Beijing Coma: A Novel

Beijing Coma is at once a detailed history of the run up to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, a tragic story about sympathetic characters and an unflinching attack of the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party.The conscious but paralysed protagonist, being unable to speak of his experiences is of course an allegory for the status of the victims of the crackdown – wounded, or worse, yet unable to speak about it – and the narrative paints a powerful picture of this event that is at once so hugely significant in the history and development of contemporary China yet also absolutely unmentionable in public discourse. Another example of an event so important being so unmentionable is arguably impossible to find in the world.However, this story can really bum you out at times particularly so as it is based on real events, even though the thoughtful political timeline (going all the way back to the Cultural Revolution) and various insights along with a few peculiar descriptions of sex serve as a distraction from the crushing sadness of the narrative. But then I suppose that when faced with something as depressing as the Liu-si incident and the subsequent repression that followed it, this is the appropriate tone.

Sadly I have to agree with many of the reviews. I say sadly because the story had a lot of potential, but it is so detailed that it becomes unbearable. After 200 pages or I dont know how many going on and on about the students discussions and daily arguments, I had the impression I was not advancing into the book. Sadly I had to quit. I cannot bear the thought of 300 pages more on the same...

After being hit by a soldiers bullet in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, PhD student Dai Wei falls into a coma only to awaken ten years later in what is a very different China. While new freedoms have been won, the Communist Party will still not tolerate criticism and is ready to crack down on both real and perceived threats to its rule - "same as the old boss."The book drags at times (after all, dude's in a coma) but is a very worthwhile read, especially for a gweilo like me whose only real exposure to the Tiananmen uprisings was through newspapers and news reports.  Beijing Coma: A Novel  is a perfect companion read to Zhao Ziyang's  Prisoner of the State: The Secret Journal of Premier Zhao Ziyang . It is a beautifully written book and I will definitely read more by Ma Jian.

Too long and too detailed. Editor, editor, where's the editor.?

This novel presents the history of modern China in grim detail, especially through the horrors suffered by the narrator's family. Its account of the Tiananmen square uprising is probably a bit detailed for most readers, but overall the novel conveyed powerfully the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution and the youth experience at the time of Tiananmen Square. I found the story of the narrator's mother's decline particularly moving.

It tells an entertaining and pretty unbelievable story. My wife, who is from Mainland China, tells me that the stories told about in the book, as disgusting as they might be, are completely true. Well worth reading for anyone interested in the recent history of China.

An interesting and enlightening read. Sometimes a challenge to continue through the almost hour by hour description of events, but appreciated the very creative approach with flash backs from the coma situation.

Although the historical element is fascinating, and chilling, the book moves at an extremely slow pace. Not a good read if you are unable to spare the concentration that the author demands of the reader.

"Beijing Coma" has given me new insights into China's recent history, although not quite in the way I had expected. The premise of a student victim of Tienanmen waking up out of a coma after 10 years, finding a very different China sounded like it would explore the changes. Instead the story focuses on the events leading up to Tienanmen, and only gives cursory glimpses of how the survivors went on to lead their lives.Dai Wei, the protagonist, takes the reader along on a trip through his memories of events. We see power struggles in the student movement and feel the tension between wanting greater freedom in society versus being able to live their own lives.What I missed was a confrontation for Dai Wei with reality 10 years on. I would have liked to see what choices he made in the new reality, with the ideals from back then unevolved. Or maybe they had, with all the time he had to reflect.

I was very suprised to see so many negative reviews of this book because it is an absolute masterpiece. It is very detailed but I feel that this adds to the story and I feel every little detail is important and necessary and in fact I found it very easy to read. I don't need to give a synopsis of the story except to say that it the story told through the thoughts of a comatose victim of the brutal crackdown on the 4th June 1989 of the student pro democracy movement in Tiananmen Sqaure (I'm sure we all remember of the man trying to stop the tanks by standing in front of them). We also learn a lot about China. I can only say to everyone that you must all try to perservere with this book as it is more than worth it. Absolutely unforgetable!

I'm looking forward to reading this book

I considered this book to a be a very detailed account of events that transpired before and during the Tienanmen square. More importantly, it also showcases the character's childhood and their way of life after the political crackdown of the cultural revolution. I think that this book is actually very important for anyone not familiar with the culture to get a real inside look into Chinese culture. It certainly fits in with the account that my grandparents have told me when they escaped China.Its only let down is that I felt the narrative ended too abruptly after building up so much tensions throughout the book. Overall though, a great book that will resonates with you for a long time

I am able to read it, which is what I bought it for.