Q & A

Reader A: Who-real or fictional in your debut?
Helen: All characters are fictional, but they’re the collectives of real people.
In many ways, the main character Zoe is written in memory of my father who was branded a black element during the Cultural Revolution. He was punished and indoctrinated by the communist regime so significantly that at one point, even after he had survived his suicide attempt, My siblings and ! were mandated to read propaganda works for one hour every night after dinner. However, through it all, he never lost his characteristic kindness.
By contrast, Zoe’s daughter Little Red reflects my life path and my generation of Chinese who starts rebelling and searching for freedom.