C’era una volta una lettrice che decise di leggere La via oscura pensando che fosse un semplice romanzo sulla politica del figlio unico in Cina e invece si ritrovò a leggere una delle storie più perturbanti che le fossero mai capitate tra le mani. È così perturbante che non so nemmeno che tipo di avvertimento scrivervi riguardo ai contenuti sensibili: c’è così tanta violenza di genere, violenza su minori e violenza di Stato che non saprei nemmeno da dove iniziare.

Sicuramente posso dirvi che non è il libro che fa per voi se cercate un romanzo storico in senso classico: Ma fa largo uso di simbologia e realismo magico per fare della sua storia una chiave di lettura delle politiche coercitive di controllo delle nascite e del regime comunista, quindi non si può dire che sia il resoconto fedele della vita di una giovane coppia cinese che, dopo la prima figlia, cerca di avere l’erede maschio.

Poi posso dirvi che le critiche di Ma non si limitano alle politiche del regime comunista, ma anche al confucianesimo e al patriarcato, che, nonostante i cambiamenti politici ed economici, gode di ottima salute. Al centro della narrazione di Ma, infatti, c’è Meili, che scopre nella maniera più tremenda che il suo utero non appartiene a lei e sono le sue riflessioni sulla sua condizione a regalarci le pagine più forti del romanzo.

Infine, che orrore la Cina e noi che stiamo a guardare. Che orrore. ( )

Beautifully written, but heartbreaking and horrifying. ( )

I read this book on the recommendation of a reader of my blog posts, and was glad I took the time to do so. If you are expecting a Chinese version of Alan Burgess’s The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, you will be sorely disappointed. There is no fairy tale happy ending, this book is grim and full of atrocities almost as soon as you start reading; it lives up to its title very well.

This is the first book I have read that was translated from Chinese and, although it made me squirm in places, it is incredibly well written and well translated. During the opening chapters I had to take time to read carefully to make sure I wasn’t missing any nuances that the translator had wanted to include, and this worked well to the point that in no time I was reading through the pages with ease. The Author has written and developed some truly believable characters within this books covers, characters that can be both embraced and reviled by the reader. However, be under no illusion that, unless you have walked a mile in these characters shoes, that you will be able to relate to them in any way; I haven’t, I wouldn’t want to experience what they do, and I couldn’t relate to them because of the situation they are in and the events that happen to them, I didn’t feel that this inability to connect with characters hurt my enjoyment of this novel in any way at all.

It is not light entertainment by any means, and contains graphic descriptions of the events that take place within its pages; one such being an abortion performed at eight months (just recalling this passage makes me shudder anew). The Author brings to the surface all that is wrong with the One Child Policy practiced in China, and makes the policy all the more disturbing as they skilfully convey to the reader that there is nothing they can do about this.

This book is chilling, infuriating at times and almost unbearable to continue reading at others as it chronicles the inhumanity of the above mentioned policy, and the lengths that people will go to in order to avoid detection of their violation of this rule; most of all this is an incredible book with a wonderfully presented storyline written in a manner that will make you think about it long after you have closed the book for the last time.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to expand their reading sphere, providing they are not overly squeamish.


Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2013/11/22/review-the-dark-road-ma-jian-flora-drew-tr...




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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The Dark Road, by Ma Jian is a novel about Kongzi, Meili, and their daughter Nannan. Konzi is a direct relation to of Confucius and a school teacher. Things are well for the family until Meili becomes pregnant with a second child. The one child family policy is in full effect and the family does not have state permission to have a second child. The Family Planning Commission enforcers are ruthless. Reminders f the one child policy are all around including a sign “ Severe the fallopian tubes of poverty; insert the IUDs of prosperity.”

There are several themes in the book most notably the Confucian idea of a male heir played out by Kongzi. He also shows the primitive side of the male sex. The dual role of independent and free thinking woman rising in China and a mother who values motherhood and the spirit of her unborn child. Nannan, the daughter, whose name sounds like a boys name deals with the confusion of her sex and her role in society.

Perhaps the most disturbing role is played by the government and its minions. The brutality of the Family Planning Commission's forced abortions to out right murder and forced serializations and IUD insertions are described in shocking detail. To make matters worse for all of the above the women are expect to pay for the services. Corruption and fraud exist in every aspect life including migrant permits, “tolls”, and fines. The same corruption allows for environmental devastation, work camps, and brothels.

What ever glimmer of hope we in the West see in China are totally and thoroughly destroyed by this book. The Dark Road ing said it is also extremely disturbing. Jian does little to candy coat his views and at the same time the read feels he is not embellishing them either, yet the message is extremely powerful. ( )

I read this book on the recommendation of a reader of my blog posts, and was glad I took the time to do so. If you are expecting a Chinese version of Alan Burgess’s The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, you will be sorely disappointed. There is no fairy tale happy ending, this book is grim and full of atrocities almost as soon as you start reading; it lives up to its title very well.

This is the first book I have read that was translated from Chinese and, although it made me squirm in places, it is incredibly well written and well translated. During the opening chapters I had to take time to read carefully to make sure I wasn’t missing any nuances that the translator had wanted to include, and this worked well to the point that in no time I was reading through the pages with ease. The Author has written and developed some truly believable characters within this books covers, characters that can be both embraced and reviled by the reader. However, be under no illusion that, unless you have walked a mile in these characters shoes, that you will be able to relate to them in any way; I haven’t, I wouldn’t want to experience what they do, and I couldn’t relate to them because of the situation they are in and the events that happen to them, I didn’t feel that this inability to connect with characters hurt my enjoyment of this novel in any way at all.

It is not light entertainment by any means, and contains graphic descriptions of the events that take place within its pages; one such being an abortion performed at eight months (just recalling this passage makes me shudder anew). The Author brings to the surface all that is wrong with the One Child Policy practiced in China, and makes the policy all the more disturbing as they skilfully convey to the reader that there is nothing they can do about this.

This book is chilling, infuriating at times and almost unbearable to continue reading at others as it chronicles the inhumanity of the above mentioned policy, and the lengths that people will go to in order to avoid detection of their violation of this rule; most of all this is an incredible book with a wonderfully presented storyline written in a manner that will make you think about it long after you have closed the book for the last time.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to expand their reading sphere, providing they are not overly squeamish.


Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2013/11/22/review-the-dark-road-ma-jian-flora-drew-tr...




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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