Fiction-Stories

Aftershock: A Novel by Zhang Ling

In 1976, a 7.6-scale earthquake rocked the region around Tangshan, China. Hundreds of thousands died, and hundreds of thousands more struggled for survival after houses, essential services, and bridges were leveled. Thirty years later, one survivor Xiaodeng is an acclaimed writer in Toronto, Canada, but is still haunted by the events of that day, when she was just a child. She tries to piece together her personal life, now falling apart. In reconstructing her life…

Continue reading

Fiction-Stories Humanities

A Single Swallow by Zhang Ling

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…

Continue reading