Lili: A Novel of Tiananmen

In China, I heard of this book and asked a friend in America to send the book to me. As a scholar, I am interested in all English books written about China. "Lili" is no doubt a strongly written book. I was born in 1960, the same year with Lili. Everything written in the book is so familiar to me, the heroic gangster Spring Ocean, the timid high ranking official's son Jun, the talkative poet friend Yuan, the dirty alleys of Beijing, the boredom of the young people back in early 1980s...They are so true and so vivid. I can especially understand Lili's self-loathing which was and still is a national character. The paradox of the Chinese is that we have self-loathing and self-deception at the same time. Annie Wang did a good job capturing these Chinese national characteristics.The best part of this book to me is the realistic portrayal of the lives of the peasants. It is like Zhang Yimo's movies, so moving.I recommend this book to any one who is interested in Chinese history, modern China and cross-culture studies.

As an American who has lived and traveled extensively in China, I am always interested in works focusing on the modern Chinese experience. "Lili" does not disappoint, with author Annie Wang showing remarkable insight and experience that reaches far beyond her 29 years. Ms. Wang's portrayal of rural and city life in China during the years leading up to the tragedy in Tiananmen offers us a fresh look at some of the underlying reasons behind the students, and ultimately ordinary citizens, push for democracy. She also takes us beyond the beauty, tranquility and myth of the Chinese countryside and reveals some of the desperate conditions that actually exist there. Startling when one realizes that 80 percent of the population of China is rural. "Lili" is a great read and is difficult to put down. And with a love story navigating the cultural and philosophical contrasts between the idealistic American Roy and the harsh realism of Lili's existence, it will not be long before Hollywood takes notice.

Lili is forceful and rich in ethnographic insight. I couldn't put it down. Vivid and intense, this novel convincingly delves into rarely seen areas of contemporary China. To give but a few examples, we encounter a reform through labor camp for 'hooligan girls', the eclectic milieu of the Beijing art scene, the hidden counter-culture of youth street gangs, and the emergence of a distinct new voice, manifest in many ways, including the 1989 Student Movement. A scene I will not soon forget: a nauseating 'interview' by members of public security. I marveled at the writer's talent for capturing the incredibly complex situations of rural and urban China with economy and verve. This novel made me weep. It made me wish too that I could return to China immediately and witness more of its amazing, ongoing transformation. Bravo. Highly recommended for people who think about China seriously, and for people who love literature.

The story of "Lili" concerns the tribulations of a teenage girl in China in the years leading up to the massacre in Tianenmen Square, and the development of her relationship with an American journalist. It is written with force and clarity, and the main character is startlingly real and three-dimensional. Once you start reading it, you won't be able to put it down. An excellent book, highly recommended.

This novel is recommended for anyone interested in China's recent past. Though the storyline is different, it has the same poignancy of Joan Chen's film Xiu Xiu the Sent-Down Girl. Lili is caught in the turmoil of China in the 1980s-- still reeling from the impact of the Cultural Revolution, and still undergoing the "growing pains" of transformation from a communist to free market society. Lili, the title character, is shorn of hope, someone who is utterly rejected by her society. Yet, somehow, she survives and manages to find new meaning in life. Lili is told from an insider's point of view-that is, someone who is intimately acquainted with Chinese society and culture. It is a window to an eastern culture that is at once fascinating and compelling. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in China or Asia