Work style and values
Nieh is not for everyone. His work requires patience. The plots are often circular rather than linear; characters frequently spend pages arguing about nonsensical regulations or the correct way to fold a corporate uniform. If you need a hero to root for or a tidy, hopeful ending, look elsewhere. Nieh’s protagonists are usually bewildered everymen who lose as often as they win. Furthermore, readers unfamiliar with the specific pressures of urban life in modern East Asia (endless exams, "involution," and the hustle culture) may miss some of the subtler satirical barbs. yuchi nieh