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Whisper
Victims all describe hearing a voice before they die gruesomely. Sometimes it’s singing an old Taiwanese song, sometimes it’s in Japanese, and sometimes it’s an anguished call for help from a loved one. Can Wu Shih-Sheng, a degenerate taxi driver in Taipei, hunt down the source of the voice that killed his wife before he becomes the next victim?
Whisper is a plot-driven, Taiwanese horror story. As well as being a chilling read, Chang Yu-Ko cleverly combines Taiwanese folklore, the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, and the long-term mistreatment of the country’s aboriginal people into a story of how the past can still kill.
Whisper is a plot-driven, Taiwanese horror story. As well as being a chilling read, Chang Yu-Ko cleverly combines Taiwanese folklore, the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, and the long-term mistreatment of the country’s aboriginal people into a story of how the past can still kill.
294 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
December 19, 2022
Chang Yu-Ko's first novel that has been translated into English, Whisper, is a very fascinating dive into the darker and scarier sides of Taiwanese folklore and history.
The story starts off with Hsiang-ying, a middle aged woman who leads a miserable life; she works for bad conditions and endures domestic violence from her useless husband Shih-sheng who feels nothing but contempt for her. After an accident at her workplace she starts experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations about a little Japanese girl and is institutionalized. Going back and forth between the rage at his wife's clumsiness leading to the accident (the compensation of which will surely worsen their already strained financial situation) and his alcohol excesses induced and worsened by financial problems, inferiority complexes due to his origin and his daughter who refuses any contact with him, Shih-sheng does not realize the gravity of the situation until Hsiang-ying dies under really curious circumstances. Her death means that it is now up to him to find the roots of these hallucinations, or else whatever it was that killed his wife will kill him too.
His search will lead him through the ruins of the Japanese invasion of Taiwan right to the top of Mount Jade, where a little Japanese girl named Minako is rumored to have been lost and have stayed with the indigenous Bunun people.
I don't really know how to review this book as I was totally awed by this different kind of horror and its fascinating components spread in front of me; the hanitu, the good (mashia) and bad (makwan) spirits which possess every human; the moxina, child-like ghosts which lure people away to forest or mountains and finally the extremely creepy xiaogui, baby demons, summoned into the bodies of dead fetuses, which need to be fed with blood and who otherwise will turn against you. And a very frightening priestess who has seen things in her lifetime.
Although the story starts with a focus on Shih-sheng, there are various storylines and characters, even main characters, which are introduced later in the book. There is, for instance, Hu Jui-yi, a social worker who is responsible for the care of an indigenous girl pushed into prostitution and who witnessed and was seemingly traumatized by the death of Hsiang-ying. Jui-yi and her husband who is of Japanese descent and something of an expert for the local folklore, travel to Mount Jade and talk to the local people while trying to solve the puzzle of Hsiang-ying's death, providing a detailed and multi-layered picture of Taiwanese history and social structure. Furthermore, we follow the story of Kuo Chen-shan, Hsiang-ying's sister. A social climber, she suspects and proves her husband is unfaithful to her and not wanting to lose her social status resorts to black magic, which, as you might guess, isn't a very good idea.
I was grateful for the many main characters as Shih-sheng never really was redeemed for me after how he treated his wife. Even though I saw where he came from and followed his character arc, which led him to a completely different place in the end, I never warmed up to him. The technique of introducing characters later in the book is not necessarily my favorite, although it's not something that renders the book completely non-enjoyable for me. I still prefer to know my main characters from the beginning. I also have to admit that I found the language a little cloggy and often needed to read sentences twice, especially in the beginning. After the first couple of chapters I felt I got used to the style, though.
Ultimately, I loved particularly the varied and truly terrifying take on horror and the many layers the story has to offer in terms of Taiwanese background and folkloric elements, I'd love to read more about this.
The story starts off with Hsiang-ying, a middle aged woman who leads a miserable life; she works for bad conditions and endures domestic violence from her useless husband Shih-sheng who feels nothing but contempt for her. After an accident at her workplace she starts experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations about a little Japanese girl and is institutionalized. Going back and forth between the rage at his wife's clumsiness leading to the accident (the compensation of which will surely worsen their already strained financial situation) and his alcohol excesses induced and worsened by financial problems, inferiority complexes due to his origin and his daughter who refuses any contact with him, Shih-sheng does not realize the gravity of the situation until Hsiang-ying dies under really curious circumstances. Her death means that it is now up to him to find the roots of these hallucinations, or else whatever it was that killed his wife will kill him too.
His search will lead him through the ruins of the Japanese invasion of Taiwan right to the top of Mount Jade, where a little Japanese girl named Minako is rumored to have been lost and have stayed with the indigenous Bunun people.
I don't really know how to review this book as I was totally awed by this different kind of horror and its fascinating components spread in front of me; the hanitu, the good (mashia) and bad (makwan) spirits which possess every human; the moxina, child-like ghosts which lure people away to forest or mountains and finally the extremely creepy xiaogui, baby demons, summoned into the bodies of dead fetuses, which need to be fed with blood and who otherwise will turn against you. And a very frightening priestess who has seen things in her lifetime.
Although the story starts with a focus on Shih-sheng, there are various storylines and characters, even main characters, which are introduced later in the book. There is, for instance, Hu Jui-yi, a social worker who is responsible for the care of an indigenous girl pushed into prostitution and who witnessed and was seemingly traumatized by the death of Hsiang-ying. Jui-yi and her husband who is of Japanese descent and something of an expert for the local folklore, travel to Mount Jade and talk to the local people while trying to solve the puzzle of Hsiang-ying's death, providing a detailed and multi-layered picture of Taiwanese history and social structure. Furthermore, we follow the story of Kuo Chen-shan, Hsiang-ying's sister. A social climber, she suspects and proves her husband is unfaithful to her and not wanting to lose her social status resorts to black magic, which, as you might guess, isn't a very good idea.
I was grateful for the many main characters as Shih-sheng never really was redeemed for me after how he treated his wife. Even though I saw where he came from and followed his character arc, which led him to a completely different place in the end, I never warmed up to him. The technique of introducing characters later in the book is not necessarily my favorite, although it's not something that renders the book completely non-enjoyable for me. I still prefer to know my main characters from the beginning. I also have to admit that I found the language a little cloggy and often needed to read sentences twice, especially in the beginning. After the first couple of chapters I felt I got used to the style, though.
Ultimately, I loved particularly the varied and truly terrifying take on horror and the many layers the story has to offer in terms of Taiwanese background and folkloric elements, I'd love to read more about this.
April 20, 2024
4.0 Stars
I love finding underhyped horror novels and this translated novel certainly felt like a hidden gem. I appreciated the cultural and political elements of this one, exposing me to new experiences. The story started off slow but thankfully the payoff was worth it. The main character is a highly unlikeable, abusive man, which I understand will be a no go for some readers. I have a high tolerance for reading about terrible people, but I respect that not everyone feels that way.
