roddy Posted May 24, 2020 at 05:19 PM Report Share Posted May 24, 2020 at 05:19 PM Chapter 15... the tension... edge of my seat... that whole last scene... 10/10 would read again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murrayjames Posted May 25, 2020 at 12:45 PM Report Share Posted May 25, 2020 at 12:45 PM Chapter 5 Really like the illustration on page 48. 轻盈 qīnɡyínɡ - relaxed 非但 fēidàn - not only 撵 niǎn - to catch up with 乌溜溜 wūliūliū - (of eyes) dark and sparkling 扳 bān - to pull 行当 hánɡdanɡ - profession 沾边 zhānbiān - to touch on 手头 shǒutóu - financial situation 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted May 25, 2020 at 02:02 PM Report Share Posted May 25, 2020 at 02:02 PM Wait till you see page 143! 151's pretty good too. Bit of a rest in chapter 16, and then a breakthrough in the case! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lu Posted May 25, 2020 at 03:46 PM Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2020 at 03:46 PM Chapter 19: Spoiler 春节 and 阿珠 has still not been found. 沙丘克 gets drunk, forgets to give 沙小丘 his red envelope, so 马大伯 gives him money instead, pretending it's from his father. A few days later, the Shas continue their stake-out. They find a house with a large scholartree, this one with a magpie nest in it, with a magpie family. When 沙小丘 climbs up the fence to retrieve his painting that was blown away by the wind, he sees a little girl. It‘s 阿珠! 沙丘克 comes to look. They see a woman come out who clearly loves the little girl as a daughter. Something is shocking 沙丘克. (I suspect the woman is his former wife, 丘丘's mother.) Some words: 悲恸欲绝 bēitòng-yùjué inconsolable grief, grief-stricken 硝烟 xiāoyān gunpowder smoke 抵御 dǐyù resist, withstand 孵 fū to hatch, to brood, to incubate 栅栏 zhàlan fence 雏鸟 chúniǎo nestling, fledgling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted May 25, 2020 at 03:55 PM Report Share Posted May 25, 2020 at 03:55 PM 8 minutes ago, Lu said: 悲恸欲绝 bēitòng-yùjué inconsolable grief, grief-stricken 硝烟 xiāoyān gunpowder smoke Not sure I can cope with the anticipation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lu Posted May 25, 2020 at 03:58 PM Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2020 at 03:58 PM 2 minutes ago, roddy said: 10 minutes ago, Lu said: 硝烟 xiāoyān gunpowder smoke Not sure I can cope with the anticipation! I mean I don't want to spoil your excitement but it's New Year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balthazar Posted May 25, 2020 at 06:10 PM Report Share Posted May 25, 2020 at 06:10 PM My copy is set to be delivered (by FedEx - which makes the JD's shipping fee more understandable) in two days. Just wanted to say thanks to all the people contributing to this thread, the word selections in particular will be useful as I start reading 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murrayjames Posted May 26, 2020 at 02:12 AM Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 02:12 AM Yeah, can we do this again in June/July with a different book? It’s fun. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted May 26, 2020 at 05:10 AM Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 05:10 AM Stick a topic up and get it started, or bump the discussion topic we had for May and I'll edit the title. I was thinking about doing that, but I'm all in favour of other people doing it instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somethingfunny Posted May 26, 2020 at 06:58 AM Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 06:58 AM Got a bit distracted over the weekend. Just finished chapter 10 with the paper planes. Need to catch up with Roddy before he explodes... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted May 26, 2020 at 07:10 AM Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 07:10 AM I should actually maybe slow down until a few of us can go through the last chapters in sync... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lu Posted May 26, 2020 at 09:12 AM Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 09:12 AM I have only two more chapters to go, I think I'll just go on and finish the book today or tomorrow. @murrayjames I might join again, if we pick a book already in my pile. I've read (almost) three Chinese books in the past three months, I don't think I've ever read so much Chinese so consistently and it's good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murrayjames Posted May 26, 2020 at 09:34 AM Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 09:34 AM Chapter 6 ? 勃朗宁 Bólǎngníng - Browning, American pistol company 光顾 ɡuānɡɡù - to patronize (visit) a place 一往无前 yīwǎng-wúqián - advance indomitably 神机妙算 shénjī-miàosuàn - brilliant intelligence 料事如神 liàoshì-rúshén - to have incredible foresight 未卜先知 wèibǔ-xiānzhī - to have foresight 天方夜谭 tiānfāng-yètán - Arabian Nights; a fanciful story 危机四伏 wēijī-sìfú - be crisis-ridden 沉甸甸 chéndiàndiàn - heavy 口径 kǒujìnɡ - calibre (of firearms) 弹匣 dànxiá - magazine (of firearms) 按捺 ànnà - to restrain 交代 jiāodài - to confess 24 minutes ago, Lu said: I might join again, if we pick a book already in my pile. I've read (almost) three Chinese books in the past three months, I don't think I've ever read so much Chinese so consistently and it's good. I know that feeling! How big is your book pile? