Excess Male (King) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
What King does so skillfully, with a light, deft, even comedic, touch, is to limn the human heart — with all its unruly urges and desires. She captures the vagaries of life, how easily one can veer off the "correct" path and risk punishment by a chillingly repressive state. [But] the best part of An Exccess Male happens to be its characters, who grow and change, who are lovable, sometimes irascible — yet who surprise us with their innate kindness.… [The book is] a winner — a romance, captivating family drama, and sobering view of totalitarian power. Highly recommended. READ MORE…
P.J. Adler - LitLovers


Through an almost satirical look into a near-future China, Maggie Shen King’s debut, An Excess Male, makes a compelling argument that marriage stands as a method of societal control.… King writes distinctive and sympathetic characters, and her vision of a not-so-far future is unnerving and thought-provoking.
Everdeen Mason - Washington Post


[T]houghtful, heartbreaking…. A scary twist in the third act keeps the pages turning. King expertly explores the myriad routes to family, hope, and love in a repressive country.
Publishers Weekly


This is a believable near-future vision of what could happen with China's growing gender imbalance. The relationships between the brothers and their shared spouse are interesting, although… [the novel] doesn't quite maintain momentum for the entire novel, seeming more suited for a short story.
Library Journal


King imagines a frightening reality, in which forced cultural norms run counter to basic human rights, leaving readers exceedingly uncomfortable with its feasibility,
Booklist


Boldly envisioned and executed, An Excess Male is thrilling, provocative and genuinely frightening in its implications.
Shelf Awareness


[A] dystopian future of longing, inequality, and constant surveillance.… An intelligent, incisive commentary on how love survives—or doesn't—under the heel of the State.
Kirkus Reviews