qc418 Posted February 9, 2016 at 04:48 PM Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2016 at 04:48 PM Added China eBook selling rights, so you should be able to download it directly from your device in the future if you're in China. Thanks, @abcdefg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigdumogre Posted February 11, 2016 at 10:38 AM Report Share Posted February 11, 2016 at 10:38 AM Got a copy on the way from Amazon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qc418 Posted February 11, 2016 at 03:57 PM Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2016 at 03:57 PM Got a copy on the way from Amazon Awesome. Hope you enjoy and would love to hear your thoughts when you're done. Thanks for the support! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcdefg Posted February 12, 2016 at 09:33 PM Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 at 09:33 PM Finished it yesterday on an airplane. Would give it 3 stars out of 5. I like the way it immerses the reader in small-town China circa 2008. It draws the main characters well. The writing isn't always clear, but the narrative flows pretty well for a first novel. I have a couple of constructive suggestions: 1. Sometimes it seemed to me that "five-dollar words" were sprinkled in at random without serving any specific descriptive purpose. Would use simpler vocabulary when you can. 2. The pinyin-like transcriptions of actual speech are clumsy and difficult to decipher. Would keep these to a minimum. Example: Kanne wo bushigen ni jiangma? Waiguoren duinaazhong-juzhiwenyade meinu tebie youpianhao. Birushuo women zijedezhang-xiaomie, ...he said, indicating Bella's aunt. All in all, I found it worth while. This book would probably be of most interest to people who have taught in China plus their family and friends. Would I read another by the same author: Probably yes. ------------- PS: I submitted an Amazon review. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qc418 Posted February 12, 2016 at 09:52 PM Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 at 09:52 PM Thanks a lot, @abcdefg. I really appreciate you taking the time to read it! As to your suggestions: 1) Point taken. My reasoning in including such words was to disorient the reader, thereby simulating the feeling of being in a strange environment. I was most likely trying too hard, though. This is something I'm been getting better at. I blame Cormac McCarthy, haha. 2) I formatted the pinyin incorrectly because I was trying to allow readers to hear the dialogue through Guillard's ears, who doesn't speak Mandarin very well. (He's basically picking out the words that he knows.) I can see how this would be annoying if you speak Mandarin, though. Useful feedback from someone who knows China. Again, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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