Customer Reviews

Raise the Red Lantern: Three Novellas

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Su Tong leaves you grasping for hope. These three novellas, general enough for an American to grasp yet specific to the Chinese milieu, probe the underside of human nature. With emphasis on class, the people's revolution, and the organic nature of life, the author confronts the bestial facets of living in the underclass.

My first encounter with this story was through the movie based on the longest novella. Finding it a very good watch, I decided to search for the book. I really enjoyed the novellas, though they may have been a bit depressing at points. The stories seemed very realistic and kept my attention. I'd definitely recommend Su Tong's books.

like many people who have read this book, i was first introduced to it through the movie, and although i enjoyed both reading the book and watching the movie, the book in my opinion is much superior. the movie leans away from the novella greatly. one major difference there are not even red lanterns in the novella which are a major part of the movie. also the main characters's personality is delved into more as well as that as the master's son. read this book it is great

My first encounter with this story was through the movie based on the longest novella. Finding it a very good watch, I decided to search for the book. I really enjoyed the novellas, though they may have been a bit depressing at points. The stories seemed very realistic and kept my attention. I'd definitely recommend Su Tong's books.

Raise The Red Lantern has three stories, each twice as depressing and twisted as the last. Sad stories of lust, greed, treachery, sex, drugs, death and so much more. Yet what we really have is the last scene, the final act, the beginning of the end. All the major events, the important decisions, have already happened. All we have left to do is watch as the end comes. Like, as I pointed out, watching the final act of Hamlet. We can see what is going to happen, from the well to the suicides to the murders. Yet this can't be a tragedy because there is no strong willed, good hearted Hero to fail. Everybody is flawed and is doomed from the start. Kind of like watching a train crossing a bridge that is out of order. There is nothing left for it to do but fall into the river taking everybody with it.

It is not a shock to me that Su Tong, as well as his comparable contemporaries, have not been elected as the Nobel Laureat. Chinese would be distorted in English translation, for they are basically two systems of language (apart from the suppression/ignorant omission of the Europe localism). If you know Chinese, you should try the book in the original language, then you will find so pretty and intriguing Su Tong's narration is. He is in the style of Raymond Chandler.