When Sleeping Women Wake
Inspired by the experiences of the author`s grandmother during the Second World War, this novel explores the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong and in particular the effects on the women of the Tang family: mother, second wife, daughter, maid.
The first part of the novel is set right before the seismic events which end a privileged but confined way of life for the women, and as the title suggests, they must awaken and face the harsh realities of physical work, enforced collaboration and the loss of those nearest and dearest.
The will to survive is evident throughout, and the women in their different ways respond heroically to the new and often dangerous situations in which they find themselves, learning to kill if necessary, and to make difficult decisions about who can be helped and who must be left behind.
In many ways this novel is a testament to the power, resilience and strength of these women who, like their European counterparts, joined Resistance groups and fought back against the invader. The language is descriptive and powerful and would appeal to readers who enjoyed Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko or Lisa See’s The Island of Sea Women. The experiences of women during a time of war have traditionally been second place and remain unconsidered compared to those of men, but here they are brought forward centre stage, and finally their untold stories can be recounted.
