新寶島

by Huang Chong-kai, 黃崇凱

以小說思考臺灣問題，打開臺灣文學的經緯度之作

臺灣問題不再是中國與臺灣的問題，而是全世界的問題。──廖文奎《福爾摩沙發言》

　　二○二四年五月二十日，臺灣新任總統宣誓就職，正式開啟史上第一位原住民總統的新紀元。慶典般的氣氛才稍稍褪去，跨入二十一日午夜時分，由於不知名的原因，臺灣與古巴兩座島嶼的住民發生了大交換：兩千三百萬臺灣人在鄰近美國的古巴島上醒來，眼前是陌生的加勒比海。一千一百萬古巴人則來到臺灣島，隔著海峽與中國相望。兩國人民互換到相隔一萬四千五百多公里的陌生島嶼，劇烈擾動國際地緣政治的秩序，也瞬間改變兩個島國的命運。

　　長年在夾縫下求生存的兩個島國，即使交換地理位置，仍然處在大國陰影下。臺灣第一任原住民總統、也意外成為第一位在國土之外行使職權的總統，他要如何面對前所未有的局勢？無意間形成的臺灣─古巴命運共同體，該如何協調彼此步伐，重新立足世界？生活在其中的人們，又怎麼在巨變下試圖抓住僅有的日常？

　　在憂鬱亞熱帶的反覆交涉下，同樣落居北回歸線上的臺灣和古巴，在時間長河中不斷梳理自身的存在。或許未來就是過去，而過去可能是未來的變奏。在時空的層疊開展下，小說多線並置，以訪談、書評、讀書會紀錄、重層虛構等形式複調演繹，消融既定疆界。小說時而從近未來迂迴邁向新世界，時而從新大陸通往繁複存在的可能歷史，也一再叩問當下：臺灣意味著什麼？

　　pasola xmnx na mansonsou!
　　願您每回呼吸都順暢！

351 pages, Paperback

Published May 4, 2021

Reviews

[Becky]

看得很順利，但讀完不知道這能不能算是「小說」，當然可以看得出作者意圖為何，但從大交換到各種角色登場讀了只覺得是作者的田調成果展示，看不到故事在哪裡，讀到最後默默想這種意圖真的有需要寫成三百多頁的小說嗎。

[Citron Pineapple · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this book is way overrated by the prizes this year. The content is too politically correct. And when an author wants to represent his political point of view, his most cliché way is having an interview as a politician…

aborigines, Japanese colonisation, those INEVITABLE subjects are Also included. Like what’s new???

Those meta literature kinda different personages writing their own books paragraphs… seem more like the author himself has tried different versions of this topic at the beginning but they didn’t work well but he still wants to cooperate all of them in this one.

But iHuang is a marvelous writer, the first chapter is probably the best part, followed by the chapter new China. Those two are really good.

[Mathilda · Rating 1 out of 5]

看不下去，前提那麼有趣結果寫成這樣，很失望。用小說當藉口評論各式各樣的東西，炫耀知識，描述各種大部分讀者沒看過的文學作品、藝術之類的，如果想看藝術我寧可去藝廊也不要讀這本小說，看小說是因為覺得前提有趣想看情結怎麼發展。

[Pin-Tsun · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating premise: what would happen if one day, 23 million Taiwanese and 11 million Cubans woke up to find themselves mysteriously teleported to each other's island? As two nations both long existing under the suffocating grips of their respective imperialist neighbouring superpowers (China and the US), can this Great Exchange provide a means of escape? Or would it only bring uncertainty and turmoil?

This book is an interesting mix of speculative fiction, historical fiction, and ethnography. However, it sometimes feels like the author is trying too much to cover too many bases at once. The stories within stories become quite difficult to follow. A lot of background knowledge is also necessary for the reader to understand what's going on—as if the author is flexing on how much more he knows than us—but it is not provided.

[Vivs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me ha encantado. A ratos he pensado que había cambiado de libro, porque cada capítulo es un escenario muy distinto y algunas historias no son tan fáciles de seguir como las otras. Pero la verdad me ha gustado el planteamiento inicial, los distintos personajes, el debate sobre la identidad, la libertad y las limitaciones.

[I Lun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Your sociological imagination.