[Reading Notes] Write about yourself, write about Hong Kong, and write about you and me under the changing times - "A Woman Like Me"

A woman like me is actually not suitable for falling in love with anyone. But I am surprised that the relationship between Xia and I has grown to the point where it is today. I think that the reason why I can fall into the current inextricable situation is entirely because fate has cruelly manipulated me, and I have no way to fight back against fate. -<A woman like me>

Hong Kong writer Xixi will launch a new work "Qin Tianjian" in 2022. Although I haven't seen much discussion, it still excites the author, and how will this writer who featured "childishness" in the past handle long-form novels? Historical novels are full of expectations. However, when the to-be-read list and budget did not allow it, I decided to review her past works on the bookshelf first, and hoped that by doing this, more people could get to know this talented senior writer.

I have previously introduced another work "#我城". In this novel, the author describes the great changes and struggles faced by Hong Kong in the 1970s from the perspective of virginity and interesting words; however, "People Like Me" A Woman is a completely different work. It includes 16 short stories. In the form of fables, it points out the various changes and social issues that Hong Kong is facing in the process of modernization.

Beishui didn't go to Jiujie's home to watch TV, but when he was passing by on the street with his broom, he always heard people talking about TV sets and floral dresses; also, people also talked about the young man Gao Niu , but a computer was sent by his relatives and brought to the matchbox factory to calculate the number of shipments, which was faster than an abacus. - "North Water"

A collection of short stories about the modernization of Hong Kong in the 1970s

Although it is "modern", considering that the first edition was in 1984, the content in it may be the story of the previous generation for today's readers, but perhaps also because of the expansion of time and space, it can bring readers a sense of "nostalgia". "It's even more intense. Different from "My City", the "human feelings" that can be felt in "A Woman Like Me" have increased significantly, and they can more resonate with readers.

In "Glass Slipper", it borrows the setting of the fairy tale "Cinderella"; in "Drawer", it describes the alienation of modern people and the satirical reality that the ID card is more authoritative than oneself; In the short story "A Woman Like Me" of the same name, he writes about love, death and fate in a monologue. The 16 stories have their own characteristics, especially in the "Appendix" section at the end, where the author and others A conversation with a Hong Kong writer, Ho Fook-Yen, can also further explain the intention behind the story.

My friend who told me the story of stray cats on the phone only told me about the cat incident on the phone. Why only tell it on the phone and not record it on paper? Yes, that must be because all the stories don't have to hang from trees anymore. In recent years, I've received countless phone calls but not a single letter, so I really believe that people would rather level a forest to build a new runway. And like this, I don't know whether the earth is younger or older because of this. -<holiday>

Works from 40 years ago are still touching

Quoted from one of the short stories "Holiday", although the purpose is different, this passage reminds me of the short story "The Necessity of Old-School Dating" by the late writer Li Weijing, and at the same time surprised by an article published 40 years ago. Novels, however, can so precisely hit the interpersonal relationships that modern people are gradually estranged at the same time as technology advances. so similar.

From looking at reality from a childlike perspective to fairy tales for adults, Xixi writes about herself, Hong Kong, and everyone who has crossed the age. Seeing myself and finding resonance in A Woman Like Me.

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