Chen draws a lovable protagonist in San San, and her deft use of suspense makes the novel a quick and satisfying read. Other characters are less successful, especially Ah Liam and his father, whose plotlines fall to the background and are largely unresolved. Chen has drawn an engaging, if uneven, portrait of China in the late 1950s during the rise of Maoism.
Bury What We Cannot Take is evocative, engrossing, beautiful, frightening and illuminating. The only flaws I could find are that it was also a bit unbelievable and that it scratches only the surface of issues and characters that could have used a fuller exploration. That said, I would still recommend this novel to anyone looking for a good read. It packs a powerful punch into a relatively small package.
Chen’s book is an engaging account of the Ong family’s escape to freedom at the height of political oppression ... In Bury What We Cannot Take, the dialogue and historical details reflect her knowledge of Chinese culture and history, gained through both her upbringing and research ... Though we the reader may yearn for a richer political and social landscape and a more convincing ending in Chen’s book, it provides a rare glimpse into the little-documented history of such people during Mao’s era.
The novel’s setting is broad and rich as a result of this polyphonous approach, and Chen is clearly fascinated by the historical period. But the sheer number of characters and subplots can also make the novel feel strained and disjointed. The characters are not given equal page time, and as a result, those who appear less often lack development and complexity. San San’s story is particularly action-packed and by far the most gripping. Despite the benefits of polyphonic storytelling, it’s hard not to think that a novel focused solely on San San might have been more compelling. A modestly engaging, well-researched historical novel of Communist China that fails to fulfill its potential.
Chen captures the complex and terrifying political environment of the time through San San’s horrifying experience trying to reach her family, as well as through the depiction of the consequences of family loyalty over party loyalty. This is a fascinating family portrait.
