REVIEW: Braised Pork by An Yu

A hallucinogenic, surrealistic work of modern Chinese fiction

BRAISED PORK

by An Yu Published 9th January by Vintage

As anyone who has read a few of my reviews will know, I'm a huge fan of Asian literature, particularly in novella form, so when I saw this pop up on NetGalley, I immediately knew I needed to read it.

Braised Pork opens with the protagonist, Jia Jia finding her husband dead, face down in the bath. Her grief is mingled with revulsion and a surprising lack of emotion, until she discovered a hastily scrawled drawing of a 'fishman' in the bathroom. Jia Jia becomes infatuated with the fishman and a mysterious 'world of water' that takes her at seemingly random times throughout the novel. As Jia Jia strives to find meaning behind the drawing, her grief also gives way to a journey of self-discovery. She fears and craves her newfound freedom, feeling untethered, but embarks on a quest for the identity that her marriage and society have slowly worn away over the years.

It's this exploration of identity that really stands out. Whilst Jia Jia's own development is incredibly powerful, there's many other characters who are tackling their own identity. Whether it's her aunt, who is trying to define herself whilst being coupled with a partner who is a constant source of difficulty and strife, the old man she encounters in a Tibetan village who is haunted by experiences from the past, and the married woman she agrees to paint for. Each character has an almost dreamlike impact on Jia Jia's life, but their appearances are full of life.

In style, the book is unconventional. It's heavily permeated with dreams and visions, leading to a finished product that is surrealist and hallucinogenic. Accordingly the plot doesn't make a huge amount of sense, but it doesn't necessarily need to. The character's journey is so powerful, even if the steps along the way don't even make sense, that the plot's shortfalls don't leave too much to be desired.

The one plot element that left me a little cold was the huge amount of convenience involved. Jia Jia just seems to end up in a lot of places that prove vital to the plot without too much explanation. It's jarring enough to pull you out of the story, but largely forgivable as it's so dreamlike anyway.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience of reading this book. Jia Jia is an interesting character and the insight into Chinese society is fascinating. The writing is lyrical and weird and a constant journey, but I was left feeling mildly unfulfilled by the end. I'd recommend if you're a fan of Asian literature or surrealist literary fiction, but otherwise it's perhaps marginally too obtuse for most readers.

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I received an advanced review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Many thanks to Vintage for approving my request.