Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Review: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress was recently recommended to me and I'm so glad I read it. It's full of charming characters in very uncharming circumstances. Set during Mao's cultural revolution, the narrator and his friend are deemed intellectuals due to their middle school education and their parents occupations. They are sent to a remote mountain village in China to be "re-educated" by the peasants. While living in house on stilts, their life is never portrayed as dull despite the times they were living in.

This book follows their quest for banned literature, storytelling, and their affections for the little Chinese seamstress. I started reading this book initially, and then managed to get the audio version, and reader B.D. Wong uses his voice in such a magical way that it only added to the storytelling.

2 comments:

Teacher/Learner said...

I'm glad you liked this one. Most people who have read it do. I think it's a magical adventure, finding a treasure trove of books. It's sad that Mao's dictatorship banned reading all but his own propaganda. I'm new to book blogging & stumbled upon yours. I'm enjoying it!

A Writer's Pen said...

Welcome to blogging! I need to catch up on my reviews. I hope you enjoy blogging. I find it's a good way to remember my thoughts on certain books.

Post a Comment