Till Death Do Us Part

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Set in early-20th century China, this story takes off in the port city of Tientsin (Tianjin) that is divided into lands called concessions and owned by several foreign powers. Shen Liangsheng is a charismatic and cunning playboy, a son of a rich businessman, who has profits as his top priority. He meets Ch’in Ching, an average school teacher who appears mild but actually holds a patriotic heart for his home. The two cross paths and sparks fly. But will their love hold strong through the imminent forces that will tear the country apart…?

Associated Names
One entry per line
長相守
长相守
Related Series
Living to Suffer (Prequel)
Recommendations
Cold Sands (2)
City of Endless Rain (1)
A Lifetime Love (1)
The Promise Sealed with Our Lips (1)
Through The Strait Gates (1)
Going Against the Wind (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. BL novels that I ReRead
  2. Novel interessanti da tradurre -Cinesi
  3. BLs that Stay with You
  4. Wistful reads
  5. Waiting List (BL)

Latest Release

Date Group Release
06/30/16 Chinese BL Translations c27
06/19/16 Chinese BL Translations c26
06/03/16 Chinese BL Translations c25
05/27/16 Chinese BL Translations c24
05/19/16 Chinese BL Translations c23
05/11/16 Chinese BL Translations c22
05/03/16 Chinese BL Translations c21
04/22/16 Chinese BL Translations c20
04/08/16 Chinese BL Translations c19
03/25/16 Chinese BL Translations c18
03/18/16 Chinese BL Translations c17
03/04/16 Chinese BL Translations c16
02/26/16 Chinese BL Translations c15
02/19/16 Chinese BL Translations c14
02/12/16 Chinese BL Translations c13
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73 Reviews sorted by


New Shria shahi rated it
March 12, 2024
Status: Completed
This is my first time I'm giving review on a novel.

This novel is really tear jerking and I don't even know how to explain in words. The MC and ML relationship are so deep that I've never seen in any other novel. Do not hesitate to read, you'll be missing it. It's a HE so don't worry, it's rather the way both MC and ML devote to each other that makes this novel so beautiful yet painful at the same time... Don't know how many times I've cried while reading... more>> this.. <<less
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namio
namio rated it
August 26, 2019
Status: Completed
Every time I see the ratings this novel gets, I get angry.
... more>>
Spoiler

This novel is incredible. It's also incredibly underrated-- perhaps it's the length, perhaps it's the historical aspect, perhaps it's the writing, but in fact this novel is phenomenal and honestly one of the best novels I've read. I honestly could believe there lived a Shen Liangsheng and a Ch'in Ching, and that they fell in love and lived until they were seventy three. I could believe they could've existed, and their stories were only buried because of just how many people lived on this earth. Furthermore, the translation is brought to us by Ayszhang, who also translated Brother, meaning that it is top-notch and with plenty of supplementary materials for context. Every day I'm thankful we got any tangstory novels translated. As far as I know, this isn't a webnovel and only exists in print.

But what is Till Death Do Us Part? Till Death Do Us Part is a novel about two men falling into-- something, in a time right before turmoil. It started with a pair of fallen glasses in the middle of a crowd in front of a cinema: Ch'in Ching met Shen Liangsheng. What followed was an emotional drama-- love but not, close but distant, a push and pull; two men young and perhaps a bit foolish, a bit proud, trying to fit together but can't quite smooth their edges. But what is the individual in the churning tides of societal upheaval? What first started as a romance and a drama quickly becomes a story about love in times of change, and what truly matters in the end. Pride, wealth, they all get washed by the steady torrent of the river of time. At the end of their long lives, they die together in a small house under the loving care of a small but close family.

It's not a tangstory novel without a copious amount of smut, and the smut is, as always, just good. It doesn't have the same telephone-game tinge to it the way most BL smut does-- it's very organic, active, passionate, detailed. They also serve as emotional development moments and showcasing of it across the course of the relationship, from its fiery beginnings to its domestic ends.

