Waiting, Ha Jin

I waste time in bookshops often. I  sometimes take note of the authors and novels which I find interesting, for future reference. Ha Jin is one of those, and I instantly recognized his name when I chanced upon Waiting at BOOKSALE. Boo yeah.

This is my first "review" for the TBR Pile Challenge, so I'll set a few personal guidelines. I'll break down the review to three things: technical stuff, for the author's style, mood/tone, setting/s, etc; story and themes, where I'll state the gist of the book, review the plot and focus on themes that I find most interesting or significant; and overall, where 'llI sum up the feel of the book for me where I'll rate it for fun based on the grading system used in Quebec according to wiki. And also, I vow never to read any other review regarding my titles prior to writing my own.

Technical stuff.
I like Ha Jin's writing style. He doesn't go down that super complicated sentence construction route, he states things simply. How he unfolds the story generates the complexities in the novel, and I must say it is effective. I found the pacing of the novel just right even though it spans a couple of decades, which in theory would've been boring as hell. It's not like an adventure/mystery/thriller kind of book that's meant to keep you up until 4AM, but it's like a short story that does not hurry nor thrill so much yet still draws you in. The characters aren't very loud and extremely conscious with their actions, which fits the picture of the pacified and traditional lives during communist China.

Story and themes.
The protagonist Lin Kong is a married man, a doctor in the military hospital in the city. His wife Shuyu and child Hua are in the province, where he comes home for 10 days each year. He was married upon the insistence of his parents, and does not love his wife. In the city, he found a girlfriend whom he really connects with, a nurse named Manna Wu. This is set in a very conservative and communist China, where rules are strict and divorce is barely in the vocabulary.

The political flavor in the book is rather discernible, as it limits what the characters can or cannot do. It took a long time for Lin Kong to get a divorce mainly because of the traditional and sociopolitical conditions of the time. The people in his province looked up to him and his family, and as in small villages divorce is a big issue. Year after year, some bomb from his brother-in-law would explode and his divorce would have to wait another year. I particularly liked how Gen Yang, a military man who turned out to be absolutely scornful, played out the devil in this divorce debacle since Lin was more of a passive man. For that age in China, Gen Yang was headstrong and quite rebellious. He dares Lin to be more bold, that he had the option to follow his desires. Lin listens, but still conforms to the rules.

The novel scrutinizes what the passing of time, waiting, can do to a person. I can just imagine my English 11 teacher asking who was really waiting in the novel. At this point I'd fail to give the exact answer or get lucky, because I think all the major characters were waiting and for several different things. Take Manna Wu for example, she was always waiting for the person she loves whether it be from a job assignment, from a trip to get a divorce, or just from work. Before, I thought it only takes patience to wait but now I realize it also takes confidence to wait. But time does tend to erode everything, and time elapsed cannot bring back fonder memories nor youthful beauty. Waiting is exhausting, especially for people who have a lot to lose.

From afar, it seems like your usual love story. And frankly I was drawn to the book because of this premise, I thought it'd be one of those long realized what nots and after all the pride and moral obstacles they'd be together. But it as a love story as much as it is a story about being able to feel and love, because I observed that it's more of the protagonist's ability to feel and love that is explored more than the relationships he has. I think I realized this after Lin Kong finally got his divorce from Shuyu, because it was so anticlimactic. I truly believed he felt strongly for Manna, trying to get that divorce for 18 years, I know he did. However, probably all the waiting made everything a tad bit too late. If Lin and Manna were married earlier, they would have been happier. Because when things finally fell into place, it felt like he pushed through with the divorce and marriage because there just is no turning back and it's not a choice to drop his eighteen year old plan anymore after everything that has happened.

At first, he was determined to divorce his wife with bound feet and marry a young and educated woman. After almost two decades when he finally got married to Manna and had twins, life wasn't better for him.  Then there's also that one incident where he endeared to Shuyu when he got drunk. It's such irony to finally get what you want, or wanted, and then not wanting it as much when you get it. Maybe because the time between the two made everything altogether different, but that's just speculation. In the end, this story paints the sad reality that love does not conquer all.

"Yet one thing he was certain about now:  between love and peace of mind he would choose the latter." 

Compounding his rational behavior towards deciding to let go of Manna though with fits of controlled jealousy, his indifference to Shuyu, his lack of communication with his daughter and his initial lack of attachment to his sons it is evident that he's always a few steps behind. I think that it's sadder, to feel but in such a mediocre manner.  

Overall.
It is literally an easy read, but it's quite the opposite of an easy read. It gets you thinking after you put it down, which for me makes for a really good read. I felt sad after finishing the book, maybe because I felt like all the waiting ended up in misery and at the same time it was a very pragmatic (unromantic sounds off) love story. But really, an A- for this one.