When the love of his life suddenly disappears, a man subjugates all self-respect in a desperate attempt to see her one more time. A story of betrayal by master of narrative voice Wang Ting-Kuo.
In a tale of betrayal that reads like The Count of Monte Cristo meets Ford Madox Ford’s The Good Soldier, a young paralegal finds himself suddenly deserted by the love of his life just has he has bought her an apartment. Left with not even a good explanation, the unnamed “I” is desperate to recover something of what he has lost, and at least manufacture a chance to see his ex again.
Uncompromising desire drives him to the extremes of deception. He goes to work for his ex’s new husband, Councilor Liu, and begins to bribe his way deeper and deeper into the legal world. He links himself to Liu through trust, and carries out all kinds unethical directives. Eventually, he stands witness to Liu’s downfall, an event that will also bring him surprising news.
Wang Ting-Kuo’s second novel since his return to the literary world features a smooth, understated narrative voice that gives one the sense of a sharp knife in a velvet case, as a seemingly passive protagonist morphs under pressure into a vehicle for his own deep-seated motivations.