I would recommend this one to readers looking for a unique, translated horror.
I love finding underhyped horror novels and this translated novel certainly felt like a hidden gem. I appreciated the cultural and political elements of this one, exposing me to new experiences. The story started off slow but thankfully the payoff was worth it. The main character is a highly unlikeable, abusive man, which I understand will be a no go for some readers. I have a high tolerance for reading about terrible people, but I respect that not everyone feels that way.
I would recommend this one to readers looking for a unique, translated horror.
May 31, 2022
This is billed as Taiwanese horror and it is, but it also has a lot of depth & history with connections to colonialism, indigenous groups, forced assimilation, economic strife, communication, spirits, & much more. I am not sure I've previously read a Taiwanese book & I certainly wasn't familiar with most of the references here. Fortunately, the book has various digressions where characters learn about things, so the reader is filled in a bit. Those sections felt a little clunky, like inserting textbook info in the middle of a story; those transitions could have been smoother yet I was still very happy to have them as it kept me, as the reader, from getting totally lost. (And I also spent a bit of time online looking up places or things mentioned.) This is quite a fascinating work and I'm glad that it's available in translation.
November 24, 2021
'Some steal a child's corpse from its coffin before burial, or remove stillborn babies from their mothers' wombs. Or carve tiny coffins from peach wood and dig up a child's corpse. If you heat the jaw of the corpse with a candle and collect the corpse oil in the coffin, the oil itself can be used to raise a xiaogui.'
Desperately want to give this a 4 at least but it is at most a 3.5 because of the translation and also editing. I feel like it would not be very accessible to readers who aren't familiar with certain cultural/historical/religious references . Might even bore/put them off because of so many language and cultural barriers in the novel. Not implying that they shouldn't be added, but it's just that the introduction wasn't done well enough (a little more explanation would be lovely). Is this due to a bad translation work? Even though I felt like I knew most of the things that Chang had put into his novel, I found myself having to do a Google-search on a bunch of them to make sure. I love the concept, and I am excited to read anything Chang writes next, but I do really wish that more care was put into this novel . I do prefer a more meticulously written novel .
The story reminded me of Koji Suzuki's series at first, but Chang spent effort to do it all quite differently. Even so, it's very obviously an East Asian horror tale - a revenge-horror with religious influences . As someone who has watched quite a bit of East Asian horror films, this felt very similar to that sort of cinematic brilliance. To turn this into a film would be perfect . However as a novel, it felt a bit careless and lacking in some ways . Would have love the ending to be more precise and neat - not so loose and anticlimactic. Felt a bit rushed . However, characterisation was done very well . I was impressed with how complex yet believable/real Chang's characters were. The novel covers a lot about class disparity, poverty, and also of 'toxic masculinity'/patriarchal system. I found Chang's novel highly enjoyable but needs more editing . A better translation, perhaps ?
Fast-paced, highly plot-driven without much variation in literary style. This was probably why I could read the whole thing in one sitting. I thought I should add an extra star for having mildly horrific dreams after reading the book and falling asleep right after . But I had to refrain . Perhaps if Minako had a gay subplot I'd be convinced to do otherwise. It would have been a much better alternative than what Chang had given her (which was rather unsatisfying and weak - so much so that the extra characters almost felt redundant). I personally felt that Minako's 'reveal' and background was somewhat disappointing . However, I do like the 'urban noir' atmosphere of the novel . I especially like the 'xiaogui' bits.
'Just after a week she married a Buddhist monk, she was found dead, where the water flows out from the spring. By the time she was found there wasn't really a body, just a collection of bones and scraps of flesh, all partially dissolved in the water. And it was too dangerous for anyone to go into the water, so they had to fish what was left out with poles and nets.'
This novel definitely goes under the 'body horror' genre although not very well done in that sense. Even though I don't like any of the Ryu Murakami books that I've read, I had to compare, and to admit that Murakami does 'body horror' much better than Chang. Again, I'm not sure if this was a translation issue. Also, would have preferred a more creative translation. Overall, I'm very glad I read this. Despite my (strong/solid) 3-star rating, I hope anyone with some free time to spare will consider giving Chang's book a try. I'd say that it's without a doubt a book that needs to be read. It's a very good read as long as you don't let the careless editing and much-too-simple translation bother you. I'm very keen to read Chang's future novels. I do really hope he continues writing more.
'Yes, I think women were banned from temples and shrines while menstruating and not even allowed to sit at the puppet theatres. I remember knowing one girl who was caned by her father for it.'
Some songs to complement the reading experience :
你要的愛 - Penny Tai
手捧一杯酒 - The Chairs
Blue Jasmine - Kenshi Yonezu
UPDATES/FUN FACTS : I had a long discussion with a friend about the 'xiaogui(s)' after reading this novel; and apparently even though it all seems to be just a simple 'folk tale', it's actually something quite 'real'. The practice/ritual is still being done in some places, which I suppose makes this novel even more 'scary'. And (unsurprisingly and unfortunately) so is the child prostitution/trafficking of the indigenous girls/women. Oh dear, the more you know...
Moskowitz's The Haunting Fetus: Abortion, Sexuality and the Spirit World in Taiwan is a great book to read alongside Chang's.
December 7, 2022
This was truly great. Whisper follows Wu Shih-Sheng, a taxi driver in Taipei who find a cassette in an abandoned car and starts being haunted by a voice. Not realizing what (or who) has found him, he takes it back home and the fun begins.
I do not know how to review this. I have been thinking of Ring by Kōji Suzuki as one of my favorite books and one that creeped me out massively, and Whisper was better on some levels. First of all, this is an amazing horror book because it's multilayered and complex. It's not just a ghost story, but it examines the mistreatment of Taiwanese indigenous communities and the aftermath of Japanese colonization - and most importantly, how Shinto seeped into Taiwanese folklore and still prevails. Finding out about the ending was just beautiful - it's a story tied to history and the discrimination during the colonial period and I wasn't expecting something so nicely done?
Second, it is a character study. It examines what misfortune does to an individual and how when people crack, we don't break in a clean way. A big crack segments into tinier cracks before we break apart and Wu Shih-Sheng's story shows this and how a broken person can affect others. On top of this, you see so many other characters and their misfortunes but also their love and kindness, and sometimes their crookedness. I found it beautiful and the last couple of pages almost made me cry. I found Shih-Sheng utterly unlikeable in the first 20% of the book and Chang made such a good job of profiling him in a way that you cannot but empathize and understand him.
Lastly, I'll just speak about the horror component. This book creeped me out. I like reading horror books in the dark and there were two particular scenes that scared me enough to turn on the lights. It will 100% not be like this for everybody, but Asian horror creeps the vagina out of me (pardon my French). There is something in the quiet of being haunted by a figure that's scarier than what we usually see in horror (sexual violence, gore, hands that grab you when you aren't looking, etc.).
