Category: reviews of translations
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[ESSAY] “There Is Never Anything So Difficult That It Cannot Be Resolved: Translating the Ma Yongzhen and Ma Suzhen Novels of Qi Fanniu and Zhu Dagong” by Paul Bevan π»Paul Bevan (translator). Murder in the Maloo: A Tale of Old…
![[ESSAY] “There Is Never Anything So Difficult That It Cannot Be Resolved: Translating the Ma Yongzhen and Ma Suzhen Novels of Qi Fanniu and Zhu Dagong” by Paul Bevan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/murder-in-the-maloo-a-tale-of-old-shanghai.png?w=1024)
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[FEATURE] Four Chapters from Murder in the Maloo: A Tale of Old Shanghai, Translated by Paul Bevan Paul Bevan (translator). Murder in the Maloo: A Tale of Old Shanghai, Earnshaw Books, 2024. 226 pgs. Editor’s note: Readers interested in the background…
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[ESSAY] βOne Poet, Two Translators: Preserving the Essence of Voiceβ by Yvette Neisser All entries in Cha on Madame Mao. MarΓa Teresa Ogliastri (author), Yvette Neisser and Patricia Bejarano Fisher (translators). From the Diary of Madame Mao. Carnegie Mellon University…
![[ESSAY] “One Poet, Two Translators: Preserving the Essence of Voice” by Yvette Neisser](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/yvette-neisser-and-patricia-bejarano-fisher.png?w=823)
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[ESSAY] “The Unstuck City: Dorothy Tse’s City Like Water” by Luca Griseri Click HERE to read all entries in Chaon City Like Water. Dorothy Tse (author), Natascha Bruce (translator). City Like Water, Graywolf Press, 2026. 112 pgs. The novel resembles a dΓ©collage precisely because…
![[ESSAY] “The Unstuck City: Dorothy Tse’s πΆππ‘π¦ πΏπππ πππ‘ππ” by Luca Griseri](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/city-like-water-dorothy-tse-cha-an-asian-literary-journal.jpg?w=1000)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [ESSAY] “Singing in Hiragana: On The Chronicles of Japan” by Mario Rustan All entries in Chaon The Chronicles of Japan Matthieu Felt (translator). The Chronicles of JapanβVolume I: Age of the…
![[ESSAY] “Singing in Hiragana: On πβπ πΆβππππππππ ππ π½ππππ” by Mario Rustan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/71mw8p3wrll._sl1500_.jpg?w=993)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βFathers Arenβt Mountains: A Closer Look at Buddhisagarβs Karnali Bluesβ by Abhinav Tulachan Buddhisagar (author), Michael Hutt (translator). Karnali Blues, Penguin Random House, 2022. 422 pgs. What role does a…
![[REVIEW] βFathers Arenβt Mountains: A Closer Look at Buddhisagarβs πΎππππππ π΅ππ’ππ β by Abhinav Tulachan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/buddhisagar-author-michael-hutt-translator.-karnali-blues-.png?w=970)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Jiang Qing, Power, and Historical Vilification: MarΓa Teresa Ogliastri’s From the Diary of Madame Mao” by Jennifer Eagleton All entries in Cha on Madame Mao. MarΓa Teresa Ogliastri (author), Yvette…
![[REVIEW] “Jiang Qing, Power, and Historical Vilification: MarΓa Teresa Ogliastri’s πΉπππ π‘βπ π·ππππ¦ ππ ππππππ πππ” by Jennifer Eagleton](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/from-the-diary-of-madame-mao.jpg?w=971)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “The Many-Headed Dragon: Myth, History, and The Chronicles of Japan” by Marsha McDonald All entries in Chaon The Chronicles of Japan Matthieu Felt (translator). The Chronicles of JapanβVolume I:…
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [ESSAY] “Writing After Malaya: Literature, Revolution, and the Silences of History” by Elias KΓΆnig All things Jeremy Tiang in Cha. β Hai Fan (author), Jeremy Tiang (translator). Delicious Hunger, Tilted Axis…
![[ESSAY] “Writing After Malaya: Literature, Revolution, and the Silences of History” by Elias KΓΆnig](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/jeremy-tiang-malay.png?w=867)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “The Weight of Change: Shuang Xuetaoβs Hunter” by Seiya Tanase All things Jeremy Tiang in Cha. Shuang Xuetao (author), Jeremy Tiang (translator). Hunter, Granta Books, 2025. 288 pgs. In a…
