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Book Review of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
reviewed Fairy tale in Maoist China on
Helpful Score: 2


This book came out in 2000 to widespread critical acclaim. Despite the rich cultural and historical backdrop of Maoist China, the book is not pretentious and it is easy to read. The fairy tale story line takes two rich boys into the mountains of China for a "re-education" where they experience, for the first time, the hardships of living a poor life intermingled with the hardships of living under an oppressive communist regime. Despite the hardships they face, they find solace in a secret and forbidden stash of Western classics which transports them from their difficulties. And, boys being boys, they flirt with the local town hottie, a seamstress.