I do not know how to review this. I have been thinking of Ring by Kōji Suzuki as one of my favorite books and one that creeped me out massively, and Whisper was better on some levels. First of all, this is an amazing horror book because it's multilayered and complex. It's not just a ghost story, but it examines the mistreatment of Taiwanese indigenous communities and the aftermath of Japanese colonization - and most importantly, how Shinto seeped into Taiwanese folklore and still prevails. Finding out about the ending was just beautiful - it's a story tied to history and the discrimination during the colonial period and I wasn't expecting something so nicely done?
Second, it is a character study. It examines what misfortune does to an individual and how when people crack, we don't break in a clean way. A big crack segments into tinier cracks before we break apart and Wu Shih-Sheng's story shows this and how a broken person can affect others. On top of this, you see so many other characters and their misfortunes but also their love and kindness, and sometimes their crookedness. I found it beautiful and the last couple of pages almost made me cry. I found Shih-Sheng utterly unlikeable in the first 20% of the book and Chang made such a good job of profiling him in a way that you cannot but empathize and understand him.
Lastly, I'll just speak about the horror component. This book creeped me out. I like reading horror books in the dark and there were two particular scenes that scared me enough to turn on the lights. It will 100% not be like this for everybody, but Asian horror creeps the vagina out of me (pardon my French). There is something in the quiet of being haunted by a figure that's scarier than what we usually see in horror (sexual violence, gore, hands that grab you when you aren't looking, etc.).
February 3, 2022
second read
3.7 rounded up -- liked it a lot, didn't quite love it
full post here:
http://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/2022...
I ran across Whisper while browsing through World Literature Today, one of my go-to spots for discovering translated books. Reading through the review by Sean Guynes, the words "literary horror fiction," "spooky stuff" and "ghost" were what caught my eye, and I read no further than the second paragraph because I just knew I had to have this book and I didn't want to know what happened.
When I started reading it, I couldn't stop, finally finishing at two in the morning but remaining completely wired from what I'd just experienced. Sleep -- not happening.
In Whisper, the author has created a truly eerie ghost story that weaves together Taiwanese legend and folklore, the severity of the problems faced by Taiwan's indigenous people, the troubled era of the Japanese occupation, and history that goes back to 1930s Manchuria and the Chinese mainland. Taken together, all of these elements reveal how, as the dustjacket blurb so accurately states, "a past can still kill." It also shows how the spirit world is alive, surviving beneath the trappings of the physical world and that it is definitely not a force to be messed with.
Finally, there is no doubt that the author has also captured the anxieties of a modern society -- there is much to be said about the author's skill here in using horror and the supernatural to reflect on the modern world -- this is no average ghost story but rather a strong departure into the literary zone.
I will say that I wasn't wild about the subplot involving Hsiang-ying's sister and her revenge on her cheating husband. While it did make for some truly creepy horror moments and shows how natural it might be for people to turn to the occult for assistance, it could have actually been left out and I wouldn't have minded, because for me it was just too much as well as a major distraction in the reading flow and I became impatient to get back to the main story. And quite honestly, I didn't care -- packing this story on top of the other gave me a feeling of the proverbial kitchen sink. I also thought the ending a bit off, but I won't go into any detail here to explain why -- it should be apparent to anyone who reads this novel. However, I loved and was completely absorbed in the ghost story itself, as well as in how the past not only reverberates in but also shapes the present in so many unseen ways. What a mind this author must have, and I will certainly look forward to reading anything more he writes in the future. My many thanks to the translator, Roddy Flagg, and to Honford Star for making this work available to English-speaking readers.
recommended, for sure.
3.7 rounded up -- liked it a lot, didn't quite love it
full post here:
http://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/2022...
I ran across Whisper while browsing through World Literature Today, one of my go-to spots for discovering translated books. Reading through the review by Sean Guynes, the words "literary horror fiction," "spooky stuff" and "ghost" were what caught my eye, and I read no further than the second paragraph because I just knew I had to have this book and I didn't want to know what happened.
When I started reading it, I couldn't stop, finally finishing at two in the morning but remaining completely wired from what I'd just experienced. Sleep -- not happening.
In Whisper, the author has created a truly eerie ghost story that weaves together Taiwanese legend and folklore, the severity of the problems faced by Taiwan's indigenous people, the troubled era of the Japanese occupation, and history that goes back to 1930s Manchuria and the Chinese mainland. Taken together, all of these elements reveal how, as the dustjacket blurb so accurately states, "a past can still kill." It also shows how the spirit world is alive, surviving beneath the trappings of the physical world and that it is definitely not a force to be messed with.
Finally, there is no doubt that the author has also captured the anxieties of a modern society -- there is much to be said about the author's skill here in using horror and the supernatural to reflect on the modern world -- this is no average ghost story but rather a strong departure into the literary zone.
I will say that I wasn't wild about the subplot involving Hsiang-ying's sister and her revenge on her cheating husband. While it did make for some truly creepy horror moments and shows how natural it might be for people to turn to the occult for assistance, it could have actually been left out and I wouldn't have minded, because for me it was just too much as well as a major distraction in the reading flow and I became impatient to get back to the main story. And quite honestly, I didn't care -- packing this story on top of the other gave me a feeling of the proverbial kitchen sink. I also thought the ending a bit off, but I won't go into any detail here to explain why -- it should be apparent to anyone who reads this novel. However, I loved and was completely absorbed in the ghost story itself, as well as in how the past not only reverberates in but also shapes the present in so many unseen ways. What a mind this author must have, and I will certainly look forward to reading anything more he writes in the future. My many thanks to the translator, Roddy Flagg, and to Honford Star for making this work available to English-speaking readers.
recommended, for sure.
June 16, 2024
One of the best horror books that I have read in a while. A real page-turner.
I loved how the coloniel history, the culture of the indigenous Taiwanese people and the social issues such as poverty are woven into the horror.
I loved how the coloniel history, the culture of the indigenous Taiwanese people and the social issues such as poverty are woven into the horror.
June 3, 2024
“Whisper” by Chang Yu-Ko captivated me from the first pages and then it only got better. A married couple of a very low socioeconomic status hears voices: someone is afraid of mysterious Minako and begs from help, someone speaks Japanese and a language of one of Taiwanese ethnic minorities. That voice twists reality and may lead to death of those who can hear it.
The novel is classified as a horror but it is so much more. It’s an excellently written and structured story on various social problems in the Taiwanese society, the dark side of Taiwan’s history (especially the period of the Japanese occupation) and the treatment of indigenous people with the focus on the Bunun people, but also on spirituality and religion, as well as even hiking traditions in the country.
