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Confessions: a Novel of Modern China
Confession is the newest novel from acclaimed Chinese-American author, Annie Wang. Set in both Beijing and the California Bay Area, the story is about May, a modern Chinese woman displaced in the West. The book chronicles her entanglements with two American men—her lover, a Harvard-educated professor named Leaf; and her mentor, a Silicon Valley-based self-made billionaire. The Jewish-American Leaf speaks May’s native Chinese with fluency and grace, only later revealing his psychologically twisted nature, whose fetishes border on sexual deviance. His tortured romantic past compels him to make May his next obsession and item of control. Her Mentor, who May refers to as such, lives on his own vineyard in Napa Valley. He takes May under his wing, but develops lustful and romantic feelings for her in the process.
As her tumultuous relationships with Leaf and Mentor unfold, the reader observes how cultural differences lead to divergent interpretations of trust, personal boundaries, respect, child molestation, and even rape.
May’s life unravels into complete disarray until she is rescued by her own faith and childhood friend, Summer. May eventually puts the past behind her and finds happiness and peace in marriage, family, and a resurrected career. Even more importantly, she finds an inner peace and harmony, comfortably balancing her Eastern and the Western influences.
From the madness of the three highly educated and intelligent characters’ triangle of deception, to their final departure from one another, the book leads us to see that all people, imperfect as they are, have the potential to lose themselves at a certain point in their lives, but are equally able to return to normalcy. There is scarcely a person alive who has not gone through such a desperate, hurting, disconnected and suffering from the feeling of being emotionally dead and alone. And yet, humans persevere, heal, and move on.
The story, through the complexity of the characters’ inner worlds, examines the duality of human desires, playing on the themes of darkness and light, innocence and cynicism, individuality and co-dependence, and loss and redemption. The perverse love triangle exposes the often tenuous relationship between one’s civilized persona and more primal urges. The author’s exploration of these seemingly contradictory ideals is what makes Confession from a Nymphomaniac a universally evocative novel.
As her tumultuous relationships with Leaf and Mentor unfold, the reader observes how cultural differences lead to divergent interpretations of trust, personal boundaries, respect, child molestation, and even rape.
May’s life unravels into complete disarray until she is rescued by her own faith and childhood friend, Summer. May eventually puts the past behind her and finds happiness and peace in marriage, family, and a resurrected career. Even more importantly, she finds an inner peace and harmony, comfortably balancing her Eastern and the Western influences.
From the madness of the three highly educated and intelligent characters’ triangle of deception, to their final departure from one another, the book leads us to see that all people, imperfect as they are, have the potential to lose themselves at a certain point in their lives, but are equally able to return to normalcy. There is scarcely a person alive who has not gone through such a desperate, hurting, disconnected and suffering from the feeling of being emotionally dead and alone. And yet, humans persevere, heal, and move on.
The story, through the complexity of the characters’ inner worlds, examines the duality of human desires, playing on the themes of darkness and light, innocence and cynicism, individuality and co-dependence, and loss and redemption. The perverse love triangle exposes the often tenuous relationship between one’s civilized persona and more primal urges. The author’s exploration of these seemingly contradictory ideals is what makes Confession from a Nymphomaniac a universally evocative novel.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2014
1 person want to read
About the author
Annie Wang
32 books12 followersAnnie Wang's journey begins in Beijing, where she emerged as a child prodigy, swiftly solidifying her status as one of the most successful young authors in 1990s China. Accumulating thousands of fan letters, she was honored as one of the ten most liked high-schoolers in Beijing, earning the title "Hope Star." Her trajectory took a crucial turn upon arriving in America, enrolling at UC Berkeley in the mid-'90s. Annie received an immediate warm embrace and popularity among classmates, teachers, and the community. Berkeley's dynamic bohemian environment suited her exceptionally well, serving as the crucible for honing Annie's English writing skills. This transformative journey culminated in her triumph at the Berkeley poetry contest and her classes, eloquently chronicled in her bestselling book, "From Beijing to California," inspiring a wave of Chinese students to choose Berkeley over other top American universities.
Post-Berkeley, Annie's literary star continued its ascent with the release of four English novels: "Lili," "The People's Republic of Desire," "May In America," and "Early Bloomers." Her work has been translated into German, French, and Turkish. The LA Times lauded her as "a striking literary voice," and a cascade of critical acclaim followed from major Western media outlets, including the New York Times, Times of London, Washington Post, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Economist, New Yorker, IHT, Marie Claire, and Seattle Times. Annie's pen also left its mark on The Washington Post, Time, and Fortune. Beyond the written word, her insightful social commentaries resonated on CNN and NPR, complemented by a persistent column in the South China Morning Post. The column was a massive success in Hong Kong's English world, with her ad gracing the front page of SCMP and subscriptions hitting a record high thanks to her contributions. Annie gave talks at prestigious venues such as M on the Fringe, the Kee Club, the American Club, and The FCC, gaining popularity among the foreign expat community as well as Hong Kong's local literary circle.
