The Man with the Compound Eyes

From the author of The Stolen Bicycle - longlisted for the International Man Booker PrizeOn the island of Wayo Wayo, every second son must leave on the day he turns fifteen as a sacrifice to the Sea God. Atile'i however is determined to defy destiny and become the first to survive. Across the sea, Alice Shih's life is interrupted when a vast trash vortex comes crashing onto the shore of Taiwan, bringing Atile'i with it. In the aftermath of the catastrophe, Atile'i and Alice retrace her late husband's footsteps into the mountains, hoping to solve the mystery of her son's disappearance. On their journey, memories will be challenged, an unusual bond formed, and a dark secret uncovered that will force Alice to question everything she thought she knew.

About the author

Wu Ming-Yi is a Taiwanese writer, painter, designer, photographer, literary professor, butterfly scholar, environmental activist, traveller and blogger. He is the author of the novel Routes in the Dream (2007), as well as a number of non-fiction books and short story collections. The Man with the Compound Eyes is his first novel to be translated into English.

Darryl Sterk has translated numerous short stories from Taiwan for The Chinese Pen Quarterly, and now teaches translation in the Graduate Program in Translation and Interpretation at National Taiwan University.

Summary

From the author of The Stolen Bicycle - longlisted for the International Man Booker PrizeOn the island of Wayo Wayo, every second son must leave on the day he turns fifteen as a sacrifice to the Sea God.

Report

A haunting and evocative tale, beautifully told. I wept at the description of the dying whales and the approaching tsunami ... I think this work will be a classic Hugh Howey, author of WOOL

Product details

• Authors: Wu Ming-Yi, Ming-Yi Wu
• Publisher: Vintage UK
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback
• Released: 31.08.2014
• EAN: 9780099575627
• ISBN: 978-0-09-957562-7
• No. of pages: 304
• Dimensions: 129 mm x 198 mm x 19 mm
• Series: VINTAGE BOOKS
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature; Chinesische SchriftstellerInnen; Werke (div.), FICTION / Cultural Heritage, Taiwan, FICTION / Science Fiction / Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic, Fiction in translation, Magical Realism, Narrative theme: Environmental issues, Science fiction: apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic, FICTION / World Literature / Asia (General), Narrative theme: Environmental issues / the natural world, Modern and contemporary fiction: general and literary