Whisper (novel)
| Author | Chang Yu-Ko |
|---|---|
| Original title | 荒聞 |
| Translator | Roddy Flagg |
| Illustrator | |
| Country | Taiwan |
| Language | Traditional Chinese |
| Genre | Horror fiction |
| Publisher | Titan (in Taiwan) Honford Star (English edition) |
Publication date | 12 February 2018 |
Published in English | 2021 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 328 |
| ISBN | 9789861795164 Search this book on  . |
Whisper (Chinese: 荒聞; Tongyong Pinyin: Huāng wén) is a Taiwanese horror novel by Chang Yu-Ko. Originally published in Chinese and translated into English by Roddy Flagg, the novel combines supernatural horror with references to Taiwan's history, folklore, and contemporary society. The novel incorporates elements drawn from Taiwanese Indigenous beliefs, Japanese colonial-era history, and local religious practices.[1] The novel has also been translated to Japanese.[2][3]
Plot
Wu Shih-sheng is a taxi driver living in poverty on the outskirts of Taipei with his wife, Kuo Hsiang-ying. After Hsiang-ying begins hearing a mysterious voice that appears to threaten her and their estranged daughter, she is admitted to a psychiatric hospital. She later dies under violent circumstances.
Seeking an explanation, Shih-sheng begins investigating the voice. His search is connected to a cassette recorder discovered in an abandoned vehicle and to repeated references to a figure named Minako. As other individuals encounter similar phenomena, including a hospital patient from the Bunun people and a social worker involved in the case, several parallel investigations emerge.
The story develops through four principal viewpoints: Shih-sheng, Hsiang-ying, Hsiang-ying's sister Chen-shan, and the social worker Jui-yi. Their narratives gradually converge as they attempt to uncover the origins of the supernatural events.[4]
The investigation eventually leads Shih-sheng to consult a Taoist priestess and undertake a journey to Mount Jade, where he seeks to confront the source of the disturbances.
Themes
The novel links its supernatural elements to episodes from Taiwan's history, particularly the period of Japanese rule. Historical events and memories are presented as continuing influences on the present, with the ghostly manifestations connected to unresolved experiences from earlier generations.
The novel also concepts from the traditions of Taiwanese indigenous peoples, particularly the Bunun people. References to spirits and Indigenous understandings of the supernatural appear alongside Han Taiwanese religious practices and Japanese cultural influences.[5]
The novel portrays contemporary society in the aspects of social and economic hardship through the lives of its central characters. Issues such as poverty, debt, mental health, and social marginalization form part of the narrative background.
Reception
Some reviewers praised the novel's suspense and multi-perspective narrative structure, while others considered its treatment of social and historical themes more uneven. Critical discussion frequently focused on the novel's attempt to connect supernatural horror with questions of memory, identity, and Taiwan's historical experience.[6]
References
- ↑ Siyi Chu (褚司怡) (October 31, 2021). "Taipei Terrors Book Review". theworldofchinese.com. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ 朝宮運河（あさみやうんが） (October 2, 2021). "ミステリとホラー、どちらも楽しみたい人のための4冊 人間の仕業か超常現象か、溶けゆく恐怖の「境界」". book.asahi.com (in 日本語). Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ 赤松 美和子 (2022-09-03). "冗舌に語り始めた台湾文学100年の幽霊たち——複雑な歴史と文化を体現する存在". nippon.com (in 日本語). Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ Serena De Marchi (3 October 2021). ""Whisper" by Chang Yu-Ko". asianreviewofbooks.com. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "專訪《荒聞》作者張渝歌：我會故意挑深夜寫恐怖橋段". Up Media (in 中文). 2018-04-06. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ Sean Guynes (January 2022). "Whisper by Chang Yu-Ko". worldliteraturetoday.org. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
This article "Whisper (novel)" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Whisper (novel). Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
