Do Not Say We Have Nothing

Somehow, reading about history through the lens of fiction makes it more real. You get caught up in the emotions and the struggle and the poetry in the novels and it makes the real life events more tangible in your mind.

After reading Do Not Say We Have Nothing, I have a deeper understanding of the Cultural Revolution and the student protests in Tiananmen Square. Thien brings truth to the lasting trauma of these events. She transforms them from headlines of ages past to a series of all-too-relatable tragedies.

To be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style or the rapidly shifting timelines, but by the end of the novel I had put the pieces together and ended up enjoying the book. It’s not for everyone, but I would recommend it for those looking to get a more human look at life in China from the 50’s onwards.

Each character in the novel provides a different perspective on life in China during these troubling times. Thien poses difficult questions about the worth of music or passion or love in the face of brutality. Is it worth being true to yourself when weighed against self preservation?

There are no right answers to these questions, but I appreciated that Thien asks them anyways.

Buy it here