Gold Boy, Emerald Girl: Stories

Beautifully crafted and elegantly told stories of contemporary China, specifically with a thread about immigration to the U.S. Many of these stories were about the regret and sorrow faced by older people as they look back at their lives. I loved that I learned something about modern day China; at the same time, many themes of the stories touched on universal experiences in a meaningful way. A really good read.

I think Yiyun Li is one of the best writers of fiction about China working today. This collection of short stories, her second, is filled with memorable characters and plot lines that reflect a deep understanding of modern Chinese culture. I suppose that many Westerners who have not been to China or know little of 20th century Chinese cultural history might have trouble understanding the motivation of some of her characters, but her stories are told with such force that one has to appreciate her skill in telling a story. The first and longest story in this collection, "Kindness"is a devastating story a woman who's loneliness and lack of emotional warmth is painstakingly divulged as she narrates her life's story. "Prison" is a story of the clash between Western and Chinese cultural values in the persons of two women who are brought together by a tragedy one suffers. I don't want to ruin your enjoyment of the story by giving you more details- just read it. I really love this lady's writing and cannot recommend it strongly enough.

I had no expectations about this book I read for a book group. The stories were engaging and an interesting insight into parts of the Chinese revolution. It made for a lively discussion.

I lived in China during the mid-80’s. In that era I read every piece of classical and modern piece of Chinese literature I could get my hands on.This set of stories took me back to another era. I found life in China and the stories I heard from my friends and colleagues full of brutality and full of life. These stories capture both very, very well.

Writing is OK but stories are not good. But I still enjoyed them.

Every story in this masterful collection is pretty freaking depressing. They are all love stories, but they're also about loneliness, loss, and growing older. So why am I such a fan of them even thought they're Debbie Downers? The writing is BEAUTIFUL. So rich and lyrical. It took me a while to get through this average-size collection because these are not the kind of stories you can rush through...you need to pause between them and take time to reflect on them before moving on. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more works by this author.

The writing was excellent, but I found the stories depressing. I don't want stories to be sugary, but I enjoy a little lightness or a peak at a happy moment.

Received "Gold Boy Emerald Girl" quickly and began reading it the same day. Yiyun Li is a skillful and brilliant master of storytelling. Her development of characters and her insight into the minds of her culture has taught me more than I could have hoped for. It is an easy, interesting read full of emotion and compassion expressed in ways that might surprise you. I found each story fascinating.

I reread this collection recently and enjoyed it just as much the second time.The nine short stories here are wonderful. My favourites are the opening tale “Kindness”, and the titular “Gold Boy, Emerald Girl” which ends the book. Both of these stories follow characters who feel removed from those around them, and Li writes around their emotions and relationships with others with real sensitivity and poignancy.Having enjoyed this, I moved onto her novel Kinder Than Solitude, and I have to say that I find Li’s introspective writing style more suitable to short stories; these stories are just the right length for Li to shine. I absolutely recommend this book, and I’m definitely going to pick up her first short story collection to read more.

The second collection of short stories from this Chinese author, now based in the U.S.A., largely focuses on lives of isolation, either elective or regretted, being endured in contemporary China.The style is deceptively simple, with much unsaid; the tales are slices of life, and some of the narratives cry out for further elaboration. Nevertheless, the subtlety with which cagey disconnectedness is painted is haunting.

Most of these short stories were engaging and sometimes moving. I must admit that when I bought the book I hadn't realised it was a collection of short stories. I will probably get around to reading a novel by this author. Sometime.

I have already read books by the author.Lively and easy to read style of writing

Good writing in that rather cryptic Chinese style where a life is summed up in a sentence or two.