Sha-fei’s voice is the one that I found myself most able to relate to, though Gordon and Ed were both captivating in their own way as well. The three tell a single story, weaving lives and experiences together to create a novel that is hard to put down once you’ve picked it up.
Ms. Yang through her novel and characters comments on everything from feminism to the experiences someone goes through as they immigrate to the United States. It’s absolutely fascinating to read about experiences which were so alien to me. Ms. Yang puts it all out there, honestly and unflinchingly.
Believe it or not Shanghai Girl, published in 2001, is Vivian Yang’s first novel. Not only is it her first novel but English isn’t even Ms. Yang’s first language. While reading Shanghai Girl I was continually amazed by the depth of her characters. I had this overwhelming feeling that I was reading about real people, people who Ms. Yang could have met while living in Shanghai or New York, or maybe even different pieces of her self. She masterly transports the living onto the page in a way that is sure to make any writer jealous and any reader sit up and take notice.
I’m not saying that Shanghai Girl is perfect; there are a few incidents that could have been expounded on. But there is a lot to recommend Shanghai Girl at the same time. Vivian Yang is a very talented author and I can just imagine what other stories she has waiting up her sleeves. I’m looking forward to reading them and watching the world pass by through her eyes.
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