Marxist, nihilistic autofiction bares Taiwan’s complexities
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In a Marxist, nihilistic autofiction, Hioe lays bare the complexities of Taiwan, its politics and Taiwanese identities. Perhaps a thinly veiled version of the author, the narrator is a slippery voyeur at some of the scenes of Taiwan’s recent political turmoil. The unreliable narrator, variously named as QQ or Ah-Qui, talks to the reader and to an unseen character V, recounting a short period in his early to mid-twenties, activist at whatever presents itself: Occupy Wall Street, anti-nuclear, KMT autocracy. Throughout this, at the heart of the character is an emptiness, a centre without any structure, that threatens to sabotage whatever he turns his hand to.

Written in an intimate but distanced style, the book is dense with information, and like its narrator, never slips into any easy answers. Not quite on the fence on the politics being circled, but never quite capitulating to the status quo, this is a book to test your mettle as a reader and thinker.

This book features a floating, drifting narrative as QQ recalls and reflects on his time in Asia, particularly Japan and Taiwan. It’s a collection of meandering thoughts and fragmented memories, exploring strong themes of identity, purpose, and how to create meaning in life.

QQ finds meaning through activism and reconnecting with his roots in Taiwan. One standout quote captures this sentiment: “We all knew that we lacked the future that our parents were promised from early on, and so all we had were our bonds with each other” (pg. 44). This reflects the frustration of youth in Taiwan and the shared sense of purpose that unites them, even for an expat like QQ.

The second part delves deeper into Taiwan’s political landscape, offering a historical overview. Here, QQ helps establish a newspaper to shed light on underreported Taiwanese issues in his quest to find meaning.

One of the core themes is the “in-betweenness” of being a first-generation Asian American. QQ describes this as feeling like “an orphan of Asia and America” (pg. 74), encapsulating the sense of not belonging fully to either culture.

While the story explores meaningful themes, I found it not particularly compelling. QQ’s narrative of emptiness felt excessive at times, with limited character growth, which made it harder to connect. However, the dialogue was well-crafted and enjoyable.

This book is best read in smaller chunks to fully digest and reflect on its themes.

Thank you NetGalley and Repeater Books for the ARC of this book.