This collection of short stories by Ha Jin is set amongst the ordinary people of China and against the after effects of the circumstance of communism. Ha Jin offers us characters such as Mr Chiu in The Saboteur and Shaona, the six year old main character from In The Kindergarten who find ways to extract cunning retribution for injustice heaped on them. Alive is a tale which keeps you in the unfortunate Guhan’s pocket until the end. Life plays the kinds of tricks which befall Guhan, not every day, but often enough that we willingly go along with the plot. There is a distinct essence of realism about each of these tales. Even The Bridegroom, the title story, which could be a totally fantastic tale, smacks of stark reality.
Ha Jin is a master storyteller. His stories are related in very simple, peasant style which lead you quietly, gently, everyday ordinarily, into the midst of unexpected events.
His attention to apparently casual detail creates images of surprising substance and he understands the psyche of the people about whose lives these tales are spun. He exposes that psyche without rancour – as though it were just another object.
I found The Bridegroom to be a very enjoyable read for the most part. I was quite squarely placed in the observer’s seat, rather than drawn into the action, but this position allowed me to test my own reactions at distance to a way of life I will never have to experience. And this is the real gift Ha Jin delivers.
First published in Good Reading Magazine
Theresa Sjoquist
Bioforce
Daily Organics
Theresa Sjoquist