![[REVIEW] “The Weight of Change: Shuang Xuetaoβs π»π’ππ‘ππ” by Seiya Tanase](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/shuang-xuetao-author-jeremy-tiang-translator.-hunter-granta-books.jpg?w=977)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Ancient Fears, Modern Horrors: Sinophagia: A Celebration of Chinese Horror“ by Jennifer Eagleton Xueting Christine Ni (translator and editor), Sinophagia: A Celebration of Chinese Horror, Solaris, 2024. 496 pgs.…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Ancient Fears, Modern Horrors: πππππβππππ: π΄ πΆπππππππ‘πππ ππ πΆβππππ π π»πππππ” by Jennifer Eagleton](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sinophagia-a-celebration-of-chinese-horror-xueting-christine-ni-translator-and-editor-solaris-2024.jpg?w=970)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βThe Forbidden Desires of Women: Salmaβs The Dark Hours of the Nightβ by Fathima M Salma (author), GJV Prasad (translator). The Dark Hours of the Night, Simon & Schuster, 2025.…
![[REVIEW] βThe Forbidden Desires of Women: Salmaβs πβπ π·πππ π»ππ’ππ ππ π‘βπ πππβπ‘β by Fathima M](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/the-dark-hours-of-the-night-by-salma-.-translated-by-gjv-prasad.jpg?w=991)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “The Colonial Gaze at the Dinner Table: YΓ‘ng ShuΔng-zΗ’s Taiwan Travelogue” by Jennifer Eagleton YΓ‘ng ShuΔng-zΗ (author), Lin King (translator). Taiwan Travelogue, Graywolf Press, 2024. 320 pgs. Taiwan Travelogue, winner…
![[REVIEW] “The Colonial Gaze at the Dinner Table: YΓ‘ng ShuΔng-zΗ’s ππππ€ππ ππππ£πππππ’π” by Jennifer Eagleton](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/yang-shuang-zi-author-lin-king-translator.-taiwan-travelogue-.jpg?w=1000)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Between the Rabbit and the Not-Rabbit: Yoo Heekyung’s Surrealism in Winter Night Rabbit Worries” by San Kwon Yoo Heekyung (author), Stine An (translator). Winter Night Rabbit Worries, Ugly Duckling Press,…
![[REVIEW] “Between the Rabbit and the Not-Rabbit: Yoo Heekyung’s Surrealism in ππππ‘ππ πππβπ‘ π
πππππ‘ πππππππ ” by San Kwon](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/winter-night-rabbit-worries-1.jpg?w=600)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Pot Noodles and Power: Junko Takase’s May You Have Delicious Meals” by Anna Nguyen Junko Takase (author), Morgan Giles (translator). May You Have Delicious Meals, Penguin Random House, 2025. 133…
![[REVIEW] “Pot Noodles and Power: Junko Takase’s πππ¦ πππ’ π»ππ£π π·πππππππ’π πππππ ” by Anna Nguyen](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/the-politics-of-the-packed-lunch-junko-takases-may-you-have-delicious-meals.jpg?w=977)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] “Every Puddle a Reflection: On Dorothy Tse’s City Like Water” by Jennifer Eagleton ClickΒ HERE to readΒ all entries inΒ ChaonΒ City Like Water. Dorothy Tse (author), Natascha Bruce (translator). City Like Water, Graywolf…
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βNo Useless Poems: Tsering Woeserβs Greater Tibetβ by Angus Stewart Tsering Woeser (author), edited and translated by Fiona Sze-LorrainΒ with Dechen Pemba. Ocean, as Much as Rain: Stories, Lyrical Prose, and…
![[REVIEW] βNo Useless Poems: Tsering Woeserβs Greater Tibetβ by Angus Stewart](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ocean-as-much-as-rain-stories-lyrical-prose-and-poems-from-tibet.jpg?w=1000)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βFamily, Failure, and Historical Memory in Sagisawa Megumuβs The Running Boy and Other Storiesβ by James Kin Pong Au Sagisawa Megumu (author), Tyran Grillo (translator). The Running Boy and Other…
![[REVIEW] βFamily, Failure, and Historical Memory in Sagisawa Megumuβs πβπ π
π’πππππ π΅ππ¦ πππ ππ‘βππ ππ‘πππππ β by James Au Kin-Pong](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/cornellpress.cornell.edubook9781501749896the-running-boy-and-other-stories.jpg?w=880)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [ESSAY] βThrough the Time Tunnel and Written on Water: Eileen Chang Across Exile and Memoryβ by Jeff Tompkins β Eileen Chang (author), Karen S. KingsburyΒ andΒ Jie Zhang (translators). Time Tunnel, New York…
![[ESSAY] βThrough the ππππ ππ’ππππ and ππππ‘π‘ππ ππ πππ‘ππ: Eileen Chang Across Exile and Memoryβ by Jeff Tompkins](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/eileen-chang-cha-an-asian-literary-journal-jeff-tompkins.png?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Terao Tetsuya’s Spent Bullets: Alienation and Intimacy in Silicon Valleyβs Taiwanese Diaspora” by Jennifer Eagleton Terao Tetsuya (author), Kevin Wang (translator). Spent Bullets, HarperCollins, 2025. 208 pgs. Set in…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Terao Tetsuya’s πππππ‘ π΅π’ππππ‘π : Alienation and Intimacy in Silicon Valleyβs Taiwanese Diaspora” by Jennifer Eagleton](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/spent-bullets-hardcover-e28093-october-14-2025-by-terao-tetsuya-author-kevin-wang.jpg?w=987)
