Description
An instant New York Times bestseller, Taipei Story by R. F. Kuang is a wryly humorous and profoundly moving coming-of-age novel about grief, language, cultural identity and the search for belonging. This limited deluxe hardcover edition features stencilled edges, available on the first printing only.
College freshman Lily Chen travels to Taipei for an intensive summer language programme, hoping to connect with the Chinese heritage she has inherited but never fully understood. However, her plans quickly become complicated by gruelling classes, difficult living arrangements and awkward personal relationships. Feeling increasingly out of place, Lily begins to question whether the country she imagined would feel like home can truly offer the connection she seeks.
When Lily learns of her grandfather’s death, she is confronted with unanswered questions about her family history. As she grieves, she begins piecing together memories, stories and silences in an effort to understand the people who came before her and the experiences that shaped her family.
Through a series of both humorous and painful attempts at connection, Taipei Story explores the complexities of diaspora, cultural inheritance and the limits of language in bringing people closer together. As Lily searches for answers, her summer becomes a journey towards a deeper understanding of herself, her family and what home means.
