Orphaned young, Ming Tsu, the son of Chinese immigrants, is raised by the notorious leader …
The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu
4 stars
This is a very, very good book.
I will follow Tom Lin's future work with great interest.
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figbert@bookwyrm.social reviewed Who by Fire by Matti Friedman
"An expedition into the troubled soul of one of the world’s greatest songwriters."—Haaretz
"Not …
Who by Fire
5 stars
A masterpiece. A fantastical story with immense depth made all the more impactful by its truth.
In a nameless suburb in an equally nameless country, every house has a room reserved …
Engaging, Interesting, and Fun
4 stars
Content warning here be spoilers
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. An interesting commentary on – I think – the role of the state in the lives of its citizenry and moving away from a legacy of state violence.
I'm curious about the figure of the president in the novel. The president is clearly a powerful man, so much so that he has a room in every house. Yet, he is depicted in the text as a skulking figure, seen dashing in and out of the house in the dead of night, and never saying a word.
I'm also puzzled by the transformation of the narrator in the end of the book. The boy seems to become the president, adopting his mannerisms and living in his room. What does this mean, for the protagonist as well as the actual president? What does the boy becoming the president say about the forms of power in the novel?
One of my favorites so far in my excursion into the world of Latin American literature.