Product Description

Dan is an unemployed factory worker who learns to sneak into state-sponsored banquets so he can eat exquisite gourmet meals free of charge. But the secrets Dan overhears at these events eventually lead him down a twisted, intrigue-laden path. When he becomes privy to a scandal that runs from the depths of society up to its highest rungs, Dan must find a way to lay bare the corruption - without revealing the dangerous truth about himself. This is a thrilling rollercoaster ride through the new world of boomtown China.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #367355 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
"'It's a telling, multilayered tale, enthralling as a fable and subtle as a riddle.' Observer"

Sunday Times
'Yan depicts a China of contrasts, her lingering descriptions of the sumptuous food offset by the grubby, exploitative corporations that provide it.'

Guardian
'A memorable portrait of the decadence ushered in by China's new wealth.'

Customer Reviews

A pleasurable read
This is one of those books that you grow to love as you read it. It's an easy, enjoyable read with interesting characters that you gradually come to know and like. It is full of political and cultural insights, yet is deceptively simple in its execution. There are no wasted words, and no weak parts.

The novel's protagonist is Dan, a 'reserve worker' in a factory who has not been paid for months on end. He and his wife struggle to make ends meet, until he discovers that he can make a living by posing as a journalist at corporate events. However, before long his deceit catches up with him and he discovers that as a 'journalist' the most vulnerable members of society expect him to act as their champion.

Dan is great character, very well rounded, with great flaws and great strengths. I also liked the characters of his wife, Little Plum, and the pushy journalist Happy Gao. I enjoyed reading about them. Some of the other characters could have been a little more fleshed out, but that's not a major criticism.

The storyline is good, twisting enough to keep the reader's interest, but always plausible. I never grew bored. It provides a fascinating and vivid view of life in the capital of the most populous nation in the world. I feel that I learnt a great deal about the culture and issues in modern China, whilst enjoying the story. Serious issues are explored subtly and without trying to find easy answers; of censorship, inequality between rich and poor, and of corruption.

Particularly admirable is the way Yan uses small, simple incidents to put across a much larger concept. It whispers rather than shouts. The descriptions are brilliant, evocative without being at all wordy. I was longing to try some of the banquet food described.

There is really very little to criticise in this story, and I would recommend it as a pleasurable story to any readers. It's a must for anyone with an interest in modern China, and worth reading even anyone without.

The Chinese never change
As the female protagonist in the book put it, the Chinese society was built by peasants, ruled by peasants, and ruined by peasants. This books brings a balance account of the strengths and weaknesses of the Chinese people. While the settings have changed from stories by authors a century back during the Republic years, it's probably fair to say that Chinese society has not changed much; with the rich and powerful exploiting the poor, and the poor exploiting themselves. Nevertheless, there are always hidden veins of good and decency in between the greed and lying, as embodied in the protagonist Dan Dong.

This poignant book is depressing and reassuring at the same time.

A Nice little Change
Chinese author Geling Yan writes the amusing fable tale of Dan Dong, a "reserved" factory worker, who hasn't been paid for over two months. To make ends meet Dan attends a job interview, but is mistaken for a journalist at a fancy business banquet. Dan takes full advantage and forges a new identity as freelance journalist, taking full benefits of the free meals and "money for your troubles". Deceit soon catches up with Dan when he befriends several crazy characters. This is a nice little change break from crime thrillers we see everyday.