Wedding in Autumn and Other Stories

by Chiung-Yu Shih, Darryl Sterk (Translator )

Haunted by memories of the Chinese Civil War in the late 1940s, nationalist soldiers from all over mainland China are doomed to live out their days in exile in Taitung County, along the southeastern shore of the island of Taiwan.

The three novellas in this collection tell stories of Chinese men who were forced to leave their loved ones behind and the aboriginal Amis locals they marry or adopt to try to make themselves at home, often in vain, for their wives and adopted daughters and sons end up knocked up, sexually abused, sold into prostitution, happily married, or insane.

Set in Taiwan in the 1970s and 1980s, Wedding in Autumn and Other Stories captures the suffering and the will to survive of marginalised people everywhere.

Genres: Short Stories

118 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2018

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I read this collection of three stories set in the south-west region of Taiwan months ago so now only have vague memories but do remember being struck by the stories in their portrayal of women who are abused, thrown aside and maligned. The writing of the landscape in this coastal region is particularly lovely and there is a haunting, melancholy feeling to the stories but I think a reread is in order before I can write much more.

[Donia · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The audience were fools, and the players madmen.”

This book includes three thought provoking short stories. I wish there were reviews of it on this app so I can see what people thought of it! It’s the type of book that you put down ONLY to want to discuss and analyze it. Whomever reads it PLEASE contact me so we can discusssssss. How does this have no reviews?

[Meg]

Rural Taiwan, survival sex work, last story is way too long and confusing #bookclub4m