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[REVIEW] “Collecting the Dead, Preserving the Lives: On Vinu P and Niyas Kareem’s The Corpse Collector” by Kabir Deb Vinu P and Niyas Kareem (authors), Ministhy S. (translator). The Corpse Collector: A True Story. Juggernaut Books, 2023. 237 pgs. Death,…
![[REVIEW] “Collecting the Dead, Preserving the Lives: On Vinu P and Niyas Kareem’s πβπ πΆππππ π πΆππππππ‘ππ” by Kabir Deb](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/the-corpse-collector-a-true-story-niyas-kareem-author-vinu-p-author-ministhy-s.-translator.jpg?w=686)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βA Messy Magnum Opus: Mai Jiaβs The Colonel and the Eunuchβ by Kevin McGeary Mai Jia (author), Dylan Levi King (translator). The Colonel and the Eunuch, Apollo, 2024. 400 pgs.…
![[REVIEW] βA Messy Magnum Opus: Mai Jiaβs πβπ πΆππππππ πππ π‘βπ πΈπ’ππ’πββ by Kevin McGeary](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/mai-jia-author-dylan-levi-king-translator.-the-colonel-and-the-eunuch.jpg?w=977)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βBearing Witness in Gigi L. Leungβs Everyday Movementβ by Rebekah Chan ClickΒ HERE to readΒ all entries inΒ ChaΒ onΒ Everyday Movement. Gigi L. Leung (author), Jennifer Feeley (translator), Everyday Movement, Riverhead Books. 2026.…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Bearing Witness in Gigi L. Leungβs πΈπ£πππ¦πππ¦ πππ£πππππ‘” by Rebekah Chan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/everyday-movement-by-gigi-l.-leung-translated-by-jennifer-feeley-.jpg?w=993)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βMordant Wit and Material Imagination in Huang Fan’s flower ashβ by Nicholas Y. H. Wong Huang Fan (author), Josh Stenberg (translator). flower ash, Flying Island Books, 2025. 120 pgs. I…
![[REVIEW] βMordant Wit and Material Imagination in Huang Fan’s ππππ€ππ ππ ββ by Nicholas Y. H. Wong](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/huang-fan-author-josh-stenberg-translator.-flower-ash-flying-island-books.jpg?w=600)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Between Moonlight and Market Prices: Reading Yam Gong” by Jonathan Han Click HERE to read all entries in Chaon Moving a Stone. Yam Gong (author), James Shea and Dorothy Tse (translators), Moving a…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Between Moonlight and Market Prices: Reading Yam Gong” by Jonathan Han](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/moving-a-stone.webp?w=900)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Metamorphosis and Memory in Dorothy Tse’s City Like Water” by Jonathan Han ClickΒ HERE to readΒ all entries inΒ ChaonΒ City Like Water. Dorothy Tse (author), Natascha Bruce (translator). City Like Water, Graywolf…
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [REVIEW] βKarbala and the Ethics of Resistance: Premchandβs Vision of Communal Harmonyβ by Fathima M Premchand (author), Haris Qadeer and Sami Rafiq (translators), Karbala, Sahitya Akademi, 2023. 232 pgs. The tragedy…
![[REVIEW] βπΎππππππ and the Ethics of Resistance: Premchandβs Vision of Communal Harmonyβ by Fathima M](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/02smpremchand-removebg-preview.png?w=494)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS Editor’s note: Jonathan Chan reads She Follows No Progression (Wendyβs Subway, 2024), edited by Juwon Jun and Rachel Valinsky, as a collective meditation on Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, attending closely to…
![[ESSAY] βReading the Gap: Indeterminacy, Translation, and Legacy in πβπ πΉπππππ€π ππ πππππππ π πππβ by Jonathan Chan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/she-follows-no-progression-a-theresa-hak-kyung-cha-reader-edited-by-juwon-jun-and-rachel-valinsky.png?w=579)
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θΆ LEEDSθΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [LEEDS | REVIEW] “Building Shenzhen from the Ground Up: Sheng Keyi’s Northern Girls” by Todd Foley Click HERE to read all entries in Cha on Northern Girls. Sheng Keyi (author), Shelly Bryant (translator), Northern Girls:…
![[LEEDS | REVIEW] “Building Shenzhen from the Ground Up: Sheng Keyi’s ππππ‘βπππ πΊππππ ” by Todd Foley](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/https-www.penguin.sgbooknorthern-girls.jpg?w=974)
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θΆ LEEDSθΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [LEEDS | REVIEW] “Primal Energy and Female Defiance in Sheng Keyi’s Northern Girls” by Cuilin Sang Click HERE to read all entries in Cha on Northern Girls. Sheng Keyi (author), Shelly Bryant (translator), Northern Girls:…
![[LEEDS | REVIEW] “Primal Energy and Female Defiance in Sheng Keyi’s ππππ‘βπππ πΊππππ ” by Cuilin Sang](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/northern-girls-cha.png?w=1024)
Cha 