Shanghai Baby by Wei Hui

Shanghai Baby

Wei Hui

Sexually charged but not too explicit, this novel centres on a young aspiring novelist, her boyfriend and her German lover. Although some of the similes don't quite work in translation, it's beautifully written. Hui captures the atmosphere of modern day Shanghai, its young people under the influence of western culture as well as the selfishness that lies behind love and betrayal.


Extract
That night we barely closed our eyes. We kissed through the night, and the bitterness of our saliva filled the room. Our bed drifted in the boundless sea like a lonely island in imminent danger. We took refuge in each other's love. When the heart breaks there's a crackling sound, very light and very fine, like the splintering of wood fibres. I promised Tian Tian I would visit him often, and that I would take good care of Fur Ball and myself. I would write seriously and finish my novel. I wouldn't let myself sink into nightmares ... I love you. And that's how my love is.


Parallels
  • Goodbye Tsugumi by Banana Yoshimoto
  • Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
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Explicit sexual content