I recommend this to be read after Living to Suffer, if only because I find Living to Suffer to be an excellent preview, so to speak, to what kind of people Ch'in Ching and Shen Liangsheng were. A morally upright, humorous and kind, compassionate teacher, a wealth-minded, focused and cold young businessman, these are them, in a sense, in a futuristic setting. But unlike in Living to Suffer, where Shen Liangsheng is swayed far too late and their mutual demise is a certainty, here they finally get to complete their journey that spanned two lifetimes.

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SmallTimes
SmallTimes rated it
March 29, 2018
Status: Completed
Everything is so great about this novel and the translation work is nothing less than phenomenal. The human emotion resonates intensely in each chapter and it really makes you reflect on their journey in hindsight.

MC and ML shamelessly relish in their perverseness therefore the explicit content in this novel is not your typical vanilla play-as a warning to unsuspected readers.

The ML is blunt and passive (in terms of his emotions) and he irks me sometimes but since the presentation of his mentality is really well done I couldn't help but... more>> root for him whenever drama occurs.

The MC is clever, kind, -possibly a natural masochist- and his emotions wrecked me harder than I ever hoped to prepared myself. Reading his inner thoughts made me sob with no self-control.

The overall development and plot is stellar, the despair is immersive, and the sweet definitely comes but not after the bitterness. A wonderful experience. <<less
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meridianna
meridianna rated it
July 17, 2018
Status: Completed
i read this to find solace after reading the prequel. the result? I still cried. fortunately I was crying in my room alone in the night. I fear for anyone finds out I cry loudly because of some fiction...
it's so beautiful that I lose my words to write about. just read it. appreciate it. a̶n̶d̶ ̶b̶a̶w̶l̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶e̶y̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶
the cultural references are so rich that it's worth a lot even if the smut is excluded.
and the couple....... what can I write about them?! they are so well-matched... more>> that I feel so glad to read about them living together.
this novel ends beautifully and serenely. this is HE alright!! but why I still cry loudly :" ( <<less
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TheDaoistNextDoor
TheDaoistNextDoor rated it
June 23, 2018
Status: Completed
Any BL fan worth their salt should at least skim through this one...

Lots of smut and angst and yet a happy love story that makes your heart melt. A true 5 stars rating worthy.

... more>>
Spoiler

Shen is a douche in a first half and the beginning of chapter 8 made me truly believe that there were ninjas cutting onions all around me... I wanted to hate Shen so bad...

Directly from the story.. read at your own risk:

... he wasn't actually a simpleton. Although he didn't know what Shen Liangsheng saw in him, he did understand that the man didn't actually like him as much as he had pretended to in the weeks prior. However understanding that did little to stop him from falling.

So just bear with the suffering, he said to himself. You wanted this yourself after all- you're the one who fell for him.

By chapter 10, I kept wishing that the Ching wasn't as smart as he was, because his simple lines about just how low his expectations were worse than any heart-wrenching angst that the author could have written instead.

Then in chapter 13, he is hidden upstairs like he is a dirty little mistress- away from the public and never to be known to anyone else... And although Ching seemed to fine with it all, my fighting instincts were rising faster than the sea levels due to global warming.

When we reach chapter 15, we have the "punishment" that honestly wouldn't be that bad, until you see the context. You also remember their first time when all Ching could feel was faint disdain along with every amorous action. My hate for Shen was also riding high at this point.

Chapter 17 and the whole garbage about the apartment made me want to seriously just drop the book.

And then war happens.

Chapter 18 is like a brick to the Shen-hating face of mine.. From there on you'll have a real hard time even disliking the man...

I'm going to stop here with- this is a very very well written and translated story about two men who fell in love when the morality of that day and age and every circumstance was against them... Quite angsty and the gong can be a piece of shit- but you won't regret reading it. Keep tissues on hand.

I'm going to be completely honest here- about 20 chapters are about their relationship development- so they can be heavy but great.. But then the intense stuff starts... All I'm going to say about this is that it's a sad kind of happy ending and boy did they have to work for it.

