Most of the Chinese novels with which Westerners are familiar
describe people living under an oppressive regime that has a
stranglehold on every aspect of daily life. But in Wei Hui's
engaging semi-autobiographical novel of a young middle-class
woman's struggle with love, lust and her understanding of the
world, the state is very much in the background - ironically,
considering that the novel was banned in China for its frankness
about modern life. The main plot is fairly simple. Coco, the
heroine, is a college drop-out who dreams of becoming a writer. She
lives with Tian Tian, an unemployed, impotent drug addict. Needing
more than the gentle love Tian Tian can give her, Coco embarks on a
torrid affair with a married German. Wei Hui writes openly about
the heroine's sexual desires and love life, experimentation with
drugs and fascination with Western culture - especially youth
culture - and perfectly captures the high of being young, beautiful
and hip. Wei Hui is clearly a talented writer, and some of the
novel's poetic passages and the evocation of Shanghai as a vibrant
city are beautifully done, although occasionally the quality of the
writing flags, possibly the fault of the translation. This is a
fresh, modern, female perspective from mainland China, and a
fascinating expose of a culture in transition. (Kirkus UK)
Publicly burned in China for its sensual nature and irreverent
style, this novel is the semi-autobiographical story of Coco, a
cafe waitress, who is full of enthusiasm and impatience for life.
She meets a young man, Tian Tian, for whom she feels tenderness and
love, but he is reclusive, impotent and an increasing user of
drugs. Despite parental objections, Coco moves in with him, leaves
her job and throws herself into writing. Shortly afterwards she
meets Mark, a married Westerner. The two are uncontrollably
attracted and begin a highly charged, physical affair. Torn between
her two lovers, and tormented by her deceit, her unfinished novel
and the conflicting feelings involved in love and betrayal, Coco
begins to find out who she really is. Here is a beautifully written
novel with a distinct voice that describes China on the brink of
its own social and sexual revolution.
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