China Dream

Name: China Dream
Brand: Penguin Random House NZ
SKU: 9781784708696
Price: 22.0 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

By Ma Jian

0.0 (0 reviews)

3.43

( 1,956 ratings, 262 reviews)

Summary

China Dream by Ma Jian is a satirical exploration of contemporary Chinese society under the influence of a national agenda promoting a utopian "China Dream." The story follows a government official whose personal history of the Cultural Revolution clashes with the demands of his new role, revealing deep-seated hypocrisies and tensions. It's a thought-provoking narrative reflecting on the intersection of personal memory and state-driven ideology, packed with dark humour and keen social insight.
Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of China Dream. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you appreciate a blend of satire and social commentary, this narrative weaves a compelling story that delves into the complexities of modern China, exploring themes of power, dreams, and societal control. It's a thought-provoking read for those interested in the intersection of politics and personal freedom.

China Dream

After decades of loyal service, Ma Daode, a corrupt and lecherous party official, has been appointed director of the China Dream Bureau, charged with promoting President Xi Jinping’s China Dream of national rejuvenation.

A biting satire of Chinese totalitarianism from the critically acclaimed author of Beijing Coma and Red Dust.

Description

A biting satire of Chinese totalitarianism from the critically acclaimed author of Beijing Coma and Red Dust.

'One of China's greatest living novelists' - Guardian

Blending fact with fiction, China Dream is an unflinching satire of totalitarianism. After decades of loyal service, Ma Daode, a corrupt and lecherous party official, has been appointed director of the China Dream Bureau, charged with promoting President Xi Jinping's China Dream of national rejuvenation.

But just as he is about to present his plan for a microchip that will be implanted into the brain of every citizen to replace all painful recollections with a collective dream of national supremacy, his sanity begins to unravel. Plagued by flashbacks of the Cultural Revolution, his nightmare visions from the past threaten to destroy his dream of a glorious future.

This darkly comic fable is a dystopian vision of repression and state-enforced amnesia set not in the future, but in China today.

'Excoriating...Not for nothing has Ma been called both the Orwell and Solzhenitsyn of Chinese literature' - A Financial Times Book of the Year

'Red Guards meet Kurt Vonnegot, sort of - powerful!' - Margaret Atwood, via Twitter

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

China Dream by Ma Jian is celebrated for its sharp satire and incisive critique of Chinese authoritarianism. Critics highlight its humour, thought-provoking narrative, and emotional depth. The novel is noted for being both tragic and darkly funny, often drawing comparisons to Orwellian themes. It tackles the oppressive totalitarian mindset with profound insight, making it a powerful and unsettling read.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781784708696

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 May 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage

Contributors:

Translated by Flora Drew
Translated by Flora Drew

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 12.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 138g

Pages: 192

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Humour Literary Fiction Ma Jian Penguin Books

About the Author

Ma Jian was born in Qingdao, China. He is the author of seven novels, a travel memoir, three story collections and two essay collections. He has been translated into twenty-six languages. Since the publication of his first book in 1987, all his work has been banned in China. He now lives in exile in London