Bloodline

Name: Bloodline
ISBN: 9787539653396

陈沛Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaNov 2021

3.5

Word count: 380K words
Chapters: 19
ISBN: 9787539653396

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Summary

This is a contemporary original novel. Spanning four decades from 1909 to 1949, it takes the coming-of-age and fates of four generations of the Ou family in the ancient city of Guzhou—Jian, Xian, Si, and Qi—as its warp, and events in the fortunes of the nation and the Ou family as its weft, seeking through one family, one household, and the fates of several individuals to reflect the changes in the country, the nation, and even the world, showing that the fates of family, household, and individual are inseparable from the rise and fall, honor and disgrace of the nation.

Editor's review

This novel weaves the growth and fortunes of four generations of the Ou family in the ancient city of Guzhou as its warp, and events of national and family rise and fall between 1909 and 1949 as its weft, creating a picture in which family history and the history of the era are intertwined. Its readability lies in grounding grand history in the choices and experiences of specific characters: the ups and downs of the four generations—Jian, Xian, Si and Qi—let readers feel the close entanglement of family and national destiny. It suits readers interested in modern and contemporary history and family narrative, who can follow the characters through forty years over a longer reading period and experience the individual's place and responsibility within the tide of the times.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy family sagas and modern Chinese history narratives
Readers interested in how individual lives intersect with the sweep of historical change
Readers who prefer full-length serious fiction and are willing to commit time to following the story
Those interested in the historical backdrop from the Republic of China era to the eve of the founding of New China

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer light, breezy subject matter
Readers looking for short, fragmented reading
Readers with little patience for multi-generational family portraits and multi-threaded character relationships

Reading tips

Before reading, briefly review the four generations of the Ou family to avoid confusion over character threads.
Read in chronological order and note how each historical turning point affects the fate of family members.
After reading, compare with a chronology of modern Chinese history to understand how the fiction echoes its historical background.
Jot down impressions when moved by a character's fate, so you can look back on the inheritance and changes across four generations.

About the publisher

Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1984

Founded in 1984, Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House is a professional literary and art publisher. Its collection of 389 titles spans classic works, essays and miscellaneous writings, Eastern philosophy, folk literature, classical literature and design. Representative books include Lao She's Camel Xiangzi, Laozi's Dao De Jing, Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and the Shakespeare drama collection featuring Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth and Othello, with Zhu Shenghao's translations adding luster to the series. Its author resources range from classic Chinese and foreign writers such as Lao She, Laozi, Luo Guanzhong and William Shakespeare to translators and authors including Zhu Shenghao, Li Chensen and Liang Sicheng. The publisher is characterized by its balance of Chinese and foreign literary classics with traditional culture titles, combining scholarly value with popular reading. Public information is limited, and the above is based mainly on the books in the collection.

版权信息
上部（1909~1929）
1 1909 竖旗杆
2 1912 兴学堂
3 1916 贺新郎
4 1919 人之初
5 1921 生与死
6 1923 中兴梦断
7 1927 拔贡之殇
8 1929 国仇家恨
下部（1930~1949）
9 1931 情何以堪
10 1933 而立知难
11 1937 国破家难圆（上）
12 1939 国破家难圆（下）
13 1942 兄弟反目
14 1945 偶思过之死
15 1947 乱世图存
16 1949 各奔前程

FAQ

What is the novel's time span?

The work runs from 1909 to 1949, about forty years, following the growth and fates of four generations of the Ou family as the main thread and linking major events in the fortunes of the nation and the family.

Will the large cast of characters make it confusing to read?

The four generations of the Ou family—Jian, Xian, Si, and Qi—each have their own threads. It is advisable to clarify the family relationships first and follow the chronological progression; the character lines will gradually become clear.

Is this book suitable for learning about modern history?

It is a fictional novel and cannot replace history books, but by reflecting changing times through family and individual fates, it can serve as supplementary literary reading for experiencing the atmosphere of history.

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About the author

陈沛 Author

Public information about Chen Pei is limited, and his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background cannot currently be confirmed. Judging from the six works held in the collection, his writing spans several fields, including popular science, introductions to classical literature, social fiction, and educational research, showing considerable breadth of subject matter. In popular science, he focuses on new discoveries at the frontiers of science and tries to convey scientific knowledge in an accessible way. In popularizing traditional culture, he interprets Guwen Guanzhi in comic form, using categories such as scenic wonders, fables and strange tales, and argumentative essays to lower the threshold for reading classical texts. He has also ventured into social fiction and research on educational issues, exploring the impact of the university effect on the educational returns of corporate executives. Overall, Chen Pei is a writer who addresses general readers and values readability and cross-disciplinary expression.