This books sounds very interesting but it was not for me. I found it to be slow and not completely understandable. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

“The Shaanxi Opera” – Jia Pingwa (translated from Chinese by Nicky Harman and Dylan Levi King)



My thanks to @netgallery and @amazonpublishing for sending me an ARC months ago in exchange for an honest review, and sorry it’s taken me until now to get to it!

In my (slight) defence, this is a long and overwhelming book, 700+ pages of life in the post-Cultural Revolution village of Freshwind mostly revolving around generations of the Xia family. Rising up the ranks of the Party, they seek to formalise their position by marrying their son Wind to Snow Bai, daughter of what once was once a powerful family in the region. Snow is an opera singer, devoted to an art form that is dying in the face of modernity, and this theme is really what the book focuses on: old vs new, modern vs traditional.

However, this book is far tricker to read (and review) than this, because SO MUCH happens. It’s a book full of plot and intertwined storylines, an enormous cast of characters and timelines, all held together with language which is often very blunt and visceral. Having read Mo Yan, this book reminds me a lot of some of his work, mixing gritty reality and minute details and tribulations of life with often surreal and fantastical scenes, mixed with coarse humour and coarser language. I’m not sure if it’s a translation issue, but the style is often jarring, and it really isn’t helpful in a book that is already hard to follow for other structural reasons.

I found parts interesting, but in general when I was travelling with this book I often found myself wanting to read a different Kindle book or just nothing at all, and other books I took with me did not have the same effect. I don’t hate this book, I can’t recommend it, but some people might love it.

The book seemed interesting at first, both in terms of its story and cultural aspects. However, in reality, I found it boring, slow, and sometimes awkward. Firstly, the book doesn't have a straightforward story, and I felt that the overall mood of the book was not right. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters in this book and couldn't really relate to any part of it.

I personally found great enjoyment in this book. The intimate portrayal of rural Chinese life was quietly captivating and incredibly fascinating. While I don't envision myself devouring it in one sitting, I have savored each page, relishing in the experience it offers. It's become my go-to companion, a gateway to transport myself into a world of enriching immersion. Within its pages, I discovered a riveting soap opera, filled with an array of characters whose lives I caught glimpses of as the grand saga unfolded. Much like viewing it as a Chinese Ulysses, I've learned to savor it bit by bit, without overwhelming myself with expectations, and thus, I've slowly made my way through its compelling narrative. I can already sense that once I reach its conclusion, I will be compelled to start the journey anew, longing to revisit the captivating realm of Freshwind China that I will undoubtedly miss.

I'm trying to broaden the titles I read to make them more culturally diverse, yet I felt something was missing with this story. I think it might've been due to the translation. Perhaps some things were lost or some things couldn't be translated to the degree as its original language.

The fortunes of two homes are changing in post-Cultural Revolution China’s dying town of Freshwind. The Bais, formerly the region’s most influential family, has fallen from grace. Snow Bai, their gorgeous daughter, and personification of tradition, is pursuing a profession in a disappearing art form. The Xias, avid Party members, are on the increase. Wind Xia, their favorite son, is a well-known politician whose marriage to Snow Bai has the potential to bring the two families together. However, fortunes may change in a hamlet looking for a new path to wealth. Spark, a neighborhood pariah, is watching it all happen. The perpetual busybody is prone to weird visions and flights of fancy, and his one constant in Freshwind is his passionate love for Snow Bai.

Jia Pingwa’s The Shaanxi Opera is an expansive, humorous, majestic, and deeply moving depiction of China in an era of globalization, societal change, and the expanding impact of popular culture. There were some amusing and intriguing moments, but the continuous minutiae of village life began to wear me down after a time. I was unfamiliar with Jia Pingwa’s work, so I skimmed the summary and assumed I’d be reading a fictitious story about unrequited love and family politics set against the backdrop of Chinese country life. The novel’s language astounded me, as did the author’s comprehensive depiction of the everyday lives and folk traditions of the rural people of Shaanxi.

The novel is a soap opera with characters you only see in passing while the massive tale develops. The battle between the past and modernization is understandable, but the rich detail and cultural references make it a difficult read. It immerses us in the culture and politics of ancient China, with a dash of unique characterization. However, somewhere in the midst, we lose sight of events with the establishment in that realm.

Jia Pingwa's "The Shaanxi Opera" is a massive look at the every day life of a Chinese village after the Cultural Revolution. The book is immensely readable and I appreciated how Pingwa has a strong flair for the smallest of supporting characters. It was such a joy to read even if it were long (long but not oppressively so).

Pingwa's prose style (translated into English by Nicki Harman and Dylan Levi King0 can be a bit blunt at times, but it fits in with the chaotic political and social nature of this time in China. It also goes along with Spark's obsession with Snow Bai. I was invested in Spark's story and the novel made me want to read more of Pingwa's work. I hope more of his work is translated into English.

