I don't think I've ever read a short story collection where I loved or was impressed with each and every story, even from my favorite writers. That's the case here as well. However, I can say that each of the stories in "Land of Big Numbers" is thoughtfully crafted and interesting, all based in contemporary China. There are ten in all, and I read them over December and January, one every few days or so. I think I enjoyed them more that way; more than I would've had I read them all in few sittings.
The lead story, "Lulu," was brilliant. I also really loved "Hotline Girl," "Land of Big Numbers" and "Guebeikou Spirit."
One of my other favorites was "New Fruit," which is about qiquo, or "peculiar fruit," created through trial and error crossbreeding by a man named Fan Shiyi. It's this miraculous fruit that leaves different, but positive impressions on the person smelling or eating it. It has a sort of Proust effect on some, making them recall memories in vivid detail. For everyone, even newborn babies, it gives them inexplicable feelings of happiness, revitalizing some, that kind of thing. It gets massively popular. The catch is that when it's a bad season for the fruit, it has an opposite effect on people, making them feel sick, unhappy or even worse... Loved the concept and execution here and the note it ended on.
I'm more of a novel reader, and would be thrilled if Te-Ping Chen wrote one in the future. I'd also happily read more of her short stories!
The lead story, "Lulu," was brilliant. I also really loved "Hotline Girl," "Land of Big Numbers" and "Guebeikou Spirit."
One of my other favorites was "New Fruit," which is about qiquo, or "peculiar fruit," created through trial and error crossbreeding by a man named Fan Shiyi. It's this miraculous fruit that leaves different, but positive impressions on the person smelling or eating it. It has a sort of Proust effect on some, making them recall memories in vivid detail. For everyone, even newborn babies, it gives them inexplicable feelings of happiness, revitalizing some, that kind of thing. It gets massively popular. The catch is that when it's a bad season for the fruit, it has an opposite effect on people, making them feel sick, unhappy or even worse... Loved the concept and execution here and the note it ended on.
I'm more of a novel reader, and would be thrilled if Te-Ping Chen wrote one in the future. I'd also happily read more of her short stories!