Jessie Tu’s second novel is a searing critique of academia, but one that cleverly weaves in an exploration of skewed power dynamics, the nature of translation, and mother-daughter relationships. It is a novel that will stay with you.
Fay is a young up-and-coming translator, working in Taiwanese and English. We join Fay and her mother as they embark on a two-week group tour of France. Despite this being a trip she’s always dreamed about, Fay’s mother lives in a constant state of fearful fastidiousness, wiping down every surface in their motel rooms, and endlessly worrying about the day-to-day dangers of travel.