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btsdynamiteAUG21
btsdynamiteAUG21 rated it
September 3, 2020
Status: Completed
WOW! JUST WOW TT PLEASE READ THE PREQUEL FIRST BEFORE READING THIS NOVEL!

The plot, the setting and the emotions! Standing ovation. If you think carefully, the story between the couple is cliche without the culture plots (Tientsin, cultural revolution, country war).

But this is great! They showed their love through thick and thin, they went through lustful nights together and also tried to change themselves for one another. Their love is the realest. I can feel it as a reader.

The norms were also shown that homos*xual relationships were considered as 'taboo'.... more>> I like that there were good people who only know abt their relationship and also showed great emotion. The ending made me go limp and just cried. If you read the prequel, it will be 1000x sadder (and more beautiful). <<less
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yuukine
yuukine rated it
April 11, 2020
Status: c27
Rating: 4.75

" Yet, he had the strange feeling again that he was lost in space and time. It was as though he had been blindfolded as he wandered along the path, touching each blade of grass and each tree trunk until his destination, but when he turned around to look back at the way he had come, what he saw was not what he had pictured in his mind's eye."

This one hit hard in the heart. You can read this one with the knowledge of the previous book - Living... more>> to Suffer - or without it. If you read it with knowing who Chi'in Ching and Shen Liangsheng are, then you will finally see what fate lies in store for two of them, whose fates were dictated from the beginning to the end of their lives. This time, join them on their journey of rediscovering what it truly means falling in love and what sacrifices have to be made in order to be together.

For those who haven't read Living to Suffer before, have no fear, the only references you will see that are connected are at the end and few dreams of them from their past - but not their interactions.

But for those who know, the iconic sentence "I love you, Shen Liangsheng, " is one of the easter eggs for those who know. After all, in the end, in this story who was the one who fell first? And who was the one who was attracted first?

Sometimes, it's easy to realize that things like love - true love - take time. This is exactly what this book is about. The time to realize that what they want is each other.

This spans many years... Goes through WWII and other disasters that went through.

So many things to fear, so many things to lose.

Comparing to the first book, Shen Liangsheng is finally the type who starts understanding what love is. In this life, he's playboy. He considers women like a rag he can use and discard, and CC is only one on the list of his future conquests. But it turns into something more.

Chi'in Ching is not completely naive and he is not a fool. He's very well aware of his circumstances, his postion. It was very satisfying to see that he even had friends in this lifetime. He was not alone. He had a support.

Both of them are caught in a web of feelings.

And finally, this one has happy ending. After trials and tribulations, they finally reached each other. They made sacrifices, they spent a lot of time thinking of what they want.

But what they want in the end is each other.

"At times like these, Ch'in Ching would threaten menacingly, "You disagree with me one more time and you're washing the dishes this week!" While saying so, it didn't occur to him that it was rather immature for two grown men to fall out over a fictional novel."

Warnings:

Spoiler

Their first time doesn't go completely smooth, but there's after care and every other s*x scene is careful and caring. In time, SLS becomes really gentle lover. They even switch.

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OVERALL:

Characters: 5 - fantastic.

Side Characters: 4.5 - lovely. Finally emotional support!

Story: 4.5 - easy to follow!

emotional impact: 5 - I cried a lot. There's a lot to unpack here and a lot of things happen.

humor: 4 - CC is shameless enough for everyone. <<less
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sakatakin
sakatakin rated it
September 4, 2017
Status: Completed
All I could say is that you won't regret reading the story. For me, it's so beautiful and bittersweet. Love all the characters, and the writing of the author and also the translators job were amazing, really professional.
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kiraluvst
kiraluvst rated it
June 13, 2019
Status: Completed
Oh my God, this is truly a masterpiece.

;___;

One of not many novels that I would love to give more than 5.

... more>> Even if you skip all of the smut parts (I did on my second reading), this is still a masterpiece with no less magic.

It felt so true, so beautiful, so heartbreaking and so warm.. The words pierced through my heart and I just felt like crying.

If true love is real, then this must be it.

