“Empire of the Sun” is an autobiographical novel by British author J. G. Ballard, which takes readers into the heart of World War II-torn Shanghai.
The story follows young James Graham, the son of a British expatriate, who becomes a prisoner of war.
Ballard’s realistic portrayal of life during the Japanese occupation offers a harrowing vista of survival and the loss of innocence through the eyes of a child.
The character’s daily struggles against the backdrop of a fragmented Shanghai form a stark contrast to the once cosmopolitan lifestyle enjoyed by expatriates.
Centred on the investigation of a murder in the 1990s, “Death of a Red Heroine” introduces readers to Inspector Chen Cao, a poet and literature aficionado serving the Shanghai police force.
Written by Chinese author Qiu Xiaolong, this detective novel is set against a meticulously painted backdrop of a transforming Shanghai post-Mao era.
The collision of traditional Chinese norms and modern political economy frames an intricate plot of crime and introspection, providing a social commentary on ideological shifts in contemporary China.
Often considered one of the great masterpieces of modern Chinese literature, “Fortress Besieged” is a satirical novel by Qian Zhongshu, first published in 1947.
This significant work set in wartime Shanghai revolves around the protagonist Fang Hung-chien and his farcical adventures in love and academia.
The narrative is rich with humor and irony, depicting the cultural and intellectual pretensions of the time.
Qian Zhongshu’s sharp wit and observations about human folly offer a timeless examination of the social mores in Shanghai’s unique societal petri dish.
Diving into the complex relationships between sisters, “Shanghai Girls” is a sweeping tale by Lisa See, set during the 1930s in Shanghai, the Paris of Asia.
Beautiful sisters, Pearl and May, are thrust from their glamorous and carefree life into the chaos of the Japanese invasion of their beloved city, and ultimately to a new life in Los Angeles.
This novel portrays the immigrant experience alongside the sisters’ unyielding bond, against the glittering backdrop of a lost Shanghai and the challenges they face in a new world.
Set in the geopolitical intrigue of 1940s Shanghai, Eileen Chang’s “Lust, Caution” is a short novella that packs an emotional punch.
This espionage thriller revolves around a group of university students who plot to assassinate a high-ranking official collaborating with the Japanese puppet regime.
The narrative delivers a potent mix of love, betrayal, and political machinations, with Chang’s deep psychological insights rendering a powerful portrayal of war-time Shanghai, where nothing is quite as it seems.
Another masterpiece by Eileen Chang, “Love in a Fallen City” captures the essence of Shanghai on the cusp of Japanese occupation in World War II.
The novella centers on Bai Liusu, a woman seeking love and meaning as her city crumbles.
Chang’s exploration of traditional values in the face of modern challenges is embedded within her vivid depiction of a vibrant metropolis descending into the chaos of war.
Her elegant prose provides a poignant look at the personal and political upheavals that redefine a city and its people.
Wang Anyi’s novel “The Song of Everlasting Sorrow” traces the life of Wang Qiyao, a once celebrated beauty queen, through the latter half of the 20th century in Shanghai.
This epic tale weaves the transformation of the city with the ups and downs of Wang Qiyao’s own fortunes, reflecting the broader societal changes of China.
Through the slow decay of its heroine’s glamorous former life, the novel laments the ravages of time on both the individual and the urban landscape.
In “Five Star Billionaire,” Tash Aw explores Shanghai’s status as a magnet for the ambitious and the place for reinvention, as it tells the story of five Malaysian migrants chasing success in the sprawling metropolis.
Their narratives of struggle, seduction, and search for identity converge in a city synonymous with modernity and promise.
Aw’s multi-stranded narrative is as dynamic and vibrant as Shanghai itself, encapsulating the dreams and disillusionment that come with the pursuit of wealth in one of the world’s most exhilarating cities.
Kazuo Ishiguro’s “When We Were Orphans” delves into the memories and psychological intricacies of Christopher Banks, an English boy raised in the Shanghai International Settlement.
The novel features a mix of personal history and mysterious circumstances surrounding his parents’ disappearance.
As an adult, Banks returns to Shanghai, now a celebrated detective, to solve the case and confront his own past amidst the political tensions of the 1930s.
Ishiguro’s distinctive narrative style provides a dreamlike quality to the storied city, intertwining personal and historical narratives.
Neal Stephenson takes readers into a futuristic vision of Shanghai in “The Diamond Age,” where nanotechnology has revolutionized society.
This science fiction novel presents a sharply stratified world where a young girl, Nell, comes into possession of a powerful educational device.
The novel delivers a dazzling exploration of technology, education, and society, all set against the complex socio-economic tapestry of a future Shanghai that feels as real and gritty as its historical counterparts.
“The Valley of Amazement” by Amy Tan spans over forty years, covering two generations of women with ties to an exclusive Shanghai courtesan house at the turn of the 20th century.
This emotionally resonant novel brings to life the personal histories of Violet, the half-Chinese, half-American courtesan, and her mother, Lucia, an American woman.
Tan’s story delves into themes of identity, love, and loss within Shanghai’s exotic and tumultuous setting, all narrated with her signature lyrical prose.
“Shanghai Dancing” is an innovative novel by Australian author Brian Castro.
This semi-autobiographical family history merges fact, fiction, and memoir to narrate the complex cultural identity of a Chinese-Portuguese family settled in Shanghai.
Through fragmentary storytelling, Castro creates a mosaic of experiences that mirror the cultural collisions and turmoil in the rapidly changing city.
The novel is as much a dance through Shanghai’s diasporic history as it is a personal quest for understanding one’s heritage.
In “Lapse of Time,” Wang Anyi returns to portray the details of everyday life in Shanghai, through a series of interlinked short stories.
The collection paints a portrait of the city’s quotidian beauty, as the narratives unfold over the course of different generations.
The book’s focus lies not on the grand historical events but on the subtleties of ordinary life against the urban canvas of Shanghai, highlighting the city’s continual evolution and the timelessness of human experiences within it.
With piercing clarity, Eileen Chang’s “Half a Lifelong Romance” tells a devastating tale of love thwarted by societal constraints in 1930s Shanghai.
The novel follows an ill-fated love affair between Shen Shijun, an engineer, and Gu Manzhen, his colleague.
Their deep connection is endangered by manipulations and misunderstandings, painting a poignant image of romance and resilience in a society bound by tradition and honor.
Chang crafts a narrative that echoes the transformation of Shanghai itself, where modernity and tradition intertwine in complex ways.
David Rotenberg’s “Shanghai” presents a riveting ensemble cast of characters drawn to the city in the tumultuous 1930s.
Rotenberg skillfully interweaves their lives to form a rich tapestry revealing the political intrigue, social upheaval, and cultural clash of the period.
The city of Shanghai, with its mingling of Eastern and Western influences, emerges as a character in itself, reflective of its status as a vibrant, complex hub that’s constantly reshaping and redefining itself.
Set in contemporary Shanghai, “The Risk Agent” by Ridley Pearson is a fast-paced thriller that captures the cutting-edge dynamism of the city.
When a Chinese National and his security agent disappear, security expert John Knox and forensic accountant Grace Chu are hired to find them.
The hunt for the truth leads the protagonists through the glittering heights and criminal underbelly of modern Shanghai, exposing the city’s capacity for opulence and danger.
Pearson’s novel is charged with tension, playing out against the intricate backdrop of Shanghai’s skyscrapers and shadowy lanes.