This book opens with Phoenix Yuan-Whyller’s mother “Rain” dying in Toronto at the ripe old age of eighty-three. Rain had lived a full life spanning two countries on two continents. Phoenix spent most of her life caring for her mother, yet her mother’s early life remained buried in mystery even to her daughter. Having recently married a Anglo-Canadian, Phoenix spent most of her life tethered to her mother. Grief and curiosity combined, and Phoenix flies to China to talk to her Aunt Mei to learn more about her mother. What she unearths causes her to see her mother’s life – and her own – much differently.
To Phoenix, her mother always seemed simple and uncomplicated – even boring. Yet the mind-spinning dramas that conversations with Aunt Mei uncover would each be enough for one person’s life. These dramas, comprising large chapters in this book, intersect in nuanced ways and each uncover further mysteries. They tie together as one beautiful tapestry that comprises the artwork of this book. And as with any good novel, the plot continues to unravel until the last page.
Rain’s early life is set in China during the time of World War II until the Korean War. This was a time of constant fighting in Chinese history, yet it was also a time of focused turbulence. The “good” characters and the “bad” characters were yet to be sorted out by history. Zhang Ling, a Chinese immigrant to Canada, vividly depicts these scenes in southern China as only someone who grew up in the area could. She clearly appeals to those interested in Chinese history with the motif that there’s more here than first meets the eye! Just as so, human emotions like love, grief, sorrow, guilt, and gratitude intersect more than we’d like to admit.
This book is Ling’s first work written first in English. Her previous works, which have been smashing successes on both sides of the Pacific, were translated from the original Chinese. The quality of English is excellent, either way, and tells of many hours of hard study learning a new language and culture. Ling’s strong storytelling skills remain, regardless of language. I can’t wait to read the results of her next project.
Where Waters Meet
By Zhang Ling
Copyright (c) 2023
Amazon Crossing
ISBN13 9781662509001
Page Count: 281
Genre: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction
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