2nd Quarter SSR Review

       The book I chose to read was The Piano Teacher by Y.K. Lee. This novel falls under an interesting genre in that it's a romantic historical fiction novel. This novel is also unique because it follows two primary characters, Claire and Will. The novel starts off following Claire, an English woman who recently moved to Hong Kong with her husband. She grew up rather sheltered by her protective mother, so she's initially wary of the citizens of Hong Kong. However, a friend of hers introduces her to the Chens, who are looking for a piano teacher for their daughter, Locket. She accepts the offer and quickly acclimates to her new profession. a few months later, she meets Will Truesdale, the Chens' personal driver. she quickly becomes infatuated with him and begins an affair. The story then turns to Will's point of view. His story takes place during the early 1940s, early into WWII. Like Claire, he's an Englishman who's rather slow to adapt to Hong Kong; however, he has a guide in the form of Trudy Liang, a Eurasian socialite who takes an immediate liking to Will. Thus begins their odd relationship. Sadly, it doesn't last as the Japanese occupy Hong Kong with brute force, and they're driven apart. The story then alternates between Claire and Will, slowly intertwining the gaps between them and revealing the years prior to their affair.

       This novel is truly a favorite of mine: It's not necessarily the characters that intrigue me, since they're all flawed in their own ways, but rather the way the story is told by Lee. She fluidly tells both sides of the story, even with the ten year gap between them, perfectly combining them into a mysterious, daring novel that kept me occupied continuously.