Sadly, this defeated me. Jia Pingwa is one of China’s most acclaimed and celebrated authors, but I found the novel just too alien to pursue. Maybe some books just don’t translate well, however skilled the translator. The cultural divide is simply too wide. It’s set in the village of Freshwind in post-Cultural Revolution China and is the story of two families. The Bais were once the most powerful family in the region but have lost their status. Their daughter Snow Bai is the embodiment of tradition and is pursuing a career in a vanishing art from, opera. The Xias are keen Party members and are on the rise. Their son Wind Xia is a politician and marriage to Snow Bai could unite the families to the advantage of both. Watching events unfold is the local outcast Spark, who is obsessed by Snow Bai. So much I could gather, but the disconnected non-linear narrative proved hard to follow, not helped by a vast cast of characters. The conflict between the past and modernisation is easy to relate to, but the extensive detail and cultural allusions makes it a tough read. From my other reading of Chinese literature I am aware that violence and brutality is endemic in Chinese life but here the violence, vulgarity and offensive language was just too much, making the novel not just difficult but deeply unpleasant. Eventually I had to give up.

I personally enjoyed this book, or the 1/4 of it I have read so far. The glimpse into rural Chinese life is quietly entertaining and quite fascinating. I'm not sure I would ever attempt to read this in one go, it has taken me a long time to get to 1/4 of the way through, but I will keep it to dip into, to transport myself and to immerse myself in something enriching. The book is a soap opera full of characters you catch small glimpses of as the huge saga unfolds. Look on this as a Chinese Ulysses, and take it bit by bit without trying to make too much of it and you will slowly make your way through it. I feel that when I finally get to the end of this book I will start it again as I will miss the world of Freshwind China.

The Shaanxi Opera is a prize-winning book; however, I think it loses something in translation. I struggled to make my way through the 700+ pages. There were some fun and interesting moments, but after a while the endless minutiae of daily life in the village began to wear me down.(You could probably cut out a good 250 pages if the novel wasn't so focused on day-day village minutiae) From the description, it sounded like an interesting book, both from a fictional and cultural perspective, but in reality I found it at different times plodding, dull or cringe-inducing. I would happily conclude, however, that cultural differences and a lack of deeper understanding of the subtext could well play a major part in that in this instance. As such, I am giving it 3 stars. It may be better suited to those with some knowledge of traditional Chinese culture.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for this e-arc.*

I don't know if I need to file this away as me not doing enough research, a translation I just couldn't connect with, or something else...regardless, The Shaanxi Opera was not for me.

I was very intrigued by the synopsis, but could not get past the tone of the novel once I'd started. The vulgarity of the language was really distracting (a "me thing" and not really a book thing, perhaps) and the minutiae of details hard to plod through. I just couldn't continue after a certain point.

I have no doubt that this is something truly special in its original format - it's an award winning novel by a very well known and respected author in China - but it unfortunately was not the reading experience I had hoped it would be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Crossing for the opportunity to read this book for review. All opinions are my own.

Okay, so the style of writing may be shocking to say the least, but the story sure does a good job of showcasing the culture. It has taken me quite a while to finish reading, but I'm glad that I did. Thank you, NetGalley!

I am so thankful that I was able to read this book and do continually thank Jia Pingwa, AmazonCrossing, and NetGalley for the advanced access. Everyone loves a cozy mystery, especially when there's some historical fiction thrown in the pot.

The story touches a very geographical cord. It takes us into the lifestyle of years old china and the politics, with a touch of creative characterizations. But somewhere in the middle we loose track of events with over layers of the establishment in that world. But still a very interesting read

Setting to 3 stars as a mid point because I didn't finish this book and don't feel I should be rating a book :)
Unfortunately I DNF-ed at 30% because I couldn't get into the story. I wonder if things were lost in translation and I would still love to read the Mandarin version eventually!

Tried to get into this book but couldn't. Struggled to connect with the characters but couldn't...also couldn't follow the storyline. Would not recommend.

I’m so sorry to say that I did not enjoy this book. With all the ramblings and disconnected, mostly meaningless, situations, I struggled to finish it. Many times I scanned pages because I could make no sense of what was happening. Too bad, because I usually enjoy stories written about China and her customs. This was a disappointment.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Shaanxi Opera.

An immense and daring book. A great sweeping historical journey. Highly recommended for fans of Chinese culture.

DNF’d because no one should be able to read so many book pages of a nonsensical story that uses vulgarities left and right for shock factor.

The description of this book was intriguing but I think much of what made this book award winning is lost is translation. None of the characters really made an impact on me, and throughout this long book I never really found myself able to connect with any of it. Some of the phrases and words were hard to read as they were vulgar and didn’t quite fit where they were written. I really struggled to get through this as it was written. I feel that, perhaps, in it’s native tongue this book flows much better than it’s English counterpart.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.