Kirkus Review of "Two Tales of the Moon"
In her first novel, Sun explores a cross-cultural love affair in the world of international business.
In many ways, Lu and Will could not be more different: Lu grew up in China, barely survived the Cultural Revolution, and fled to the United States as soon as possible. The past haunts Lu wherever she goes, especially family members, both living and dead. In contrast, Will is a Navy veteran, a surfer, and the easygoing CEO of a successful tech company. But when a corporate merger throws them together, Lu and Will become star-crossed lovers, and their delicate business dealings become all the more complex. Sun writes competently about Wall Street culture, and she creates a convincing cast of blustery boardroom characters. But the book’s most engaging chapters limn Lu’s difficult back story. When she returns to China after 30 years in the U.S., Lu pieces together a painful tale of politics, parentage, and betrayal. Meanwhile, she barely recognizes her homeland through its choking smog and development...In place of subtext, Sun frames her novel with a Chinese folk tale about a fairy who falls in love with a general. When the general proves cruel, the fairy allows him to die and opts to live alone on the moon. This tale is told twice in the first 10 pages, and it serves as a relentless metaphor for Lu’s displacement...Sun’s book bridges the gap between Chinese tradition and an increasingly globalized West.
In many ways, Lu and Will could not be more different: Lu grew up in China, barely survived the Cultural Revolution, and fled to the United States as soon as possible. The past haunts Lu wherever she goes, especially family members, both living and dead. In contrast, Will is a Navy veteran, a surfer, and the easygoing CEO of a successful tech company. But when a corporate merger throws them together, Lu and Will become star-crossed lovers, and their delicate business dealings become all the more complex. Sun writes competently about Wall Street culture, and she creates a convincing cast of blustery boardroom characters. But the book’s most engaging chapters limn Lu’s difficult back story. When she returns to China after 30 years in the U.S., Lu pieces together a painful tale of politics, parentage, and betrayal. Meanwhile, she barely recognizes her homeland through its choking smog and development...In place of subtext, Sun frames her novel with a Chinese folk tale about a fairy who falls in love with a general. When the general proves cruel, the fairy allows him to die and opts to live alone on the moon. This tale is told twice in the first 10 pages, and it serves as a relentless metaphor for Lu’s displacement...Sun’s book bridges the gap between Chinese tradition and an increasingly globalized West.
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