From the back of the book: In 1942, Will Truesdale, an Englishman newly arrived in Hong Kong, falls headlong into a passionate relationship with Trudy Liang, a beautiful Eurasian socialite. But their love affair is soon threatened by the invasion of the Japanese, with terrible consequences for both of them, and for members of their fragile community who will betray each other in the darkest days of the war.
Ten years later, Claire Pendleton lands in Hong Kong and is hired by the wealthy Chen family as their daughter’s piano teacher. A provincial English newlywed, Claire is seduced by the colony’s heady social life. She soon begins an affair . . . only to discover her lover’s enigmatic demeanor hides a devastating past.
As the threads of this engrossing novel intertwine and converge, a landscape of impossible choices emerges – between love and safety, courage and survival, the present and, above all, the past.
I wanted to read this book from the moment I read about it and was thrilled when I received an ARC through LibraryThing Early Reviewers. It’s difficult to believe this is an author’s debut novel. Ms. Lee writes sparingly and beautifully. I’ve never been to Hong Kong but I don’t doubt she has captured it’s atmosphere perfectly. The description from the back of the book tells the reader enough of the story. I will only add that The Piano Teacher is a very good novel. It will be published on January 13, 2009.
My thanks to Viking for the ARC.
Bookfan 