Fulminata reviewed Outlaws of the Marsh by Luo Guanzhong
Review of 'Outlaws of the Marsh' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
Better known as Water Margin, this is the story of a band of 108 Chinese outlaws, how they come together, how they win their pardon from the emperor, and their ultimate ends.
One of the classics of Chinese literature, it serves as inspiration for many things, from Hong Kong martial arts movies to the pen and paper RPG Exalted.
As a standalone story it suffers from too many characters, too much repetition in plot, and an unhealthy dose of misogyny. All of these are modern complaints, but as a modern reader I feel it's fair to point them out.
I'm glad I read this, and I may even re-read it at some point, perhaps in another translation, but I can't say that I enjoyed reading it as much as other books. That's why it took me the better part of two years to do so.