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lu Posted May 26, 2020 at 10:06 AM Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 10:06 AM 28 minutes ago, murrayjames said: I know that feeling! How big is your book pile? I just counted, some 35 books. Huh, that's not nearly as much as I thought. It's conceivable I'll actually finish all that at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerpetualChange Posted May 26, 2020 at 12:16 PM Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 12:16 PM Well, my order was just cancelled by amazon. Not sure I should expect to see a copy at this point now. 3 hours ago, Lu said: @murrayjames I might join again, if we pick a book already in my pile. I've read (almost) three Chinese books in the past three months, I don't think I've ever read so much Chinese so consistently and it's good. Would be interested, if we could choose something a bit more widely available (like on Kindle shop) or other online sources that don't require a PRC credit card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somethingfunny Posted May 26, 2020 at 12:42 PM Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 12:42 PM I got mine from 京东 with my UK card, and I believe Roddy also got his copy the same way. It turned up within a week - I was very surprised at how quickly it arrived. Maybe you'll have to give us a list of all your books Lu... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutu Posted May 26, 2020 at 12:53 PM Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 12:53 PM Great! It's a great book! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomsima Posted May 26, 2020 at 03:00 PM Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 03:00 PM im also following this thread with interest - once im done with Waste Tide I'm gonna read this book. Anybody managed to get hold of an electronic copy yet, or is it only available in physical form at the moment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted May 26, 2020 at 03:25 PM Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 03:25 PM It's Y18 on Kindle from Amazon.cn if you have an account and it doesn't block you for being overseas. Alternatively, if you're still in the UK I can post my copy down when I'm done with it - fun though it is, I'm unlikely to re-read it in the near future. 2 hours ago, somethingfunny said: I believe Roddy also got his copy the same way. It turned up within a week Yep, although mine took the best part of two weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lu Posted May 26, 2020 at 03:51 PM Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 at 03:51 PM I finished it and wow, for a children's book this just gets heavier and heavier. I gained a lot of respect for Cao Wenxuan as a writer. Two really good characters that are put into a really good conflict. Chapter 20: Spoiler I was right: 阿珠's adoptive mother is no other but 沙丘克's former wife, 沙小丘's mother! 沙丘克 is very conflicted and locks himself up in his room; 沙小丘 doesn't understand what's going on. Eventually, 沙丘克 tells him who the lady they saw is. 沙小丘 isn't particularly happy or sad about this, I guess he is used to life without a mother. Chapter 21: Spoiler Short flashback on how 于蔓莉 has fared after leaving 草鞋湾路108. She went to an old school friend to stay at her place. Old school friend introduced her to another former classmate, 李明秋, who is now a rich businessman but has always carried a torch for 于蔓莉. They marry, but can't have children. Eventually, they decide to adopt. 李明秋 asks his housekeeper to procure a child and tells 于蔓莉 it's a child of his cousin who has too little money and too many children. Chapter 22, last chapter: Spoiler 沙丘克 is very, very conflicted about what he has found out and what he should do now. Eventually, he decides to tell the Shengs that he can't work on the case anymore and give them his last clue of 'number 138', so they can ask the police for further help or hire another private detective. But when the Shas arrive at the Shengs' house, it turns out the Shengs no longer live there. Father has neglected his company until it had to close, had to sell the house and walks the land like a vagabond looking for his daughter. Mother has gone quietly mad and comes to the old house every day to wait for 阿珠. 沙丘克 is now even more conflicted. He stays out all night, keeping 丘丘 with him. In the morning, he sees the light and decides to go to the police. Alone, because this is not work for a small boy. Some words: 踮 diǎn (Taiwan pronunciation diàn) to stand on tiptoe 惊涛骇浪 jīngtāo hàilàng stormy sea (usually figuratively), perilous situation 安然无恙 ānrán wú yàng safe and sound, escape unscathed 肃穆 sùmù solemn and quiet, respectful 汹涌 xiōngyǒng turbulent, tempestuous 歉疚 qiànjiù having a guilty conscience Two sentences that I noticed: p 191 沙小丘 climbs the stairs, 一边故意将屁股往后埋. Does anyone understand what 埋 means here? p 192 沙丘克站到了椅子上，又从椅子上站到了桌子上: this useage of 站 is new to me, not meaning ‘to stand on’ but ‘to step on’, the movement from one standing place to another. So to sum it up... Spoiler - Chekov's gun is not shot, which is good and right because 沙丘克 explicitily told 丘丘 that it was not to be shot. - The magpies were 于蔓莉/a whole, safe and loving family. - The little girl is fine, but everything else is a mess and will never be well again. And to ride my hobby horse: the girls and women in this book are not rounded characters. Not counting minor characters like 胡妈 and 阿珠的妈妈, little 阿珠 herself exists only to be saved by a man (be it 沙丘克&沙小丘, the police, or even her father), and 于蔓莉 exists only as motivation/character development tool for 沙丘克 and as symbol of Wifely and Motherly Love. On the other hand, there are really only two rounded characters in this story altogether, so I guess one shouldn't judge this individual book too harshly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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