Even when you don't believe in one, you will want to after this journey :""

I read this after Living to Suffer (what a ride too, that one *phew*). What can I say, this is a perfect redemption after such a tragedy.

I feel so much respect towards the author and the translator, the words are just splendid! Many times I found myself stopping to re-read some parts because I just wanted to let myself immersed in the beauty.

Will definitely read again!

Here are some parts where I felt so touched T^T

Spoiler

Yet, he had the strange feeling again that he was lost in space and time. It was as though he had been blindfolded as he wandered along the path, touching each blade of grass and each tree trunk until his destination, but when he turned around to look back at the way he had come, what he saw was not what he had pictured in his mind’s eye.

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Spoiler

It was summertime in the dream. He was sitting with Ch’in Ching on the couch in the lounge; it seemed to be the scene of their first farewell.
However, what he said were the words he could not say the second time around...
“Ch’in Ching, I love you. Don’t leave.”
“But Shen Liangsheng, ” the Ch’in Ching in his dream retorted as though surprised, wearing a peculiar expression. “Why would I want that?”
He didn’t know how to answer and, indeed, felt there was nothing more to be said.
Oh, so that’s not what he wanted.
But if his heart was not what the man wanted, then he really had nothing else to give.

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Spoiler

“You say I should go...”
Shen Liangsheng was on his knees like Ch’in Ching and was at a loss. Then after what seemed like minutes, he asked in a puzzled tone as though he really did not know the answer,
“But with you here... where else do you expect me to be?”

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banoffee
banoffee rated it
October 14, 2019
Status: Completed
I’d been avoiding this novel despite it being among the few BL novels I haven’t read because the summary told me almost nothing, and Chinese BL Translations translates older novels (I assume they’re older?) that aren’t as fast, easy or entertaining of a read as some newer ones. Well, all I can say is that it’s funny how sometimes the novels you leave sitting unread end up touching you the most when you pick them up. I sobbed like a baby. Despite this being a tragedy, the author’s writing isn’t... more>> dogblooded but quiet and deceptively lighthearted. The main character is humorous, sensible and likable. The translation is poetic. If you’re looking for a quick comedy then don’t come here, but if you want something with more bite, by all means. <<less
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Karinkatakika
Karinkatakika rated it
March 3, 2020
Status: Completed
There exists a prequel titled "Life is Pain" (big mood) which I read first - I would recommend reading it if you like to see references to the novel or read between the lines to deepen your understanding of the characters and their behaviour.

This novel made me cry. While it does have a happy ending, it is still bittersweet. The internal dialogue of Ch'in Ching is something many of us can relate to, especially those who have experienced difficult relationships and what it feels like to love another more than... more>> they love you.

Thankfully his counterpart falls in love soon - or not so soon? - enough.

I thought the relationship, if it could even be called one in the beginning, developed quite nicely. It was incredibly realistic, especially considering Shen Liangsheng went from being a huge playboy and viewing Ch'in Ching as another conquest to him compromising his views and adapting his future to that of his partner.

"Till death do us part" is not a light read, because it depicts a somewhat twisted relationship blossoming into something more. But that is what I loved so much about it. No character is perfect, being human means making mistakes and growing up, learning how to become better and what it means to value something - or someone.

That being said, the first part of the novels features lots of gratuitous smut and incredibly erot*c s*x scenes, oftentimes with sadistic and masochistic undertones. Yes, it is consensual, but there were a few passages which might be too much - please tread carefully and take care of yourselves.

I thought the scenes fit their relationship perfectly and added to the development, notably their character development.

The translation is beautiful and there are many sections of the text I highlighted to review on a later date.
Please give it a try, you will fall in love with the world building and be at the edge of your seat, as the story takes our two young lovers through a whirlwind romance, both a war and a plague, the cultural revolution and the beginnings of modern Chinese government. <<less
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Nic
Nic rated it
March 7, 2018
Status: Completed
It was a good thing that I read this first before the prequel otherwise I would've suffered from emotional torment!

