Love in a Fallen City
Eileen Chang · 1920–1995 · China / USA
Originally Qingcheng zhi Lian (Chinese) · translated by Karen Kingsbury
Why it matters
A divorcée and a playboy circle each other in a calculated courtship, each testing how much the other will risk, as Hong Kong falls to the Japanese around them. Chang's worldly, desolate stories made style itself a form of survival.
At a glance
romanceshort story collection
Difficulty 5/10medium pace300 pagesDensely ironic, image-rich prose that rewards slow, attentive reading.
Where to go next
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Ding Ling · 1928Miss Sophie's DiaryLvl 4Fast paced
Pu Songling · 1766Strange Tales from a Chinese StudioLvl 5Fast paced