses close, Chun is forced to confront painful truths: believing in certain values is dangerous. Acting upon them is condemnation. Even at its tail end, the Revolution scatters the earth every citizen walks on with spiritual landmines. Chun and her family navigate them hand in hand - she with the additional task of developing an upright carriage and a stable worldview in such an embittering, fractured social landscape.
Despite the fertile premise, G.X. Chen’s delivery is awkward. Her storyline meanders. Halfway through the novella, I still feel as though no inciting incident has occurred. Even the losses and betrayals surrounding the story’s climax hold little emotional resonance. Even as the characters cry and chorus, I feel distanced from their reactions. By the last page, despite having witnessed the most pivotal stage of Chun Ming’s life, I feel mostly hollow indifference and a touch of frustrated expectation, as though her story never properly began.
It might be due to the flatness of the characters' interactions. Already simple, they are further steamrolled by stilted dialogue and straightforward histories. I admit I expected better from a romance, where relationships tend to take center stage.
Another criticism is in regards to the writing itself. Character names are rarely used outside of dialogue, so it can be difficult to follow the players in each scene. The verbs used are often weak, many of them cliched - and worse - repeated time and again. Later in the book, Chen even takes up a jarring overuse of the second person. Although The Sound of Spring contained few errors and was an easy read, the language would certainly not be called musical.
So, the novella has flaws. But it also has aspects worth celebrating. Its exploration of how communism touched the lives of the common people fascinated me. Chen pulled her historical commentary off well, integrating it into a deeply character-driven plot-line. She avoids the trap of overindulging in the depressing preaching that can make some historical novels difficult to read. I can safely say that I walked away with a much more human understanding of the Cultural Revolution’s impacts.
Disappointingly, Chen fails to explain the significance of historical figures such as Zhou Enlai and events such as the Tiananmen Incident. No matter: a quick Google search can fill these gaps and readers are all the better for it. I’d recommend The Sound of Spring for someone looking to learn more about the Cultural Revolution from a people’s perspective. It’s relatively light and explores the social impacts without becoming mired in economic and political complexities.
A reader who knows little about Chinese history needn’t fear, especially because Chun Ming herself is initially naive. She leads the reader through layers of increasing complexity as she comes to see the world with more mature eyes. At first unsure of what she believes in, Chun undergoes a transformation I would wish upon myself, not to mention a younger generation.
Her unabashedly flawed character works in her favor. Credulous and near-sighted to begin with, I enjoy watching her nurture her well-meaning nature into moral rigor. I admire how she sees through the system enough to forgive those who wrong her. She develops a vision for herself, even in a world that crushes and publicly humiliates any sign of non-conformity. Her resolutions surely inspire the spirit of learning and a healthy heap of gratitude for the things we usually take for granted.
In short, despite Chen’s slightly clumsy execution, The Sound of Spring is not bad. The protagonist’s gradual blossoming into womanhood and the undeniably important premise of The Sound of Spring lift my rating to 2 out of 4 stars.
******
The Sound of Spring
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The Sound of Spring follows the heartaches and tribulations of the young Chun Ming during the Cultural Revolution. Chun contents herself with new love and family pleasures. But the socio-political landscape is fraught with the threat of devastation, even for those who keep their heads down. As the great red boot of Chinese Communist ideology presses close, Chun is forced to confront painful truths: believing in certain values is dangerous. Acting upon them is condemnation. Even at its tail end, the Revolution scatters the earth every citizen walks on with spiritual landmines. Chun and her family navigate them hand in hand - she with the additional task of developing an upright carriage and a stable worldview in such an embittering, fractured social landscape.
Despite the fertile premise, G.X. Chen’s delivery is awkward. Her storyline meanders. Halfway through the novella, I still feel as though no inciting incident has occurred. Even the losses and betrayals surrounding the story’s climax hold little emotional resonance. Even as the characters cry and chorus, I feel distanced from their reactions. By the last page, despite having witnessed the most pivotal stage of Chun Ming’s life, I feel mostly hollow indifference and a touch of frustrated expectation, as though her story never properly began.
It might be due to the flatness of the characters' interactions. Already simple, they are further steamrolled by stilted dialogue and straightforward histories. I admit I expected better from a romance, where relationships tend to take center stage.
Another criticism is in regards to the writing itself. Character names are rarely used outside of dialogue, so it can be difficult to follow the players in each scene. The verbs used are often weak, many of them cliched - and worse - repeated time and again. Later in the book, Chen even takes up a jarring overuse of the second person. Although The Sound of Spring contained few errors and was an easy read, the language would certainly not be called musical.
So, the novella has flaws. But it also has aspects worth celebrating. Its exploration of how communism touched the lives of the common people fascinated me. Chen pulled her historical commentary off well, integrating it into a deeply character-driven plot-line. She avoids the trap of overindulging in the depressing preaching that can make some historical novels difficult to read. I can safely say that I walked away with a much more human understanding of the Cultural Revolution’s impacts.
Disappointingly, Chen fails to explain the significance of historical figures such as Zhou Enlai and events such as the Tiananmen Incident. No matter: a quick Google search can fill these gaps and readers are all the better for it. I’d recommend The Sound of Spring for someone looking to learn more about the Cultural Revolution from a people’s perspective. It’s relatively light and explores the social impacts without becoming mired in economic and political complexities.
A reader who knows little about Chinese history needn’t fear, especially because Chun Ming herself is initially naive. She leads the reader through layers of increasing complexity as she comes to see the world with more mature eyes. At first unsure of what she believes in, Chun undergoes a transformation I would wish upon myself, not to mention a younger generation.
Her unabashedly flawed character works in her favor. Credulous and near-sighted to begin with, I enjoy watching her nurture her well-meaning nature into moral rigor. I admire how she sees through the system enough to forgive those who wrong her. She develops a vision for herself, even in a world that crushes and publicly humiliates any sign of non-conformity. Her resolutions surely inspire the spirit of learning and a healthy heap of gratitude for the things we usually take for granted.
In short, despite Chen’s slightly clumsy execution, The Sound of Spring is not bad. The protagonist’s gradual blossoming into womanhood and the undeniably important premise of The Sound of Spring lift my rating to 2 out of 4 stars.
******
The Sound of Spring
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Sound of Spring by G.X. Chen
