A Thousand Years of Good Prayers (2005)
Author: Yiyun Li | Page Count: 205
'They were put into satin dresses […] and were each fed a cup of mercury. The mercury killed them instantly, so their peachy complexions were preserved when they were paraded in sedan chairs before the coffin.'
If it hadn't been at sale price and I wasn't desperate for something to fill a long train journey, I'd not have given A Thousand Years a second glance. There were a number of titles I could've chosen that day, but something made me purchase Yiyun Li's début. I can't explain why, because the blurb made it sound like a troubled romance novel and that's not my idea of a good read.
It mixes existing socio-political Chinese history with observations and personal insight in order to explore how cultural identity and familial upbringing influence our decisions and affect our lives. Li strives to highlight the consequences to the individual in a State where weakness is to be avoided and individuality can be seen as a silent precursor to insurrection.
