I can understand some of your criticism. I do wonder how much of the issue is the quality of the translation. For example, I though the dialogue was clunky and problematic in many ways, as if the author or translator didn't understand 1. how professionals talk to each other, 2. how people with romantic interests in each other speak. That could also be mostly due to cultural differences.
I agree that the period of the first novel set during the Cultural Revolution was the most authentic and affecting, likely because the author and his family went through a similar experience. There was also a key character in the second and third books who I would identify as likely high-functioning autistic (Asperger's) and that also seemed on the nose from my family and educational experience.
Perhaps I saw meaning in this work for the same reason I enjoyed many element of the first season of Star Trek: Picard. Specifically, I have been in a place in my own life over the past three plus years that have been difficult, demanding reflection, reassessment, and course changes. To paraphrase the author of The Leftovers, life is full of completely predictable tragedies, but that does change the effect they have on you.
I've appreciated your insights.
I agree that the period of the first novel set during the Cultural Revolution was the most authentic and affecting, likely because the author and his family went through a similar experience. There was also a key character in the second and third books who I would identify as likely high-functioning autistic (Asperger's) and that also seemed on the nose from my family and educational experience.
Perhaps I saw meaning in this work for the same reason I enjoyed many element of the first season of Star Trek: Picard. Specifically, I have been in a place in my own life over the past three plus years that have been difficult, demanding reflection, reassessment, and course changes. To paraphrase the author of The Leftovers, life is full of completely predictable tragedies, but that does change the effect they have on you.
I've appreciated your insights.
Quote from: Ián S.G. Txaglh on April 07, 2022, 03:30:37 PMQuote from: Antonio Montagnha, Ed. D. on April 07, 2022, 01:22:10 PM
I am curious, would it be a better narrative if you viewed it as a metaphor for a single person's struggle to find meaning?
honestly, hardly. no matter how hard i try, i don't see that metaphor in the story. plus, it is written so badly, i have, unfortunately, difficulties finding anything interesting in it. maybe, the very first part, during the maoist period, at least this part would be somehow interesting if not just a mild (party approved) reflection of the period.
there is maybe one part close to the metaphor you've mentioned, the "game", but unfortunately, i find it shallow and pointless, and with an increased number of appearances also quite boring. so man trivialities with no added value.
i am really sorry, i was quite disappointed by the development of the story, and the closer i was to the final of the first book, the more disappointed i was, e.g. how could a member of the civilisation cry for not having literature and art; how could he know what it means, what is its value? that was what brought me back to the period of SF when it was (mis)used to write bad stories full of pseudo-philosophical non-sense hidden behind seriously looking mumbo-jumbo. there was an excellent book published in 1981 called "saiäns-fiktschen" by german author franz fühman, who made fun of it in a very sophisticated way.
if to name a SF book(s), depicting the struggle to find meaning, i would go for "ubik" by PKD, "fiasco" by lem or if smth more modern than "witcher" by sapkowski (oh, gods, that has to be a special room in hell for screenwriters who fucked-up good books into bad TV series). or smth by ted chiang, e.g. "story of your life" or "division by zero" :)