Continuing Border Town

The first novel I wrote was for practicing writing.

This sequel highly restores the fresh and simple language style of Mr. Shen Congwen in terms of writing style, and the unique poetry and sadness of western Hunan flow between the lines. The author cleverly continues the unfinished love between Cuicui and Nuo Song in the original work. While retaining the tragic core of the original work, he also injects new possibilities into the fate of the characters. The continuation part describes the small town of Chadong particularly well. The bluestone road, stilted buildings and the leisurely Qingjiang River all continue the poetic and picturesque artistic conception of the original work. In terms of characterization, it not only maintains Cuicui's innocent and stubborn character, but also shows her growth and changes over time. The plot develops naturally and smoothly, without deliberately pursuing dramatic conflicts, but letting the story flow quietly like the water of the Tuojiang River. Overall, this is an excellent sequel that respects the spirit of the original work and is full of creativity, allowing readers to gain a new reading experience while revisiting the classic.

The novel "Border Town" is well written not only because it depicts a picture of the western Hunan border area, but also because it outlines the purity and complexity of human nature with simple and affectionate strokes. Shen Congwen takes the love between Cuicui and Nuosong as the main line, and integrates the landscape, folk customs and human sentiments of Chadong in the border town, making readers feel like they are in a paradise far away from the hustle and bustle. Cuicui in the story is innocent but has the shyness and stubbornness of a girl. Her emotions are as clear as a stream, but they are rippled by the tricks of fate. The love and worry of the old boatman, the persistence and forbearance of Nuosong, the generosity and tragedy of Tianbao, each character is vivid and three-dimensional, allowing readers to feel the deep emotional impact in the plain narrative. Shen Congwen's words are poetic and picturesque, with both the heaviness of the countryside and the lightness of the poetry. The border towns he writes are not only geographically remote towns, but also spiritually pure lands. The novel does not deliberately exaggerate the joys and sorrows, but reveals the desolation and warmth of life in the plainness, making people unforgettable for a long time after reading it.

When I read Border Town, I was always disappointed by the waiting for Cuicui. I didn't expect that this sequel would accurately capture the tenderness and sadness of the water town in western Hunan written by Mr. Shen Congwen. The continuation does not force a happy ending to the story. Instead, it follows the context of the original work, allowing the landscape of Chadong to still flow and Cuicui's growth to occur naturally. This restraint and respect is precisely the best tribute to the classic. The writer's writing style understands the charm of "Border Town" very well. The smoke from the stilted building, the sound of the oars on the White River, and the shadow of the bamboo beside the mill, each scene is described with a unique elegance of western Hunan. Reading the text, I feel like I have returned to that Chadong with simple folk customs and affectionate landscapes. The character creation is in line with the style of the original work - Cuicui is no longer the little girl who waited ignorantly. She learns to hold up the ferry and faces the life after her grandfather leaves. She has a bit more tenacity in her eyebrows, but still retains the clarity and kindness in her bones. The Return of Nuosong is also written in a delicate and moving way. There is no bloody reunion drama. It is just an encounter at the ferry, a few soft greetings, and the concern and guilt hidden in the words, as long as the flowing water of the White River. What's even more rare is that the continuation does not separate the theme of the original work, but instead continues the pursuit of "beauty and love". The people in Chadong are still kind and enthusiastic, the neighbors helping each other, and the shouting and selling in the market, these fireworks make the whole story come alive. The relationship between Cuicui and Nuosong, over the years, has changed from an ignorant love in their youth to a mutual understanding after many vicissitudes of life. This relationship is not strong, but warm enough, which just fits the artistic conception of "seeing deep love in silence" of the original work. When I close the book, I can still hear the sound of the Chadong stream. This continuation is not a retelling of the classic, but a gentle continuation of "Border Town", allowing those regrets left in the original work to slowly turn into regrets as the landscape changes. For readers who like "Border Town", this is undoubtedly a perfect reunion.

I have read the whole book, it is very good and worth recommending.

The writing is beautiful and the content is rich, giving readers beautiful enjoyment. Good reviews

The title of the book is very attractive. It is a charming place written by Shen Congwen. It is a good book worth reading.