Annie Wang's influence transcends ink-stained pages, reaching Wall Street and Fortune 500 companies such as Prudential and UBS with her paid speeches. In the professional arena, she navigates the realm of women's magazines, holding managing editor positions at In Style and Tatler China, and serving as the publisher for Lifestyle magazine. Her thematic focus converges with the heartbeat of modern China, exploring facets of fashion, style, women, identity, and pop culture. In a fascinating twist, following in her aunt's footsteps, she has turned into an I Ching scholar. She holds popular podcasts such as Annie On I Ching, Annie On America.
Balancing professional prowess with familial responsibilities, Annie divides her time between residences in Shanghai and Beijing, weaving the threads of life with her husband and three children.
ChatGPT
Annie Wang's journey begins in Beijing, where she emerged as a child prodigy, swiftly solidifying her status as one of the most successful young authors in 1990s China. Accumulating thousands of fan letters, she was honored as one of the ten most liked high-schoolers in Beijing, earning the title "Hope Star." Her trajectory took a crucial turn upon arriving in America, enrolling at UC Berkeley in the mid-'90s. Annie received an immediate warm embrace and popularity among classmates, teachers, and the community. Berkeley's dynamic bohemian environment suited her exceptionally well, serving as the crucible for honing Annie's English writing skills. This transformative journey culminated in her triumph at the Berkeley poetry contest and her classes, eloquently chronicled in her bestselling book, "From Beijing to California," inspiring a wave of Chinese students to choose Berkeley over other top American universities.
Post-Berkeley, Annie's literary star continued its ascent with the release of four English novels: "Lili," "The People's Republic
Post-Berkeley, Annie's literary star continued its ascent with the release of four English novels: "Lili," "The People's Republic of Desire," "May In America," and "Early Bloomers." Her work has been translated into German, French, and Turkish. The LA Times lauded her as "a striking literary voice," and a cascade of critical acclaim followed from major Western media outlets, including the New York Times, Times of London, Washington Post, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Economist, New Yorker, IHT, Marie Claire, and Seattle Times. Annie's pen also left its mark on The Washington Post, Time, and Fortune. Beyond the written word, her insightful social commentaries resonated on CNN and NPR, complemented by a persistent column in the South China Morning Post. The column was a massive success in Hong Kong's English world, with her ad gracing the front page of SCMP and subscriptions hitting a record high thanks to her contributions. Annie gave talks at prestigious venues such as M on the Fringe, the Kee Club, the American Club, and The FCC, gaining popularity among the foreign expat community as well as Hong Kong's local literary circle.
Annie Wang's influence transcends ink-stained pages, reaching Wall Street and Fortune 500 companies such as Prudential and UBS with her paid speeches. In the professional arena, she navigates the realm of women's magazines, holding managing editor positions at In Style and Tatler China, and serving as the publisher for Lifestyle magazine. Her thematic focus converges with the heartbeat of modern China, exploring facets of fashion, style, women, identity, and pop culture. In a fascinating twist, following in her aunt's footsteps, she has turned into an I Ching scholar. She holds popular podcasts such as Annie On I Ching, Annie On America.
Balancing professional prowess with familial responsibilities, Annie divides her time between residences in Shanghai and Beijing, weaving the threads of life with her husband and three children.
ChatGPT
Annie Wang's journey begins in Beijing, where she emerged as a child prodigy, swiftly solidifying her status as one of the most successful young authors in 1990s China. Accumulating thousands of fan letters, she was honored as one of the ten most liked high-schoolers in Beijing, earning the title "Hope Star." Her trajectory took a crucial turn upon arriving in America, enrolling at UC Berkeley in the mid-'90s. Annie received an immediate warm embrace and popularity among classmates, teachers, and the community. Berkeley's dynamic bohemian environment suited her exceptionally well, serving as the crucible for honing Annie's English writing skills. This transformative journey culminated in her triumph at the Berkeley poetry contest and her classes, eloquently chronicled in her bestselling book, "From Beijing to California," inspiring a wave of Chinese students to choose Berkeley over other top American universities.
Post-Berkeley, Annie's literary star continued its ascent with the release of four English novels: "Lili," "The People's Republic
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