Some aspects of the story may be universal, for example the tendency to treat certain experiences as symptoms of a mental illness: “It doesn’t matter what I tell them - they have to explain it as an illness”, the main protagonist Wu Shih-sheng thinks of medical professionals in a psychiatric hospital, and adds: “‘All those words just to tell me I’m mad’, he thought. But it only made him more determined. ‘You’re the ones who aren’t sensitive enough to see it or hear it. And you think I’m the one with the problem’”.
“Whisper” is of course a fictional story but it’s so beautifully rooted in Taiwanese history, culture, folklore and traditions that I felt I learned about Taiwan from it. Reading it while being surrounded by nearly magical landscapes of Taiwan was a genuinely immersive experience and a deeply enjoyable one.
The novel is classified as a horror but it is so much more. It’s an excellently written and structured story on various social problems in the Taiwanese society, the dark side of Taiwan’s history (especially the period of the Japanese occupation) and the treatment of indigenous people with the focus on the Bunun people, but also on spirituality and religion, as well as even hiking traditions in the country.
Some aspects of the story may be universal, for example the tendency to treat certain experiences as symptoms of a mental illness: “It doesn’t matter what I tell them - they have to explain it as an illness”, the main protagonist Wu Shih-sheng thinks of medical professionals in a psychiatric hospital, and adds: “‘All those words just to tell me I’m mad’, he thought. But it only made him more determined. ‘You’re the ones who aren’t sensitive enough to see it or hear it. And you think I’m the one with the problem’”.
“Whisper” is of course a fictional story but it’s so beautifully rooted in Taiwanese history, culture, folklore and traditions that I felt I learned about Taiwan from it. Reading it while being surrounded by nearly magical landscapes of Taiwan was a genuinely immersive experience and a deeply enjoyable one.
October 1, 2021
Okay, the ghost part freaked me out a lot, but the more I think about this book, the more I realize how good it is. It has the setting of a classic ghost story, but the story behind the supernatural events and the character histories touch on the history and relationship of Taiwanese-Chinese, Indigenous Taiwanese, and Japanese during the Japanese colonization and in present day. It's not the main focus, but having that as the backdrop shows a very interesting dynamic that we don't often get to see in English translations. There's a blend of Indigenous folklore with Japanese and Taiwanese-Chinese folklore. Usually English translations of Asian authored books focus on much more homogenous topics. Anyways, it's super cool!
Thank you to Honford Star for sending me the ebook to read and review.
Thank you to Honford Star for sending me the ebook to read and review.
November 21, 2021
When it comes to horror, I like a lot of themes. I mean scares are good but I think there should be a meta element. Thankfully Taiwanese author does this with Whisper. In fact it well be the most political novel I’ve read this year.
The main protagonist is a down and out (and abusive) Taxi driver, Wu Shih-Sheng loses his wife to a mysterious voice. After some investigations he discovers that this has been something common and over the years there have been series of deaths all caused by this voice. Shih-Seng decides to uncover the reason why this is happening and prevent further deaths. As he delves deeper in the origin of the voice he becomes embroiled in a web of mythology and Taiwan’s relations with Japan, especially with reference to the attacks on the Taiwanese tribes.
Whisper not only encapsulates Taiwanese history within the plot but it also functions as a commentary on Taiwan’s class divide. Shih-Sheng and his family lose their house because of an accident, which causes the family to move to a metal shack. Throughout the first chapters of the novel we readers see how this family survives on scraps, which is not helped by Shih-Sheng’s drinking and gambling.
One thing I also liked is how Chang Yu-Ko takes an initially despicable character and throughout the book there’s a deeper meaning to Shih-Sheng’s personality. It’s done masterfully without any of the clichés which befall the ‘bad character, goes good’ trope.
For those who like to be frightened no worries. There’s many moments where the creepy level goes high, with some eyebrow raising scenes thrown in. I did feel uneasy throughout the novel, which means a job well done.
I have praised Honford Star before but I love how they get everything right. Cover design, translator on the cover, overall feel of the books, not to mention fantastic stories which are original. I loved Cursed Bunny and this one made me equally enthusiastic. Quality all around.
The main protagonist is a down and out (and abusive) Taxi driver, Wu Shih-Sheng loses his wife to a mysterious voice. After some investigations he discovers that this has been something common and over the years there have been series of deaths all caused by this voice. Shih-Seng decides to uncover the reason why this is happening and prevent further deaths. As he delves deeper in the origin of the voice he becomes embroiled in a web of mythology and Taiwan’s relations with Japan, especially with reference to the attacks on the Taiwanese tribes.
Whisper not only encapsulates Taiwanese history within the plot but it also functions as a commentary on Taiwan’s class divide. Shih-Sheng and his family lose their house because of an accident, which causes the family to move to a metal shack. Throughout the first chapters of the novel we readers see how this family survives on scraps, which is not helped by Shih-Sheng’s drinking and gambling.
One thing I also liked is how Chang Yu-Ko takes an initially despicable character and throughout the book there’s a deeper meaning to Shih-Sheng’s personality. It’s done masterfully without any of the clichés which befall the ‘bad character, goes good’ trope.
For those who like to be frightened no worries. There’s many moments where the creepy level goes high, with some eyebrow raising scenes thrown in. I did feel uneasy throughout the novel, which means a job well done.
I have praised Honford Star before but I love how they get everything right. Cover design, translator on the cover, overall feel of the books, not to mention fantastic stories which are original. I loved Cursed Bunny and this one made me equally enthusiastic. Quality all around.
January 13, 2022
The Taiwanese excel in horror! I love a good mystery that makes use of true political/historical horror. And this story had the added bonus of weaving in Taiwanese & Japanese folklore. What a thrilling read. I finished the book in essentially two sittings. Now, I'm on my hunt for more horror that is woven even more deeply with historical/political periods of a sort of depravity concerning humanity. Bonus if it's Taiwanese or mainland Chinese! These days, I seem to have a particular "penchant," for lack of a better word, for stories about/adjacent to Japanese occupation.
Read
September 8, 2023Ultimate closure at 68%. The characters are unlikeable, and the early action has petered off into a slog that I can't seem to get out of. No rating - I may return later.
October 23, 2022
"The body...is a black hole. A black hole of needs, needs that are never satisfied."
After Wu Shih-sheng loses his job as an electronics store manager, he starts to spend his time driving around Taipei as a taxi driver, gambling, drinking, and abusing his wife Kuo Hsiang-ying. Due to his abusive conduct, his daughter Ting-ting left the family. His father constantly looks down on him which resulted in a strained relationship between them. His life is falling apart. When Hsiang-ying is lured into a nightmare vision by a mysterious voice which resulted in her gruesome death, Shih-sheng discovered that a malevolent spirit is responsible for this. Such spirit is also linked with the legends of moxina and Taiwan's indigenous tribes dating back to the era of Japanese occupation. Can Shih-sheng hunt down the source of the voice, and get rid of the spirit before he becomes the next victim?
