In Memory of the Departed
In this gripping tale of love, betrayal and revolution, Chen Danyan takes the
reader on an extraordinary journey through the complexities wrought by history on
a mother, her daughter and their circle of friends in Shanghai during the
tumultuous years between 1944 and 1978.
With moving descriptions, this story brings to life the hardships of post-war China
as well as the difficulty of making sense in a world whose moral, political and
social boundaries were shifting with impossible speed.
Between Confidantes
A beautifully wrought and intriguing novel set amidst Shanghais leafy plane trees
and softly lit streets, Between Confidantes recounts the story of a friendship torn
apart by love and ambition.
As Xiaomin struggles to make her way through a nursing career by day and work
in a bar at night, her life as a single girl reveals the paradoxes and complexities
faced by Chinas young women. Xiaomins best friend Anan is married and has a
lovely home, but does not realize how vulnerable her happiness and marriage
really are until she leaves Shanghai for a few weeks. Desire and loyalty are set
against each other as Xiaomin tries to figure out what the rules of success mean
in contemporary China. Her heart-felt memories of a childhood spent with her
grandmother, and her current dilemmas weave themselves through this
compelling novel.