The magnificence of this novel can't be describe with words. It is so beautiful that I guess the adjective beautiful is still an understatement. Next to the BL novel 'Brother', this is the second novel that made me emotional. Their journey of love was tough and challenging but they never abandoned the other, instead they struggled together. It is very inspiring!

In love, nothing matters but the person by your side.
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overclouds
overclouds rated it
November 9, 2020
Status: Completed
I created an account just so I could write a review of this criminally underrated novel.

This is a melancholic novel that tells the story of two characters with polarizing views of the world, that, without noticing it, start to fall in love. It's heavy on the historical aspect but I find that's one of my favorite things about it. It transports you to 1930-1940's China and the writing is so realistic it's like this story really did happen.

Honestly this is one of the best novels I have ever read, so... more>> if you are thinking about reading it, you totally should. Also you should really read the prequel "Living to Suffer", it gives a lot more perspective on the rebirth aspect of the novel! <<less
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curryninja
curryninja rated it
February 13, 2020
Status: c27
To be very honest, this novel started off nice I had high expectations and it wasn't been met at all. I would recommend reading Living to suffer first as this story, the characters are the reincarnation of LtS. You would connect with this story more if you read LtS. It is mentioned briefly in Till death. I didn't read it so I only knew that ... more>>
Spoiler

MC owed the gong and made him suffer in LtS so in this life the MC had to repay him owo. Basically the story goes like this: ML is a player, he hooks up with MC, rejects MC, time-skip, and somehow he changed and then just HE we live together grow old together sappy ending...I don't see why he changed and his reasonings which made their love very superficial. The typical playboy scum chasing after his lover after recognizing he loves him after a timespan. He also lied about his feelings (when he rejected mc) which is annoying but he never redeemed himself by apologizing to MC or he never acknowledged it himself (if my memory is correct). I don't see why anyone would like him besides being attracted by his looks + monies.

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So all in all, it is quite typical. From the playboy ML with no redeeming qualities but his looks+ monies, hooking up with some dude and then somehow getting serious for him for what exactly? I don't understand. On the positive side, I enjoyed the setting. But, there are better and more meaningful danmei out there to read than this. <<less
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NaverGirl
NaverGirl rated it
July 13, 2020
Status: Completed
READ THIS! This story is so good. I literally cry in the middle of the night. The story is endearing and their love surpasses any difficulties during the 20th century theme.
Spoiler

Also, I love how the author slips their past life in Ch’in Ching's dream. And how his heart knows some fragments in their wuxia themed past life. It’s so good.

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Pls read the story on ayzhangs blog, the footnotes will help you visualize the concept of the story
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Lovelies
Lovelies rated it
March 23, 2020
Status: Completed
This novel picked up the broken pieces of my heart and loosely patched it up again.

Its a sequel to the book "Living to Suffer", which is an absolutely gorgeous and tragic novel that you should definitely read before this one.

I felt that this book in particularly was a little less memorable than its predecessor; however, it's still stunningly written and flowed very nicely. It's not perfect, and as a stand alone novel I probably wouldn't think much of it. But since I'm already very attached to the characters, I'm just... more>> happy that they got the happy ending that they deserved after all the suffering in the previous novel. <<less
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MistyJade
MistyJade rated it
January 12, 2020
Status: Completed
this story affected me so much it changed the way I see life. Life is fleeting and reading this story was sure bittersweet. Prepare lots of tissues or better yet a new bed cover or blanket coz yall ball ur eyes out no doubt. The rating makes me mad, this deserve more positive review in my opinion.
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J3n
J3n rated it
October 9, 2019
Status: Completed
Very well written and translated novel set in the early 20th century era. It makes me cry. It broke my heart how the seme, for his love of the uke, chose to stay with him while he clearly sees how communism would makes him lose all his worldly possessions. The author does not soften the blows at all to show when one is so blindly in love, it can affect the future of one's life. Let this be a history lesson to all!
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Sceer
Sceer rated it
August 29, 2018
Status: Completed
At first it was all about smut and all the hot stuff, then everything else is bittersweet.

