Genre: Fiction
Author: Wei Hui
Year Published: 1993
Publisher: Robinson Publishing UK
Main Characters: Nikki or Coco - a Shanghai woman who works as a waitress in a cafe
Tian Tian - Coco's boyfriend; an artist who frequently uses drugs
Mark - a married German businessman whom Coco got involved with.
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Summary
Coco, a young woman working in a cafe has always been struggling to become a writer. During her struggles, she met a young artist named Tian Tian who encouraged her to reach for her ambition. She fell in love with him, moved in with him and left her work. They lived together as they try to fulfill their dreams. However, one day, Coco met another man named Mark. The two became intensely attracted to one another. Tian Tian somehow sensed something's wrong and started to use drugs. Confused of what she feels for the two men, Coco became torn between conflicting emotions.
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A semi-autobiographical book, Shanghai Baby exposes a different face of the society. A woman blinded by love and lust.
Actually, this book was banned in China in April 2000. An estimate of 40, 000 copies were even publicly burned. However, a different reaction came when the book was brought to the West.
Shanghai Baby possess an aggressive voice that some people even don't want to hear. It's views on life, love and sex have never been so realistic. It was no doubt that the book became a bestseller.
If you want to have a feel of how complicated love is and how it is different from lust, then read Shanghai Baby.
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Memorable Lines from the Book
"Death is the expression of exhaustion, a solution arrived at rationally once one has known the deepest depths of tiredness." - TianTian (Coco's boyfriend).
"Life is like a chronic illness, and finding something interesting to do is a kind of long term cure." - Coco
