This tale, translated from the original in Chinese, centers on events surrounding one Chinese woman during the Second World War. It is told through the perspectives of the ghosts of three men who loved her and who she loved back, albeit in different ways. It narrates how war augments human stories of love, family, and relationships.
The translation is generally excellent and fluent. Only the prevalence of Chinese customs make it obvious that this story was written for another setting. However, such “insider” views provide us with a sympathetic understanding of Chinese culture in-and-around the war period. It can remind the English-speaking world that the Chinese and Americans, despite governmental hostilities, aren’t that different after all.
The story itself is artfully told and does not come off as cheap romance. Instead, using the technique of triple narrators, Ling skillfully weaves together a story through continual deployment of intrigue that spans sections. The protagonist, a strong young woman with different nicknames from the three men, overcomes adverse experiences such as rape, death, and becoming an orphan. The chapters, which vary in length, rely on other narratives and pick up where others left off.
Besides love, this work’s great theme is how inextricably the cultural upheaval of war serves as part of the human experience. The work spans two great cultures across two continents across many decades. Many elements of the story are tragic, but the book does not take the form of a tragedy. Instead, it realistically depicts human life and human determination in unusual times.
I’m glad I read this book because of its insight into Chinese culture. The characters are dynamic and three-dimensional. Its main weakness consists of a relatively slow plot. But the deep character development, while confusing initially, successfully makes up for the lackadaisical pace. I hope this beautiful work will enlighten the lives of those in the English-speaking world as much as it has inspired those in the Chinese-speaking world.
A Single Swallow
By Zhang Ling; translated by Shelly Bryant
Copyright (c) 2020
Amazon Crossing
ISBN13 9780761456957
Page Count: 304
Genre: Literary Fiction
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