I enjoyed this book immensely. Lu Yao was such a descriptive writer who wrote with such passion and description. It is a shame that we will not be given the opportunity to see more work from this incredible author. A view into what life was like and how the hero overcame all obstacles to achieve it. But so well done and captivating. Had my attention throughout. Highly recommended

Not as depressing as much of Chinese literature, this is instead a journey through the intricacies of personal relationships. Nepotism derails a professor's life but he crawls his way back home to confront the various facets of his personality. Well written.

Life was not at all what I expected. However, it did give a vivid description of life during the writing of this book and it’s location. It’s a shame there will no longer be any more books from this author. Definitely read it, I highly recommend it.

Thankyou to netgalley, the publishers and author for the copy of this novel. Their generosity has no influence on the rating i gave this novel.

very interesting book from Chinese literature that gives a glimpse into what life was like in China during the setting of the novel. I found it very interesting.

A wonderful book a look at rural life in China.The characters drew me to their lives their village.A gem of a novella so glad it was translated.#netgalley#life

I really enjoyed this novel from acclaimed Chinese writer Lu Yao. I sometimes find Chinese novels quite complex and rather alienating, but this one has at its heart a universal story – although it is indeed rooted firmly in its time and place – and thus I found myself caught up in the lives of the principal characters. Set in 1980s China against a background of a rapidly changing country which is beginning to throw off the constraints of the Cultural Revolution, it’s the coming-of-age tale of Gao Jialin, a young, ambitious man who has managed to escape the drudgery of peasant life by becoming a teacher. Unfortunately he loses his post due to corrupt local political manoeuvring and has to work out where his future lies, whether he should settle down back in the village or to attempt a new life in the town. Although the basic storyline is quite straightforward, there’s a lot more to enjoy here. Politics, economics, relationships in a changing China, the position of women, corruption and nepotism, prejudice and social mores, are all themes which the book wears lightly and which enhance rather than overpower the narrative. Gao Jialin’s romantic life veers towards the overly sentimental, it’s true, and while he comes across as pretty annoying and one of his loves just too good to be true, the characterisation overall is good and although Chinese names can be confusing for an English-speaking readership, here I found the characters were clearly delineated and easy to relate to. Lu Yao is highly respected in China, even though he died in his 40s and only produced 2 novels. It’s good to see this one finally translated into English. Recommended for a portrait of Chinese life and the dilemmas facing young people in particular as they faced a changing world.

This is my introduction to chinese literature, I haven't read anything from china before. I think, this novella is a perfect introduction to this genre. It is beautfiully written and describes perfectly the contrary lifes during that time. To some thoughts I could relate so much, it became quite scary 😅
Especially the ending blew my mind. Two thirds into the book and I wasn't sure anymore what is going to happen. Everything was possible. Hopefully Lu Yaos other book will be translated in the future. Can't wait to get messed up again!

This book had an interesting premise: a young man growing up in the countryside of China who loses his job as a teacher and has to figure out how to support his parents along with who he truly loves as well. It was a simple tale that felt like long ago fables.

However, I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters, both Gao Jialin as well as both of his love interests; the uneducated beauty from his village or the wealthier city girl. Neither I felt partial to and this took away from me enjoying the novel more.

Overall, the ending was a bit of a let down for me and as a whole, the story was just so-so. It never grasped my attention enough and held it. I am not sure if something got lost in translation or if this novel just doesn't transfer over well now (it was originally written in Chinese in the 1980's)

Thank you to NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for my copy and honest review.

This was an interesting look at life in rural China. One of the authors only two books before his death, I found it an interesting look at life in China with themes that can reach all of humanity.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

This Chinese novel that had a huge success upon original publication in the 1980s gives a rare window into a period of China that is long gone. The China of Life is a mostly rural country where peasants were still organized in labor brigades, where peasants haven’t migrated to cities to work in factories, where brushing one’s teeth is still a disputed modern habit, and where wearing a shirt in Dacron (a kind of polyester) is clearly a status symbol for the up and coming youth. I chose this book for the nostalgia factor and I got plenty of it!

