Ged Carroll

The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu

Published: (Updated: ) in china | 中國 | 중국 | 中華, culture | 文明 | 미디어와 예술 | 人文, ideas | 想法 | 생각 | 考える, oprah time | 書評 | 서평 : 文芸批評 by .

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The Three Body Problem like all the best science fiction is multi-layered. It has a complex story which gradually weaves together a large set of characters across time as the story is told in a non-linear manner. It is also multi-layered in terms of genres:

But most interesting of all is the mirror it offers on the modern China from the cultural revolution onwards. Liu is unflinching in his depiction of Cultural Revolution excesses. As China changes towards ethno-Han nationalism it will be interesting to see if Liu’s book is still as well received in his own country.

Like all good authors there are hints of the authors early life. In this case it is the crucial early events in the book, set in a rural part of Henan province during the cultural revolution. He has managed to spin the complex web of a story. The Three Body Problem is the first book in a trilogy – I am looking forward to reading The Dark Forest – the second book. More book reviews here.