SOUR SWEET (Aventura)

Rating:
Summary: English post-colonialism
Review: As a student of English literature I found this book hard to follow at first. Yet reading beyond a certain point, I understood the specialness of the diverse characters and the interelations between the characters. It is a beautiful book if you are willing to take the time to read deep into the novel. I'm glad I got the chance to read this novel.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining first but certainly insightful as well
Review: I recommend this novel without reservation. It is almost a shock to read a novel written in a classically disciplined style. Mo's writing doesn't take short cuts or skip on background. It isn't The Red and The Black, but it isn't Gravity's Rainbow either. What it is is conventional in the finest sense and bold in terms of story and character rather than style. I was swept up in the story of the Chen family and the London triad. Having lived in Taiwan for over a year, I also enjoyed all of the Chinese culture. This book made me much more sympathetic to the Chinese despite the fact that it pulls no punches in describing their peculiar ethos. Very enjoyable read.

Rating:
Summary: Sometimes Heartwarming, Always Interesting
Review: Mo has a good sense of humor and a heart-warming way with characters. This tale of a Chinese family in England is at times a good series of lessons on Chinese culture.

Somewhat clumsily (at times) juxtaposing triad gang strife with the struggle of a family to succeed, Mo weaves a story that is fun to read.

Mo is a master craftsman of dialogue. His careful way of transposing Cantonese into English is to be praised... the reader really feels he is understanding another language.