I can understand why this book was a success back then. It still has Maoist themes inherited from the Cultural Revolution, like the golden-hearted peasants (vs. the more morally ambiguous or downright petit bourgeois city folks), the pure, selfless heroin from the land, and the fact that corruption is only the fact of one deviant local cadre and is swiftly corrected by all party authorities once they’re made aware of it. But we see that it is on the brink of a new era, where young people want to date whomever they want and choose their careers, where love is more important than revolution and where people’s lives are not governed by political slogans (apart from hygiene principles, there are little to no proselytizing in the novel). The thrill of the big city is already fascinating to the main character and this is the place where the future of China lies. This story is definitely progress from the stilted socialist novels that were produced before, and from the traditional novels where jilted lovers commit suicide en masse and it must have felt like a breath of fresh air. To 21C Western audience though, it feels a bit tame beyond the exotic factor (the traditional wedding ceremony was interesting).

I really liked the character of Qiaozhen, the young peasant woman who falls in love with a young graduate, Gao Jialin, who has higher ambitions than just teaching in a backwater village. Gao Jialin is the hero but a harder character to like, as he’s torn between ambitions and feelings, and his fate is often determined by outside forces rather than by himself. To be fair, the merit of the book is probably more historical than literary, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless (completing half of my April #Unreadshelf Challenge).

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.

Life by Lu Yao is a novel about the struggle to move from one societal class to another. It is filled with lyrical prose that describes the scenery of rural China with such sweetness that you can feel the soil running through your fingers.

The characters are just as beautifully described, and it is easy to find yourself swept away into the time and place that was rural 1980’s China. I fell in love with Qiaozhen. She was the true heroine and someone I admired deeply for her loyalty to both her land and her people.

It tackles many universal themes: financial and spiritual desire, what it means to be successful in work and in relationships, love of country and people, betrayal, societal expectations, economic hardships – many themes that we all struggle with every single day.

There were moments I found it quite difficult to read, but it was so worth persevering.

#netgalley #life #LuYao

This is a gem of a novel, and truly a joy to read. The story moves alone at a brisk pace and describes the trials and tribulations of Gao Jialin and the political and economic hardships endured by the Chinese in the 1980s. A compelling and beautifully told story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, so much so, I read the entire book within one day. I couldn’t put it down; I was completely drawn into the story. I loved it! My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This novel is a gem. In beautifully clean and lyrical prose, Lu Yao's story of love and heartbreak in the Chinese northern countryside is available for the first time to English readers. It's the perfect book to take on a weekend trip for a satisfying, simple, and quick read.

Truly, there was so much to like about Lu Yao’s Life. Gao Jialin is a character to root for, victim to politics and circumstances he cannot control at the beginning of the novel, until his short-sightedness for success leads him to tragedy. His initial love interest, Qiaozhen, is the true hero of this story. Steadfast in her values and reverent of the land around her, Qiaozhen is easy to admire.

"She had thought about dying. But when she looked at the mountain valley she had lived and labored in for more than twenty years, when she looked at the earth and plants that she had kept green with her own sweat, those thoughts dissipated instantly. She was reluctant to leave this world; she loved the sun, loved the earth, loved work, loved the clear and bright Great Horse River, loved the grasses and wildflowers that grew on the riverbank...She couldn’t die! She could live!”

The political and social nuances of Chinese culture should not confuse most readers when reading this book. I found this to be one of the most satisfying elements of this novel, enlightening me on China’s movement into the tumultuous 1980s and how China’s youth began to radically rethink their place in society.
Underneath it all, Life is a reminder to not run from the familiar as we may always find ourselves returning to it regardless. Embrace change and rebellion while still respecting hard work and tradition. And above all us, be humble with your work and loyal to those who are good to you.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

Lu Yao is one of the most celebrated, prominent Chinese writers of the twentieth century, and this, one of only two novels he wrote before his passing age forty-two, is the first English translation despite being originally published decades ago. My seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge on the cultural traditions of China and Japan in particular coupled with a very proficient translator made this truly a joy to read; I learned a lot about the country from a historical perspective. Despite being a work of fiction the author uses it as a device so readers can witness the hardship the Chinese were subjected to in the harsh political and economic climate of the 1980s - paying particular attention to class struggle and the impact of being poverty-stricken.

It's written in such a beautiful, lyrical and moving way that I almost felt as though the author had penned this fable for me personally; it's an affectingly honest piece it's clear comes straight from the heart. Moving along at a brisk pace it follows determined young man Gao Jialin as he attempts to navigate the trials and tribulations visited upon him by time and circumstance; it's almost impossible not to care about our protagonist with him being so likeable and resilient. This is a story that will resonate deeply with those who have come up against adversity in life, and let's face it that is the majority of us at one time or another; therefore, it has a wonderful universality about it.

