Janice Y.K. Lee’s book peels back the layers of old Hong Kong

Often the action in historical novels takes pains to mirror that of the time and place in which the narrative occurs. But some, like in Janice Y.K. Lee’s The Piano Teacher, pursue a narrative that itself was intricately and painfully shaped by previous circumstances–in this case, the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong.

The story starts a decade after the last of the Japanese soldiers has left the island, with the immigration of British suburban housewife Claire Pendleton. Married to the stable but unstimulating Martin, an engineer, Claire soon finds herself in a romantic entanglement with Will Truesdale, chauffeur to a wealthy Chinese couple. Claire teaches piano to the couple’s young daughter. The tension between Claire and Will sinuously builds as his past, and that of the island and its population, unfolds in Claire’s present.

Lee’s prose is smooth and unfettered by the flowery language that all too often sinks historical romances. Her realization of her characters’ pasts, and how this defines their futures, is done with a deft confidence that keeps the reader engaged, painting a realistic portrait of a people and place that are much more than their initial appearances suggest.

The Piano Teacher, Viking, US$25.95

Check out our interview with Lee about the book

Check out our liveblog of the talk Lee gave at the Shanghai International Literary Festival last year