Whisper (Chang Yu-Ko's debut novel and translated into English by Roddy Flagg) is a Taiwanese horror story, with ample of Taiwanese and Japanese cultural, folklore, and historical references. The abuse of Taiwanese indigenous tribes (since the Japanese occupation) is significantly highlighted in this novel with references to the "taming approach" used by the Japanese to oppress the indigenous tribes, the Musha Incident (a major uprising by the Seediq Indigenous group against Japanese), the forced relocations of indigenous tribes after the Musha Incident. Behind the facade of the horror elements, Chang Yu-Ko amplified the aftermath of the Japanese occupation and the scars that were imprinted on the Taiwanese society (in particular, the indigenous groups) as a result of the occupation. The horror elements played a dominating role in the first part of the story and the cultural references (such as the ceremony involved in raising a "xiaogui" to do one's bidding, the Japanese purification ceremony, Japanese mythology, and Shinto shrines) seem to be the driving force behind the plot and pace of the story. The blend of both horror and folklore/cultural references lacked consistency and the inculcation of folklore/cultural references seems to be a little info-dumpy at times. That said, the cultural and historical references are definitely eye-opening, not to mention the fast-paced plot. This is a 3.5/5 star read and credit goes to Honford Star for bringing this Taiwanese literature to the international arena!
After Wu Shih-sheng loses his job as an electronics store manager, he starts to spend his time driving around Taipei as a taxi driver, gambling, drinking, and abusing his wife Kuo Hsiang-ying. Due to his abusive conduct, his daughter Ting-ting left the family. His father constantly looks down on him which resulted in a strained relationship between them. His life is falling apart. When Hsiang-ying is lured into a nightmare vision by a mysterious voice which resulted in her gruesome death, Shih-sheng discovered that a malevolent spirit is responsible for this. Such spirit is also linked with the legends of moxina and Taiwan's indigenous tribes dating back to the era of Japanese occupation. Can Shih-sheng hunt down the source of the voice, and get rid of the spirit before he becomes the next victim?
Whisper (Chang Yu-Ko's debut novel and translated into English by Roddy Flagg) is a Taiwanese horror story, with ample of Taiwanese and Japanese cultural, folklore, and historical references. The abuse of Taiwanese indigenous tribes (since the Japanese occupation) is significantly highlighted in this novel with references to the "taming approach" used by the Japanese to oppress the indigenous tribes, the Musha Incident (a major uprising by the Seediq Indigenous group against Japanese), the forced relocations of indigenous tribes after the Musha Incident. Behind the facade of the horror elements, Chang Yu-Ko amplified the aftermath of the Japanese occupation and the scars that were imprinted on the Taiwanese society (in particular, the indigenous groups) as a result of the occupation. The horror elements played a dominating role in the first part of the story and the cultural references (such as the ceremony involved in raising a "xiaogui" to do one's bidding, the Japanese purification ceremony, Japanese mythology, and Shinto shrines) seem to be the driving force behind the plot and pace of the story. The blend of both horror and folklore/cultural references lacked consistency and the inculcation of folklore/cultural references seems to be a little info-dumpy at times. That said, the cultural and historical references are definitely eye-opening, not to mention the fast-paced plot. This is a 3.5/5 star read and credit goes to Honford Star for bringing this Taiwanese literature to the international arena!
September 9, 2024
Oh wow, this book was just so good??
I picked it up because I love horror and ghost stories that incorporate some folklore and cultural elements, and I ended up getting much more than I expected. The execution was incredible, the built up quite slow but enticing, it immediately hooked me in and I quickly became attached to the different characters (even to Shicheng eventually!).
What I really loved was how the horror served as a way to explore Taiwanese history, especially Japanese colonialism and social issues. For part of the book, the horror almost fades into the background while the historical aspects becomes more important, but it comes back strong in the last part of the book and really gave me a good fright!
I think that I haven't had such a great time reading an horror novel in a while, and it might also be one of my favorite taiwanese book as well!
I picked it up because I love horror and ghost stories that incorporate some folklore and cultural elements, and I ended up getting much more than I expected. The execution was incredible, the built up quite slow but enticing, it immediately hooked me in and I quickly became attached to the different characters (even to Shicheng eventually!).
What I really loved was how the horror served as a way to explore Taiwanese history, especially Japanese colonialism and social issues. For part of the book, the horror almost fades into the background while the historical aspects becomes more important, but it comes back strong in the last part of the book and really gave me a good fright!
I think that I haven't had such a great time reading an horror novel in a while, and it might also be one of my favorite taiwanese book as well!
December 15, 2021
The story at the same time explains itself too much and none at all. Why would the priestess help any of the people involved, when she doesn’t (each time) get payed for her services? Why did any of the characters do any of the things they did? Why was Chen-shan’s story necessary? And why connect the ghostly phenomena to radio waves, if it isn’t thoroughly explored or used to asvance the plot?
The characters know things and keep making decitions like they know what the author knows, like the social worker taking down a completely random article only for it to later magically be relevant to the plot. Also, of course the protagonist’s father is somehow related to the random ghost haunting his son! Why wouldn’t he!!
The description for this book says ”[the author] cleverly combines Taiwanese folklore, the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, and the long-term mistreatment of the country’s aboriginal people” but to me, it didn’t explore either Taiwanese folklore nor colonization in any remarkable way. It read more like a novelization of a Japanese ghost movie, with it’s kimono wearing child ghosts in unnatural poses and a curse spreading like an infection. There sure is irony in there somewhere… I also assume the author isn’t native himself, as the way he describes the Bunun people is very othering.
The characters know things and keep making decitions like they know what the author knows, like the social worker taking down a completely random article only for it to later magically be relevant to the plot. Also, of course the protagonist’s father is somehow related to the random ghost haunting his son! Why wouldn’t he!!
The description for this book says ”[the author] cleverly combines Taiwanese folklore, the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, and the long-term mistreatment of the country’s aboriginal people” but to me, it didn’t explore either Taiwanese folklore nor colonization in any remarkable way. It read more like a novelization of a Japanese ghost movie, with it’s kimono wearing child ghosts in unnatural poses and a curse spreading like an infection. There sure is irony in there somewhere… I also assume the author isn’t native himself, as the way he describes the Bunun people is very othering.
March 9, 2022
Chỉ là những âm thanh kì lạ như tiếng loẹt xoẹt của đài phát thanh hay tiếng nói và tiếng gọi của ai đó được thu âm rồi phát đi lại có thể lấy mạng người hay sao? Những âm thanh ấy thậm chí còn tạo ra những ảo giác khủng khiếp mà cả người trong cuộc lẫn bên ngoài đều cảm thấy hoang mang, nó theo đối tượng đến tận cả bệnh viện tâm thần và khiến người ta phải chết. Đó chính là trường hợp của Quách Tương Oánh - cô gái không may mắn có được hạnh phúc từ gia đình khi con gái thì bỏ đi, chồng thì nghiện rượu và hay bạo hành.
