内容简介
ReminiscentofKeithDonohue'sTheStolenChild,ErickSetiawan'srichlyatmosphericdebutisabeautiful,engrossingfableofthreegenerationsofwomenintwofamilies;theirdestructivejealousies,theirlovesandlosses,theirsacrificesanddeeplyrooteddeceptions,andtheirtriumphs.OfBeesandMististhetaleofMeridia--raisedinasepulchralhousewhereghostsdwellinmirrors,shespendsherchildhoodfeelingneglectedandinvisible.Everyeveningherfathervanishesinsideabluemistwithoutsomuchasanexplanation,andhermotherspendsherdaysvenomouslybeheadingcauliflowersinthekitchen.Atsixteen,desperatetoescape,Meridiamarriesatenderheartedyoungmanandmovesintohisseeminglywarmandcharmingfamilyhome.Littledoesshesuspectthathisparentsareharboringsecretsoftheirown.Thereisagravehiddeninthegarden.Therearetwosistersgroomedfrombirthtodespiseeachother.AndthereisEva,theformidablematriarchwhosegrievancesswarmtheairlikeanarmyofbees.Inthishauntingstory,SetiawantakesMeridiaonatumultuousrideofhopeandheartbreakasshestrugglestokeepheryoungfamilytogetheranddiscoverslong-keptsecretsaboutherownpastaswellastheshockingtruthsaboutherhusband'sfamily.Readersofmagic-realistfictionwillinstantlybecaptivatedbythisrichlyevocativefairytale.OfBeesandMisttakesplaceinanamelesstownduringatimelessera,wherespiritsandspells,witchcraftanddemons,ghostsandclairvoyance--bothrealandimagined--areaneverydayreality.Setiawanskillfullyblendstherealandthefantasticalashefollowsourheroineovera30-yeartimespaninwhichherlove,courage,andsanityaretestedtothelimit.
作者简介
MorebythisAuthorOfBeesandMistDeabejasybrumasOfBeesandMist:ANovelErickSetiawanIndonesian-bornnovelistErickSetiawanisaformersoftwareengineer-turned-writerwhosefirstnovel,therichlyatmosphericfableOfBeesandMist,waspublishedin2009.BiographyErickSetiawanwasbornin1975inJakarta,Indonesia,toChineseparents.Aquiet,shychild,hewasthankfullyraisedinafamilyofgiftedstorytellers,whotaughthimthatwhilelifemighthaveanendlesssupplyofconflict,notallofittranslatesintoagoodstory.Duetotheanti-ChinesesentimentprevalentinIndonesia,hischildhoodwasoftenfraughtwithtension,whichpromptedhimtotakecomfortinbooksandintheworldofhisimagination.Totraumatizehimfurther,hisparentssenthimtoCatholicschools,wherehelearnedfromanearlyagetofeelguiltyabouteverythingandthatagrownmaninasashandaswishingrobewitharulerinhishandwasinnowaymaternal.Atagesixteen,helefthisfamilyandmovedtotheUnitedStates.HeknewthreepeopleandbarelyspokeEnglish,yetwassomehowconvincedthathecouldcompetewiththetopstudentstogetintothebestcolleges.Hisresolution/delusionpushedhimtoworkhard.Thefollowingyear,hisfirstchoice,Harvard,rejectedhim,butfortunatelyStanfordhadalowerstandard.Tothisday,hebelievesthattheyadmittedhimbymistake.Incollege,hewantedtostudyEnglish,buthisshynessandinsecurityabouthisadoptedlanguagepreventedhimfromenrollinginclassesthatrequiredhimtospeak.Instead,hechosetomajorinPsychologyandComputerScience,goingasfarasgettingaMaster'sinthelatter.Bafflinglyenough,studyingaboutmentaldisordersandcomplexalgorithmsonlyincreasedhishungerforliterature.Oncetoooften,heshuffledasidehistermpapersandproblemsetstolosehimselfinanovel.Aftergraduation,hebeganhistenureasasoftwareengineerinSanFrancisco.Bytheendofthefirstyear,heknewthathisheartwasnotinit.Confrontedwiththeriskofbeingacorporateburnoutattwenty-six,heturnedtowritinginhissparetime.Totheexasperationofhisbosses,hebegancomingtoworklateandtakinglongerandlongerlunchbreaksinordertowrite.Severalyears,twofailednovels,andcountlessshortstorieslater,hedecidedtoquithisjobtofinishwritingOfBeesandMist.Atthetime,hehadnobookdealandknewnooneinpublishing,buthepursuedhispassionwiththesamestubbornresolution/delusionthathadmotivatedhimearlier.HesoldOfBeesandMistfouryearsafterhestartedit.GoodToKnowSomeinterestingouttakesfromourinterviewwithErickSetiawan:"IsingRichardMarxatkaraoke.Still.""BeforeIdevotedallmywakinghourstofinishingOfBeesandMist,Iwasasoftwareengineer.Inordertowrite,Iwouldcometoworklateandleaveearly,notcountingtheungodlylonglunchhoursIpilferedfrommybosses.Yetinsteadoffiringme,theykeptpromotingmeandgivingmeraises!Iremainboggledtothisday.""WhenIlivedinIndonesia,IfoughtwithmyparentsfortwoyearsbeforetheyfinallyletmegotoAmericaatagesixteen.Forreasonsbestknowntothemselves,manypeopletriedtheirhardesttostopmyparents.TherewasonewomanwhosupposedlygraduatedfromHarvardandwhotookituponherselftoscaremymothertodeath.ShesaidthatthestreetsoftheU.S.A.wereteemingwithdrugdealers,gangsters,andserialkillers—allofwhichcouldbeeasilyconfirmedbyaviewingofTaxiDriverandTheSilenceoftheLambs.Buttheworstpartofit,shesaid,wereAmericanwomen.'They'llweavetheirmanywebsaroundyoursonandseducehim,'shetoldmymother.'Oncetheyhavehimtrapped,they'llsuckhimdryandleavehimbrokenandoverdosedonthestreet.'Idon'tknowwhichHarvardshewentto,butitsurewasagoodthingthatIdidn'tlistentoher!""Iconsideritbothalifelongpleasureandanon-negotiablenecessitytobeareader.Idon'tunderstandpeoplewhodon't—orwon't—read,orthosewhopreferTVtobooks.Andtowriteistheabsolutethrillandprivilegeforme.Mostmornings,IwakeupnotknowingifI'mChinese,Indonesian,orAmerican,anditisonlythroughwritingthatIcancreatealandscapeinwhichsomeonelikemyselfwouldfeelateaseandnotbebrandedaforeigner.Bookshavenoborders,nolocks,noexclusionarypolicies.Ifeelincrediblyblessedandgratefultobeinthisposition.ThankyouforreadingandIhopeyouenjoyOfBeesandMist!"
