Siang Lu

Unputdownable!

What an expansive and intricate novel! The dual timeline takes readers through labyrinthine pathways, where beginnings and endings are not readily apparent.

Timeline #1: Present Day. Xiang Ling is fired from his job at Sydney's Chinese consulate when they discover that he can't speak Mandarin and has been using Google Translate for his work. When he becomes a viral sensation under the hashtag #BadChinese, a cunning filmmaker named Baby Bao sees this as his latest marketing strategy.

Timeline #2: Ancient Past. Lu Huang Du is a highly paranoid and cruel emperor who suspects everyone is out to murder him. A significant theme in the novel revolves around the labyrinth. Commissioned by the Emperor, its construction is mandated with two stipulations for its designer: that no map of the labyrinth could ever be created, and only the Emperor himself would be instructed in a foolproof method to reach its innermost room.

It's brilliant how the two timelines slide together seamlessly!

Things I love about Ghost Cities:
- Quirky humor
- Unpredictable plot
- The writing

Highly recommended, especially for fans of Murakami!… (mehr)