Sophia C. reviewed on 6/3/2011 + 289 more book reviews

Eileen Chang's short story "Lust, Caution" subtly but brilliantly mixes "big picture" themes (country, revolution, sacrifice) with the personal (love, lust). Wang Chia-chih is a beautiful young woman, planted by an inexperienced student group to seduce Mr. Yee, a powerful figure in the collaborationist government in Japanese-controlled WWII Shanghai. Does she end up falling in love with him? What is real and what is false, and who actually treated her well? These questions call out from Chang's sparse, elegant prose which very much evokes the period. I loved Ang Lee's more fleshed out film adaptation as well.

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