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ayhuang's review
lordfinkelgravy's review
2.0
I don't know what to say about a book with which I had zero connection. Aesthetics aside, I found most of the characters two dimensional - David, whose psychosis is his defining feature; Daisy - who is equally insane regarding the imposed seclusion of her children; and the children themselves who are an odd combination of intelligent and feral. These characters are all defined by their madness and aside from painting a poetic version of insanity, I am not sure what else the author is trying to convey. I cannot help but think this is an example of people thinking something is meaningful or deep just because it is horrifying and sad.
niniane's review
4.0
It paints a vivid picture of what can happen if people isolate themselves and things going increasingly off the rails. The characters are detailed and 3-dimensional.
I'm not sure what the overarching moral is. Maybe it is that some people have an inner urge to live, and others keep trying to die?
I'm not sure what the overarching moral is. Maybe it is that some people have an inner urge to live, and others keep trying to die?
rara2018's review
1.0
I get why people enjoyed this and found it moving, but I just found it so incredibly excruciating to read from the very first page. Another reviewer described the story as bleak, which ended up being a very fitting adjective. The discussions of mental health were interesting and complex, but it ended up creating such an unlikeable (and borderline unreadable) set of characters and stories that I genuinely had to push myself to finish this. Part II was the part I found most compelling, especially with Jia-hui’s narration, but it ended up with me despising David, the narrator of the previous section. This ended up going in a bit of a circular manner as well, with Part III leading me to hate Daisy, and the final part inducing disgust and panic regarding William’s and Gillian’s decisions. I also did not particular enjoy the writing style, and found the pacing incredibly dissatisfying. There were many characters we never got a full backstory on, and others who we could’ve done without a handful of extra chapters. I probably won’t be reading anything by this author again.
emily1602's review
Really good writing. Characters that you go from sympathizing with to hating. People suffering and then enacting that suffering on others. I guess that is a classic gothic convention (like Wuthering Heights). There is real bleakness at one point in the middle, but then the author pulls back.
lifeinpoetry's review
5.0
A horrifying look at the effects of isolation and loneliness on an already vulnerable family.
This novel made me feel so claustrophobic, my chest one tight knot of anxiety, that I took a break of a few days for less emotionally involved reads. Disturbing and worthwhile but triggers abound here so tread carefully.
This novel made me feel so claustrophobic, my chest one tight knot of anxiety, that I took a break of a few days for less emotionally involved reads. Disturbing and worthwhile but triggers abound here so tread carefully.
savvylit's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Border of Paradise is an incredibly mesmerizing novel. Weijun Wang's prose is both haunting and luscious. As the Nowak family becomes increasingly isolated, the claustrophobic atmosphere of the story increases to the point of palpable anxiety. I felt myself suffocating in the remote homestead right alongside Daisy, Gillian, and William. The nuanced portrayal of David's mental instability in an era when such things were considered mere eccentricities by professionals is particularly well executed.
So: why did I rate this three stars? Well, the reason is twofold. First, I think that Daisy is a sorely underdeveloped character. Readers are given a brief glimpse into her background. As I read, though, I kept expecting more information that never came. Why did Daisy suddenly change her mind and leave Taiwan? How did being a madame make her feel?
The second reason that I didn't love this book is that one of the largest and most explored topics within this story is sibling incest. Nothing makes me want to drop a book more quickly than incest as a major plot point. It's a subject that I simply do not want to dwell upon. I do think incest can be discussed in literature - of course. However, there's a difference between considering its ramifications and then explicitly being forced to read - over and over again - the twisted and selfish justifications for abuse.
So: why did I rate this three stars? Well, the reason is twofold. First, I think that Daisy is a sorely underdeveloped character. Readers are given a brief glimpse into her background. As I read, though, I kept expecting more information that never came. Why did Daisy suddenly change her mind and leave Taiwan? How did being a madame make her feel?
The second reason that I didn't love this book is that one of the largest and most explored topics within this story is sibling incest. Nothing makes me want to drop a book more quickly than incest as a major plot point. It's a subject that I simply do not want to dwell upon. I do think incest can be discussed in literature - of course. However, there's a difference between considering its ramifications and then explicitly being forced to read - over and over again - the twisted and selfish justifications for abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Violence, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Incest, Child abuse, Death, and Sexual assault
colleenbyrne7's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest and Suicide