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Wu Lou, penned by Lu Xinhua, a legendary Chinese author who launched China's Scar Literature genre, begins with a haunting scene in a secluded temple deep within the Cambodian jungle during the early 1970s. Tutu, a young woman, discovers her fiance, a Khmer Rouge officer, dead beneath a Buddha statue. This propels Wu Lou, the temple's master Buddhist monk, into a life of exile.
The story then transitions to California amid the coronavirus pandemic, introducing Terry, the novel's narrator, and Tutu, the real estate agent who helped Terry and his wife purchase their house. Terry, a Chinese immigrant who moved to the United States in pursuit of freedom, struggles to find a sense of belonging, both physically and spiritually. During the pandemic, a chance encounter with Miller, a mysterious high roller from Terry's past life as a casino card dealer, rekindles old memories and thrusts Terry into the intertwined lives and histories of Tutu and Miller.
Meanwhile, Tutu discovers that Terry and his wife are acquainted with Wu Lou-the man she has spent half a century searching for-reawakening memories long buried and relationships long ended. Tutu also faces challenges in her relationship with her son, highlighting the complexity of familial bonds.
Wu Lou spans from Southeast Asia during the rise of communism to pandemic-era Los Angeles, crafting a rich narrative tapestry shaped by love, ideology, and obsession. The novel captures the essence of human endurance and suffering against the backdrop of significant historical events, probing how personal destinies are reshaped in times of upheaval. It explores profound themes such as obsessive attachment, the art of letting go, the cyclical nature of life, enduring love, and the relentless pursuit of meaning.
Throughout the narrative, Lu skillfully intertwines ancient Chinese tales and parables with a thoroughly modern setting. Readers are introduced to the Maitreya Buddha while exploring the life of a casino dealer. Seamlessly blending the sacred and the secular, Lu recreates the grandeur of Chinese legends in contemporary Los Angeles.
Wu Lou also delves into the American dream, presenting a Chinese-born protagonist in Los Angeles who offers readers both a familiar reflection and a fresh perspective on the American socio-economic landscape.
The novel features contrasting characters and scenes, religionists and revolutionaries, jungles and casinos, affection and love, faith and desire, ideals and reality, opium and chanting, monks and exiles.
Wu Lou is an indispensable read for those who appreciate narratives rich with emotional and philosophical depth, providing a deep exploration of the human condition across continents and generations. It intricately weaves together themes of spiritual quests, familial obligations, ideological conflicts, the quest for identity, and the pursuit of meaning amid political and cultural upheaval.
