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havendear's review against another edition
5.0
la douleur exquise;
This was as perfect a novel as I thought it would be. Eileen Chang truly impressed me with this Shakespearean-Like love story. It moved my heart and emotions in ways a book hasn't done in quite some time. Cheers to Karen Kingsbury for allowing me the pleasure of reading this without having to learn Chinese.
This was as perfect a novel as I thought it would be. Eileen Chang truly impressed me with this Shakespearean-Like love story. It moved my heart and emotions in ways a book hasn't done in quite some time. Cheers to Karen Kingsbury for allowing me the pleasure of reading this without having to learn Chinese.
mangliu0130's review against another edition
4.0
这本书简直就是看各种中国女性受苦，受过苦还要拉下其他女性受苦，拿到一点甜头就觉得美满了，因为无知和怯懦继续让自己和别人受苦。读得我非常生气，同时也知道这不仅是七八十年前真实发生过的故事，而且真相更加血腥和痛苦。书中的人物特别是上了年纪的妇女形象，感觉就是我现实中认识的人，结了婚的朋友跟我怨诉家庭生活时跟书中的某些情节也是一模一样的。书里的对话，感觉在中国这种宗法社会发生过几百万次，未来也还是会以各种形式继续发生。洞察人性到这种程度，张爱玲如此受爱戴的原因我算是明白了。
这本书减分的点在于曼桢和世钧的性格都太普了（我理解这也是这本书的成功要素之一），所以经常对其他角色的人生更感兴趣，更想听其他人的内心独白。
这本书减分的点在于曼桢和世钧的性格都太普了（我理解这也是这本书的成功要素之一），所以经常对其他角色的人生更感兴趣，更想听其他人的内心独白。
rieviolet's review against another edition
The focus on relationship and family drama and on schemes plotted by awful characters is really not my favourite subject matter in a book but I kept going because the writing style wasn't bad and there were some interesting reflections here and there.
But then a horrible event occuredthe main character's sister tricks her into going to her house so that her husband can rape her and lock her up and that left me so astounded, horrified and enraged, I really do not want to read on.
But then a horrible event occured
imnarka's review against another edition
4.0
Tragic is the best word I can think of to describe this. The betrayal of the older sister and the societal standards of 1930s Shanghai go hand in hand to make the main character as miserable as possible.
procrasti_reader's review against another edition
3.0
Slow burn during the first half or even more but done in a clearly deliberate way. Author builds imperceptible layers upon layers so as to prime the reader then hits them on the head with the sudden and tragic devolution.
sanmeow's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.75
half a lifelong romance is a book about shijun and manzhen, two colleagues living in shanghai, and their attempts at staying together. shijun's family has matched him with someone else for marriage despite his unwillingness to follow through with it. shijun and manzhen become distant and they have their own struggles, but they both hope to one day reunite and love again.
this novel explores the impacts of decisions, both our own and ones that our family makes for us. it explores how one's emotions and family members influence them. it also gives us characters that are interesting to discover because of their attitude toward life - they feel like their lives are uneventful and sort of pointless. they're all highly emotional and they let their feelings make decisions for them, and they miss out on things because of them sometimes.
the author also gives insight into how women are treated in society. she does that through manzhen, the character which i liked most because she felt most important to me. she's often swayed by how people treat her and the trauma she's endured just because she's a woman.
the way the author talks about love is breathtaking to me, especially because books that discuss love deeply are some of my favorites. the writing style was absolutely enchanting. the descriptions were perfectly done and really set the tone and atmosphere of this novel. i highlighted so many quotes while reading this, most of them being about love, and it made me tear up several times.
this novel explores the impacts of decisions, both our own and ones that our family makes for us. it explores how one's emotions and family members influence them. it also gives us characters that are interesting to discover because of their attitude toward life - they feel like their lives are uneventful and sort of pointless. they're all highly emotional and they let their feelings make decisions for them, and they miss out on things because of them sometimes.
the author also gives insight into how women are treated in society. she does that through manzhen, the character which i liked most because she felt most important to me. she's often swayed by how people treat her and the trauma she's endured just because she's a woman.
the way the author talks about love is breathtaking to me, especially because books that discuss love deeply are some of my favorites. the writing style was absolutely enchanting. the descriptions were perfectly done and really set the tone and atmosphere of this novel. i highlighted so many quotes while reading this, most of them being about love, and it made me tear up several times.
pcarillo's review against another edition
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
sarah_thebooknerd's review against another edition
this is just a soft DNF I am not in the right headspace for the book right now.