In the end, the reader is richly rewarded for investing their precious time and after a while I found myself savouring every single word of it, so much so that I was sad when it concluded as it felt as though I had lost a friend. I can only hope that Yao's second and only other published work, Ordinary World, receives the same attention and eventual translation into English; when it does I will be there.

Many thanks to AmazonCrossing for an ARC.

"Life" is a great, quick read for people looking to have a foray with Chinese Literature. The general tone of the book overall feels similar to other books that I have read from China. It reminded me quite a bit of some of Yu Hua's books such as "To Live" or "Chronicles of a Blood Merchant." It has an honest voice, which idolizes hard work and country life, but it didn't have the humor that is also present in Yu Hua's books. It has a lot of the general themes of Chinese literature too such as overbearing parents, class struggle, manual labor, and nepotism. It's quite similar to other novels written in the 20th century. I am very happy that this book was translated though because I hope that it means that Lu Yao's other book "Ordinary World" also gets translated. I currently live in China and "Ordinary World" is my best friend's favorite book and I would love to read it. "Life" was good, it just was similar to other books that I had read before. If you're a fan of the class struggle in provincial China genre, you will greatly enjoy this novel.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. All opinions in this review, however, are my own. This review will run on my blog on March 17th.

2.5 rounded down

Lu Yao's novel Life was written in 1981, and, for me, this is not a novel that has aged particularly well. Those familiar with the politics and goings on in China at the time - the Cultural Revolution had recently ended, the trial of the Gang of Four was taking place, 改革开放 (economic reform aka "reform and opening up") was beginning- will find this a familiar story: a young man gets ousted from his role as a teacher, only to find his feet again because of nepotism before being publicly shamed and losing it all. Chuck in some manual labour, class struggle, angsty parents, pressure to get married, unrequited love, and you have all the hallmarks of a late 20th century Chinese tale.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a particularly bad read - it is quite snappy and fast paced. Unfortunately for this reader Life just didn't have anything particularly new or interesting to say.

I am seated on the floor of my small apartment contemplating how best to share my views on this book. It is a quarter to eleven and the temperature is soaring towards a steady 28 degrees Celcius.

I am drinking my first cup of tea and probably the last if the temperatures spike.

Reading, Life, is getting an intimate/ personal account of Gao Jialin’s life from his struggles with belonging, earning societal approval, working and most of all pursuing his dreams without the interference of any corrupt people. He exhibits bouts of anger just as he does those of joy and it makes this quite an interesting read.

I love how the story begins with precision “On the tenth day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar…”

There were instances where I felt that the author dwelled too much on what was going on inside Gao’s head and wished that we’d have more on those around him, to better understand his frustration and their expectations of him.

However, this story will be memorable because we all struggle with fulfilling our desires and ambitions and when you read about someone who isn’t willing to back down then it leaves a mark, albeit a good one.
I got to read this book courtesy of Netgalley. You can pre-order a kindle copy of this on: Amazon $4.99

"She was reluctant to leave this world; she loved the sun, loved the earth, loved work, loved the clear and bright Great Horse River, loved the grasses and wildflowers that grew on the riverbank . . . She couldn’t die! She should live!"

This is the story of Gao Jialin, a young twenty something who's just been fired from his job, he was a teacher in the city and is now forced to go back to his village and work in the country side. He's never worked in the fields and is deeply ashamed and mortified: on one hand he wants to show the villagers that he's capable just like everybody else and that he's not a burden to his family, on the other he's afraid that his old classmates could find out that he's gone back to be a peasant. In the meantime he finds himself falling in love with a villager, Liu Qiaozhen. Their story will be a troubled one from the very beginning and when he'll go back to the city to work as a journalist they'll see how much strain can their relationship really endure.

"Once a self-confident teacher, he was now like an old country granny, selling buns at the market!"

I was really surprised to see that this book is over 300 pages long, it took me only two days to devour it. The descriptions were lovely (kudos to the translator as well!!) and, even though the characters were not exactly flashed out, their psychology is explored in depth and you end up not taking anyone's side, they're all facing life for the first time and encountering the struggles and trials that young people are bound to find along the way: do I favour the simplicity and familiarity of my hometown and of everything I know or do I give everything up and try to find myself elsewhere? What if things don't work out? What if they do?

This book was a pleasant surprise and if I were to find it in its physical form (that cover too, is gorgeous!) I'll surely buy a copy for myself!