Tsering Döndrup
Columbia University Press
17 June 2025
392
eBook - PDF
Literary/Historical Fiction
ARC via NetGalley
A remarkable novel by one of Tibet’s foremost authors, The Red Wind Howls is a courageous and gripping portrayal of Tibetan suffering under Mao’s regime. The story delves deep into forbidden history, spanning the famine of the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and, most taboo of all, the 1958 Amdo rebellion when Tibetans rose in armed revolt against the Chinese state. Tsering Döndrup self-published the book in 2006, because no publisher would risk accepting it. When the authorities caught wind, all copies were confiscated and the author faced severe reprisals. He lost his job as head of the local archives, his passport was confiscated, and he has been under close surveillance ever since.
This powerful novel is largely set in the punitive labor camps to which Tibetans were sent after the failed rebellion, where many perished from starvation or forced labor. Inside and outside the camps, it depicts with dark humor a world of informers, cruelty, and score settling, against the backdrop of immeasurable environmental devastation and the destruction of traditional Tibetan ways of life. The novel draws on extensive interviews conducted by the author, and the rhythms of oral storytelling are reflected in its fragmented narrative style, which jumps back and forth between periods and events. An unparalleled account of the Chinese Communist Party’s takeover of Tibet, The Red Wind Howls is both a richly imaginative work of fiction and a vital piece of historical testimony.
The Red Wind Howls was a bit of a mixed bag for me. On the plus side, I think it's wonderful for such a work to be released to gain a wider readership, as it sounds as if the author has faced a lot of trouble over the writing of it. At times, this reminded me of The Good Soldier Švejk in the way it uses moments of silliness and humour on the part of the main character to disclose deeper, darker issues. I was invested in the book for the first half, but by the second half it began to feel a little repetitive and I started to grow weary of the fragmentary style of the narrative, so I did find myself skim-reading a bit as we moved into the final third. Overall, I am giving the book three stars. I think it's an important work that tells of a somewhat hidden part of recent history, but its narrative style is not going to be for everyone.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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