The Explosion Chronicles by Yan Lianke

The Explosion Chronicles

Yan Lianke

The village of Explosion grows into a town, then a city then a megalopolis. This book skims over the first thousand years of history to concentrate on the last forty years and the crucial role of three families in this transformation. It is a parody of Communist rule which clearly applies to China as a whole as ambition greed and corruption combine to force change.

Extract
Everyone went crazy. Pig farmers, goatherds, cow and horse breeders, weavers, furniture sellers, and house builders- all aspired to be among the small minority who would get rich first, and to be the first to get a no-interest loan from the government, which would allow them to brag and let them live a dream life.
Parallels
  • To Live by Yu Hua
  • The Real Story of Ah Q by Lu Xun
  • Red Sorghum by Mo Yan