Structure

The structure of this book largely follows the individuals that Osnos chooses to profile. Having lived in China for eight years, the author undoubtedly had a significant amount of acquaintances and experiences from which to choose when providing examples, thus his choices represent a level of control over the arguments the book conveys. Additionally, he arranges his experiences thematically, grouping different stories into chapters about similar topics and chapters into three longer parts that also convey unified themes. Beyond this, the events do appear somewhat chronologically, particularly in the case of individuals who appear at multiple points throughout the book, but the thematic structure takes precedence over strict timelines. This suggests that Osnos views his eight years in China as a fairly constant experience. There are certainly changes occurring in Chinese society, but these are presented as ongoing, at least during the period Osnos portrays, rather than...