My South Seas Sleeping Beauty: A Tale of Memory and Longing (Modern Chinese Literature from Taiwan)

My South Seas Sleeping Beauty is a captivating coming-of-age tale set in the magical jungles of Borneo. Told through the vivid recollections of a Chinese-Malay youth, the novel recounts the life of Su Qi, a troubled, sensitive son of a wealthy family, and exemplifies the imaginative range of one of Taiwan's most innovative writers. "There were all sorts of stories about how my younger sister died," Su Qi begins, hinting at the power of memory to bend and refract truth. Yet whichever the real story may be, the fact is that the death of Su Qi's sister created an irrevocable rift in Su Qi's family, driving his father into the arms of aboriginal women and his mother into a world of her own invention. In an effort to escape the oppression of home, Su Qi loses himself in the surrounding jungle, full of Communist guerillas and strange tropical fauna. The jungle further blurs the line between fantasy and reality for Su Qi, until he meets Chunxi, the beautiful, frail daughter of his father's best friend. Chunxi is an oasis of kindness and honesty in an otherwise cruel and evasive world, but after a bizarre accident, Chunxi falls into a deep coma, and Su Qui flees to Taiwan. In college Su Qi meets Keyi, a vivacious siren who helps Su Qi forget not only his violent past but also the colorful tales of his youth. When a family member dies, however, Su Qi is pulled back to the jungles of Borneo where he begins to unravel the secrets of his family's past-a story stranger than any fairy tale-and learns that his cherished dream of awakening his beloved Chunxi may be more than just a fantasy. Influenced by the lyricism of William Faulkner and the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, My South Seas Sleeping Beauty is a deeply evocative exploration of sexuality and identity and a masterful reworking of Chinese and Western myth. Valerie Jaffee's careful translation retains all the tone and detail of the original work and provides rare access to a new and exciting generation of Chinese writers born in Southeast Asia. My South Seas Sleeping Beauty Is A Coming-of-age Tale Set In The Magical Jungles Of Borneo. Told Through The Vivid Recollections Of A Chinese-malay Youth, The Novel Recounts The Life Of Su Qi, A Troubled, Sensitive Son Of A Wealthy Family, And Exemplifies The Imaginative Range Of One Of Taiwan's Most Innovative Writers. There Were All Sorts Of Stories About How My Younger Sister Died, Su Qi Begins, Hinting At The Power Of Memory To Bend And Refract Truth. Yet Whichever The Real Story May Be, The Fact Is That The Death Of Su Qi's Sister Created An Irrevocable Rift In Su Qi's Family, Driving His Father Into The Arms Of Aboriginal Women And His Mother Into A World Of Her Own Invention. In An Effort To Escape The Oppression Of Home, Su Qi Loses Himself In The Surrounding Jungle, Full Of Communist Guerillas And Strange Tropical Fauna. The Jungle Further Blurs The Line Between Fantasy And Reality For Su Qi, Until He Meets Chunxi, The Beautiful, Frail Daughter Of His Father's Best Friend. Chunxi Is An Oasis Of Kindness And Honesty In An Otherwise Cruel And Evasive World, But After A Bizarre Accident, Chunxi Falls Into A Deep Coma, And Su Qui Flees To Taiwan. In College Su Qi Meets Keyi, A Vivacious Siren Who Helps Su Qi Forget Not Only His Violent Past But Also The Colorful Tales Of His Youth. When A Family Member Dies, However, Su Qi Is Pulled Back To The Jungles Of Borneo Where He Begins To Unravel The Secrets Of His Family's Past - A Story Stranger Than Any Fairy Tale - And Learns That His Cherished Dream Of Awakening His Beloved Chunxi May Be More Than Just A Fantasy. My South Seas Sleeping Beauty Is A Deeply Evocative Exploration Of Sexuality And Identity And A Masterful Reworking Of Chinese And Western Myth. Valerie Jaffee's Careful Translation Retains All The Tone And Detail Of The Original Work And Provides Rare Access To A New Generation Of Chinese Writers Born In Southeast Asia.--book Jacket. Zhang Guixing ; Translated By Valerie Jaffee. Translated From The Chinese. A captivating coming-of-age novel set in the magical jungles of Borneo. This Chinese-Malay import starts out with all the right magical realism touches: an exotic locale--the jungle in Borneo--with a dysfunctional, eccentric family amid an unstable social climate. The narrator, Su Qi, is the son of a brilliant, egomaniacal despot of a father and beautiful, reclusive mother. The father hosts bacchic revelries in the massive, labyrinthine garden constructed by the mother, whose senses are preternaturally attuned to the dense, creeping patchwork of gorgeous flora and perilous fauna. After Su Qi's teenage love suffers a horrific accident in the garden and falls into a coma, he leaves for Taiwan, returning years later to finally discern his family's true machinations in the South Seas. With sections that seem written by an entirely different author for an entirely different book, this is ultimately frustrating, as Guixing lays all the groundwork for a fascinating family saga but then goes and constructs a rickety romance on top of it. Reminiscent of--but not nearly on a par with--Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Salman Rushdie's The Moor's Last Sigh (1996).