Chỉ sau khi Tương Oánh chết, người chồng Ngô Sĩ Thịnh mới bừng tỉnh và lao vào tìm hiểu bí mật sau những thanh âm đó, khởi đầu từ chiếc máy thu âm cũ trong một chiếc taxi bị vứt bỏ trên đường. Song song đó, nhân viên điều dưỡng của khoa tâm thần là Hồ Duệ Diệc cũng tự mình tìm hiểu nguyên nhân gây ra những sự việc lạ lùng kì lạ như vậy, và cũng để ngăn chặn những cái chết tiếp theo. Hàng loạt thông tin về những điều có vẻ liên quan được hai nhân vật ấy kết nối trên hành trình vén màn bí ẩn của chính họ. Họ biết được những câu chuyện về Đài Loan lúc trước, về hiện tượng “ma giấu” từ thời Nhật chiếm đóng, bí mật của cô bé mặc kimono Nhật có tên là Minako mà nhiều người nhắc đến trước khi chết. Còn phải kể đến tín ngưỡng linh hồn của tộc Bố Nông với thiện linh và ác linh. Đường cổ Bát Thông Quan, núi Tân Cao, suối nước nóng Lạc Lạc, khe gió Ngọc Sơn hay Hồng Lô Địa đều là những địa danh chính và xuyên suốt giải mã cho câu chuyện này.
Có yếu tố ma mị và kinh dị. Mặc dù mức độ hù dọa ở mức trung bình có nghĩa là khiến người ta tò mò mà đọc tiếp nhưng có vẻ như việc kết nối các sự kiện từ quá khứ đến hiện tại chưa được nhuần nhuyễn và hợp lý cho lắm. Dù là đạo cô trừ ma ở Hồng Lô Địa hay mọi ảo giác kinh dị từ Minako được miêu tả kì bí thế nào chăng nữa, ta vẫn thấy cách viết còn khá non tay , có ý tưởng, dẫn dắt tốt nhưng triển khai hơi lủng củng. Nhân vật Quách Thần San - chị gái Quách Tương Oánh với cuộc hôn nhân rạn nứt và thói ghen tuông vô lối được chèn vào các chương chuyện thực ra chẳng có bất cứ liên hệ nào, cũng chẳng góp phần giải đáp cho bất cứ bí ẩn nào. Có chăng tác giả chỉ dùng nó để nhắm vào thói mê tín và việc nuôi ma con đi trả thù theo lệnh của chủ.
Truyện kết thúc khá bất ngờ nhưng cảm thấy hụt và thiếu điều gì đó. Quá nhiều thứ được khai thác và mở ra nhưng cứ bị mắc kẹt lại, không thể giải quyết một cách thỏa đáng. Có chăng là Ngô Sĩ Thịnh đã thay đổi lối sống, hiểu và phát huy bản thân hơn. Nói gì thì nói, đây là một câu chuyện ma nhưng thông điệp của nó có phần mờ nhạt. Dựa trên những lời kể và hiện tượng ảo giác, ảo thính giác của người quen mà Trương Du Ca viết nên câu chuyện này. Chất liệu “ảo thanh chết chóc “ dù sao cũng rất sáng tạo và gây tò mò nhưng giá như nó được khai thác chuyên nghiệp hơn thì câu chuyện mới có thể gây ám ảnh nhiều hơn.
Chỉ sau khi Tương Oánh chết, người chồng Ngô Sĩ Thịnh mới bừng tỉnh và lao vào tìm hiểu bí mật sau những thanh âm đó, khởi đầu từ chiếc máy thu âm cũ trong một chiếc taxi bị vứt bỏ trên đường. Song song đó, nhân viên điều dưỡng của khoa tâm thần là Hồ Duệ Diệc cũng tự mình tìm hiểu nguyên nhân gây ra những sự việc lạ lùng kì lạ như vậy, và cũng để ngăn chặn những cái chết tiếp theo. Hàng loạt thông tin về những điều có vẻ liên quan được hai nhân vật ấy kết nối trên hành trình vén màn bí ẩn của chính họ. Họ biết được những câu chuyện về Đài Loan lúc trước, về hiện tượng “ma giấu” từ thời Nhật chiếm đóng, bí mật của cô bé mặc kimono Nhật có tên là Minako mà nhiều người nhắc đến trước khi chết. Còn phải kể đến tín ngưỡng linh hồn của tộc Bố Nông với thiện linh và ác linh. Đường cổ Bát Thông Quan, núi Tân Cao, suối nước nóng Lạc Lạc, khe gió Ngọc Sơn hay Hồng Lô Địa đều là những địa danh chính và xuyên suốt giải mã cho câu chuyện này.
Có yếu tố ma mị và kinh dị. Mặc dù mức độ hù dọa ở mức trung bình có nghĩa là khiến người ta tò mò mà đọc tiếp nhưng có vẻ như việc kết nối các sự kiện từ quá khứ đến hiện tại chưa được nhuần nhuyễn và hợp lý cho lắm. Dù là đạo cô trừ ma ở Hồng Lô Địa hay mọi ảo giác kinh dị từ Minako được miêu tả kì bí thế nào chăng nữa, ta vẫn thấy cách viết còn khá non tay , có ý tưởng, dẫn dắt tốt nhưng triển khai hơi lủng củng. Nhân vật Quách Thần San - chị gái Quách Tương Oánh với cuộc hôn nhân rạn nứt và thói ghen tuông vô lối được chèn vào các chương chuyện thực ra chẳng có bất cứ liên hệ nào, cũng chẳng góp phần giải đáp cho bất cứ bí ẩn nào. Có chăng tác giả chỉ dùng nó để nhắm vào thói mê tín và việc nuôi ma con đi trả thù theo lệnh của chủ.
Truyện kết thúc khá bất ngờ nhưng cảm thấy hụt và thiếu điều gì đó. Quá nhiều thứ được khai thác và mở ra nhưng cứ bị mắc kẹt lại, không thể giải quyết một cách thỏa đáng. Có chăng là Ngô Sĩ Thịnh đã thay đổi lối sống, hiểu và phát huy bản thân hơn. Nói gì thì nói, đây là một câu chuyện ma nhưng thông điệp của nó có phần mờ nhạt. Dựa trên những lời kể và hiện tượng ảo giác, ảo thính giác của người quen mà Trương Du Ca viết nên câu chuyện này. Chất liệu “ảo thanh chết chóc “ dù sao cũng rất sáng tạo và gây tò mò nhưng giá như nó được khai thác chuyên nghiệp hơn thì câu chuyện mới có thể gây ám ảnh nhiều hơn.