This is one of the best novels (not just limited to BL) I have ever read. Despite only having 27 chapters it evoked my feelings as a reader towards China, and the struggles of people during those periods mentioned in the story.

I cried a lot T_T
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shimakaido
shimakaido
January 7, 2018
Status: c27
The synopsis is kinda misleading, at least for me who got too excited because this is a danmei that has emphasis with nationalism, something not usually touched not only in Chinese danmei but also with Japanese BL. Nevertheless, the meticulous writing of the author by integrating facts about China and different places during that period, up to events reaching Cultural Revolution (if I'm not mistaken), will bring its readers to a rather realistic story of the characters as if travelling through time in China. The romance may be kind of... more>> dragging,
Spoiler

with the shou/uke getting annoying at times, the gong/seme makes up for it with his character development.

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Definitely a good read, especially if you want a danmei with a touch of reality and history. <<less
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holachica
holachica rated it
March 17, 2023
Status: Completed
A really good read, and wonderfully written. Would not ever, read again though.

It's a HE for sure, no doubt about that. The first half of the story was ML being a player denying his feelings, while MC knew ML was a player but decided to "bear the pain". Your typical scum male cheap shou trope, except ML doesn't do anything particularly bad. There are a few moments of dub-con, but it's honestly subject to interpretation.

In the latter half...

... more>>
Spoiler

They go through push and pull when war arrives, and ML being business-minded pro-Japanese and MC being a Chinese patriot, they separate. Over the following year, ML treats it as a "silent war, " but eventually MC is to move away, and ML realizes his feelings as MC is about to leave him for real, so to speak. He doesn't confess his feelings, however, as he thinks MC has moved on. In the next following months after that, ML attempts to forget MC, doing business overseas, but when a flood hits where MC lives, he rushes back and rescues MC. They then get back together, and ML abandons thoughts of moving out of the country, promising to stay with MC forever.

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Ultimately, that is where things start to go downhill

Spoiler

We get a few chapters of bliss and happiness, then, China is liberated from the hands of the Japanese, and the communist era begins. ML gives all his properties to the government, and for a while, things are okay as he's praised for it. The author goes into a full overview of Communist China. To put it short, MC and ML struggle. They subsist of porridge and food stamps; ML is apprehended by the government and subject to torture and beatings, MC, as a teacher, is pulled out onto the streets and subject to "struggle sessions" where students were incited to beat their teachers. Their house is vandalized, and bricks are thrown through the window. Life continues on like this, until the last chapter. The pair die in old age (ML of cancer, with MC following in grief) , and join each other on the dreamy road in their past-life forms, walking off into the horizon.

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My thoughts overall...
Spoiler

The book was deeply enjoyable up until the post-war communist revolution starts. Then, it just becomes hard to read. It's really well-written, but, having read the prequel, I can't help but feel desolate. Their sufferings in the previous life, seem no less than their sufferings in this life. I suppose what the author tries to emphasize here, is that, this time, they have each other.

But I can't help but think, realism is great and all, but this book was supposed to feel happier. IMO, realism works best for BE novels. True, in this life, the protagonists lived each day content, even as they suffered. Yet, I couldn't help but hope, that they didn't have to go through this. With how they suffered in their previous lives, the new life would be easy after they resolve their romantic differences. That they could live in blissful wealth, to want for nothing, without struggle. Because they deserve it.

Yet, the characters still suffer. This time, they support each other through historical tragedy, as they are beaten down and abused by the Communist government and its people. As they've done nothing wrong, but are punished nevertheless.

The ending is poetic and beautiful, as they meet in the afterlife in their past forms, but... between the ending and the first half of the book, it read to me as a tragedy. A muted tragedy, where the reader can only watch as the text passes by, as the main characters are given no place to escape. Because you can't escape a country that's walled itself off from the world.

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Even if the ending is happy for the main characters... for the readers, or for me at least, I can't help but feel bitter.

It is a HE indeed, but it is a HE set in a world of depressing realism. <<less
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