January 30, 2023
“If the flame is newly kindled, she will reignite old ashes” - Yang Hua, Black Tide (1927)
Author Yu-Ko Chang’s debut novel translated by Roddy Flagg is an interesting horror story based on Taiwanese folklore. In this novel it is victims all describe hearing a voice before they die gruesomely. It is both in Taiwanese and Japanese, at times it is a lullaby and also a desperate cry for help from a loved one. Wu Shih-Sheng is a recently widowed taxi driver from Taipei, he is on the hunt to get to the source of this voice that that killed his wife.
I was intrigued by the synopsis of this novel and do enjoy when horror novels take elements from folklore to drive the story. The idea of the voice and the demonic history behind it runs deep in solving the macabre circumstances causing these deaths.
The mystery behind it all makes this such a tense read, as you learn more about the crimes and the paranormal aspects the more unsettling it becomes.
I found it hard to put this one down once I got a few chapters in, there is that desperate need to learn more about this mysterious voice and more so how it all began. It incorporates the history of the country’s aboriginal people and how the past can still kill.
Author Yu-Ko Chang’s debut novel translated by Roddy Flagg is an interesting horror story based on Taiwanese folklore. In this novel it is victims all describe hearing a voice before they die gruesomely. It is both in Taiwanese and Japanese, at times it is a lullaby and also a desperate cry for help from a loved one. Wu Shih-Sheng is a recently widowed taxi driver from Taipei, he is on the hunt to get to the source of this voice that that killed his wife.
I was intrigued by the synopsis of this novel and do enjoy when horror novels take elements from folklore to drive the story. The idea of the voice and the demonic history behind it runs deep in solving the macabre circumstances causing these deaths.
The mystery behind it all makes this such a tense read, as you learn more about the crimes and the paranormal aspects the more unsettling it becomes.
I found it hard to put this one down once I got a few chapters in, there is that desperate need to learn more about this mysterious voice and more so how it all began. It incorporates the history of the country’s aboriginal people and how the past can still kill.
January 24, 2022
Tricky one, this - there's a lot to like about it, but I sense a lot more I might have liked that's been lost in translation. It's a shame, but I don't think this English version quite does justice to the story (not that I've read the original to compare, but that's the vibe I get). It might be that some things just aren't translatable; there's an undertone throughout the whole story of a nuanced history between Taiwan and China and Japan that each person seems to see differently.
I did enjoy a fair bit of the creepiness, but overall not sure I could say I like the book, at least this version of it.
I did enjoy a fair bit of the creepiness, but overall not sure I could say I like the book, at least this version of it.
November 6, 2023
spooky scary whisper !!
April 27, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ spooky, new-to-me context and folklore as I’ve never read Taiwanese horror before! well written, with interesting and unlikable narrators (/pos). the thing that brought my rating down to a 3.5 as opposed to a 4 is the clunky exposition by way of one particular character’s husband, who seemingly served no other narrative purpose. i tend to really like what honford star puts out and do wish their books were more readily available in north america. alas
January 8, 2024
I enjoyed this one for the interesting titbits about Taiwanese history and folklore. The characters were not particularly likeable, which was a shame, but the mystery itself was engaging. 3 and a half stars rounded up.
July 11, 2024
unironically teaching me about taiwanese folklore and history while also being a horror novel? what else could I want! anyways i ate this shit UP
October 24, 2025
Strong pacing and intrigue, kind of weak ending. Feels a bit like it was written to be a movie, and is definitely taking inspiration from The Ring. But really unlike anything else I’ve read, and I enjoyed the novelty of that experience.
July 23, 2025
This was almost a DNF. I found the writing style difficult to engage with; something about the tone just didn’t work for me, and the story didn’t grip me at all. One of my biggest issues was the authorial voice, which often struck me as laced with misogynistic overtones. That discomfort stuck with me throughout the book.
I haven’t seen much discussion of this elsewhere, so it may well be a matter of personal interpretation, but the way certain female characters were portrayed - and the tone in which their experiences were described - felt less like deliberate commentary and more like underlying bias. I’m open to the possibility that I misread the author’s intention, but either way, it affected my ability to connect with the story.
I found the characters unlikeable and difficult to invest in, which made it hard to care about the outcome. That said, others have connected more with the book’s darker themes and folklore elements - it may just be one that didn’t land for me.
I haven’t seen much discussion of this elsewhere, so it may well be a matter of personal interpretation, but the way certain female characters were portrayed - and the tone in which their experiences were described - felt less like deliberate commentary and more like underlying bias. I’m open to the possibility that I misread the author’s intention, but either way, it affected my ability to connect with the story.
I found the characters unlikeable and difficult to invest in, which made it hard to care about the outcome. That said, others have connected more with the book’s darker themes and folklore elements - it may just be one that didn’t land for me.
September 16, 2022
'Whisper', by Yu-Ko Chang, is a story about a struggling Taiwanese couple.
After the husband, Shih-Sheng, loses his job, he starts to spend his time drinking, gambling and abusing his wife.
One day he finds a radio with a ghostly recording inside an abandoned taxi. Sometimes the voice on the recording sings an old Taiwanese song, sometimes a Japanese one, and sometimes it imitates calls for help from loved ones.
Those who hear the voice die a gruesome death.
When his wife becomes one of the victims, he decides to hunt down the source of the voice before he becomes its next victim.
'Whisper' is a chilling read, but it has a lot of depth. It's a lot more than just a Taiwanese horror story - it combines Taiwanese legends and folklore with the history of colonialism, and explores the problems faced by the country’s aboriginal people.
The novel explores themes of social class disparity and patriarchal ideology.
After the husband, Shih-Sheng, loses his job, he starts to spend his time drinking, gambling and abusing his wife.
One day he finds a radio with a ghostly recording inside an abandoned taxi. Sometimes the voice on the recording sings an old Taiwanese song, sometimes a Japanese one, and sometimes it imitates calls for help from loved ones.
Those who hear the voice die a gruesome death.
When his wife becomes one of the victims, he decides to hunt down the source of the voice before he becomes its next victim.
'Whisper' is a chilling read, but it has a lot of depth. It's a lot more than just a Taiwanese horror story - it combines Taiwanese legends and folklore with the history of colonialism, and explores the problems faced by the country’s aboriginal people.
The novel explores themes of social class disparity and patriarchal ideology.
March 6, 2022
I struggle to find anything interesting to say about Chang Yu-Ko's Whisper. This is a ghost story set in modern day Taiwan whose horrors emanate from its colonial past in the form of an old radio broadcast of a young girl singing a Taiwanese folksong. Not everyone can hear it but those who do, die a gruesome death soon after. To anyone familiar with Japanese horror, this isn't a new concept and maybe it is fitting that the premise is a nod to Japanese horror given the book is about Japanese occupation of Taiwan and the ill-treatment of the aboriginal people. But this clever premise does not result in a clever or even particularly scary book.
The protagonist is a taxi driver, Wu Shih-sheng. I don't remember a more reprehensible character or one that was so undeservedly redeemed at the end of the story. Shih-sheng, who lost his job after a economic downturn, spends his day drinking, whoring, self-pitying, beating his poor wife and lashing out at everyone over imagined slights. I don't mind reading about deeply unpleasant characters, here it felt gratuitous and cheaply manipulative.
When his wife dies a horrible death after hearing the song, Shih-sheng needs to save himself and goes on an arduous trek to Mount Jade to find the source of the voice. Frankly, I would have been happy to see him die in the mountain. I was somewhat more interested in the secondary characters--the social service worker who along with her husband tries to piece together the mystery behind the voice and Shih-sheng's sister-in-law, who goes on her own dark journey. The sister-in-law's story, in particular, could have been an excellent short story.
Whisper is a mishmash of horror and cultural elements, each intriguing on its own but without a strong narrative or thematic thread to hold them together. It is supposed to be fast-paced but ends up being choppy. Nothing lingers, events happen one after other but they don't seem to gain any significance. Overall, for a book marketed as plot-driven, I found it slow and dull.
The protagonist is a taxi driver, Wu Shih-sheng. I don't remember a more reprehensible character or one that was so undeservedly redeemed at the end of the story. Shih-sheng, who lost his job after a economic downturn, spends his day drinking, whoring, self-pitying, beating his poor wife and lashing out at everyone over imagined slights. I don't mind reading about deeply unpleasant characters, here it felt gratuitous and cheaply manipulative.
When his wife dies a horrible death after hearing the song, Shih-sheng needs to save himself and goes on an arduous trek to Mount Jade to find the source of the voice. Frankly, I would have been happy to see him die in the mountain. I was somewhat more interested in the secondary characters--the social service worker who along with her husband tries to piece together the mystery behind the voice and Shih-sheng's sister-in-law, who goes on her own dark journey. The sister-in-law's story, in particular, could have been an excellent short story.
Whisper is a mishmash of horror and cultural elements, each intriguing on its own but without a strong narrative or thematic thread to hold them together. It is supposed to be fast-paced but ends up being choppy. Nothing lingers, events happen one after other but they don't seem to gain any significance. Overall, for a book marketed as plot-driven, I found it slow and dull.
October 23, 2021
Whisper, by Yu-Ko Chang (translated to English by Roddy Flag) is my first ever Taiwnese horror and what an experience it was. Once I got over the initial confusion about the setting and the language, the book's creepy ghost story had me intrigued.
The story started out well, in a super creepy The-Grudge-meets-The-Ring fashion and quickly went on to give a running narrative about Japanese colonization of Taiwan, Taiwan-China dynamics and the rampant child prostitution that exists even today. The supernatural came from a blend of Indigenous, Japanese and Chinese folklore ( this was fascinating but also very confusing; I had to start taking notes to keep a track of the plot - but that's on me, because see I don't know anything about Taiwanese folklore or the country's turbulent history.).While the first half was creepy, the second half got a bit muddled and the final act was very, very absurd ( in fact I'm still trying to make sense of things)
The translation seemed fine except for the fact that "bought" was used in place of "brought" every. single. time. (mildly annoying).
That the book gave me nightmares, is a testament to the fact that for all the (mild) confusion it caused, it is ultimately, a scary book. Reader you've been warned. Proceed with caution!
The story started out well, in a super creepy The-Grudge-meets-The-Ring fashion and quickly went on to give a running narrative about Japanese colonization of Taiwan, Taiwan-China dynamics and the rampant child prostitution that exists even today. The supernatural came from a blend of Indigenous, Japanese and Chinese folklore ( this was fascinating but also very confusing; I had to start taking notes to keep a track of the plot - but that's on me, because see I don't know anything about Taiwanese folklore or the country's turbulent history.).While the first half was creepy, the second half got a bit muddled and the final act was very, very absurd ( in fact I'm still trying to make sense of things)
The translation seemed fine except for the fact that "bought" was used in place of "brought" every. single. time. (mildly annoying).
That the book gave me nightmares, is a testament to the fact that for all the (mild) confusion it caused, it is ultimately, a scary book. Reader you've been warned. Proceed with caution!
May 26, 2022
The good:
Starts brilliantly with an interesting cast of characters and a truly errie set-up that quickly becomes terrifying.
The last 30 pages or so are very emotional and the ending is ultimately mostly satisfying.
The bad:
I don't know if something has been lost in translation but the author has no voice or style. What starts as seemingly economical, driven writing, quickly becomes just a turgid lists of events. "This happens then this happens then this happens." There is little description of feelings, mood, atmosphere. The book feels hollow.
When I discovered the writer is actually a screenwriter, it suddenly made more sense. A large chunk of this book reads like a script. As if the writer is waiting for the mood, atmosphere and character to be added by others.
Dialogue is also pedestrian and predictable. Characters don't really develop or grow (except in the last 15 pages) despite incredible things happening too them.
After halfway, the exceptionally established creepy atmosphere of the first half, dissolves in the author's tame writing.
Starts brilliantly with an interesting cast of characters and a truly errie set-up that quickly becomes terrifying.
The last 30 pages or so are very emotional and the ending is ultimately mostly satisfying.
The bad:
I don't know if something has been lost in translation but the author has no voice or style. What starts as seemingly economical, driven writing, quickly becomes just a turgid lists of events. "This happens then this happens then this happens." There is little description of feelings, mood, atmosphere. The book feels hollow.
When I discovered the writer is actually a screenwriter, it suddenly made more sense. A large chunk of this book reads like a script. As if the writer is waiting for the mood, atmosphere and character to be added by others.
Dialogue is also pedestrian and predictable. Characters don't really develop or grow (except in the last 15 pages) despite incredible things happening too them.
After halfway, the exceptionally established creepy atmosphere of the first half, dissolves in the author's tame writing.
June 22, 2024
3.5. I don't know if it's a problem with the translation, but the suspension fluctuates a lot. That said, the creepy moments were really creepy. But more than the horror part, what I found really interesting was the setting. This is the first book I've read set in Taiwan and all the characters we follow are distinct and their stories are impactful. The amount of history and cultural references was so interesting and I'm so glad I decided to read this. Imperialism written through the lens of horror and ghost stories always leave a deep impression on me.
Would recommend to: Anyone who love classic south-east Asian horror.
Would recommend to: Anyone who love classic south-east Asian horror.
April 16, 2022
Downloaded this book because Books and Bao recommended this one as the scary book and his favorite translated book of 2021.
I read this book with English translation and Japanese translation going back and forth. What was most challenging about it was the names!!
It was great to glimpse the real life of Taiwanese culture and its poverty.
The protagonist is a really unlikable guy, but in the middle of the book I was worried about him so much!
I read this book with English translation and Japanese translation going back and forth. What was most challenging about it was the names!!
It was great to glimpse the real life of Taiwanese culture and its poverty.
The protagonist is a really unlikable guy, but in the middle of the book I was worried about him so much!
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