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Tessa Chan

Bloodswell 
by Jane Houng
Ox Publishing (HK)
 
Despite its gory title, Jane Houng's debut novel Bloodswell is a story of first love, seen through the eyes of a Hong Kong schoolgirl, Anna Wang.
She plays in a rock band and lives in Tsuen Wan with her single mother, who met Anna's father while working at a massage parlour in Shenzhen. Taken for a while as his second wife, Anna's mother was soon abandoned and left to fend for herself and her child. Then in swoops heartthrob vampire Steel Tang, who - luckily for Anna - is not only handsome and romantic, but also rich.
If you're thinking this sounds familiar, you're right. The teenage vampire romance borrows heavily from Stephenie Meyer's bestselling Twilight novels. There's the same frustrated love, bloodlust and sexual tension that always seem to occur when a vampire and a human being fall in love.
There are new elements, however, and the fun starts when Houng delves into Chinese folk religion, and the beliefs surrounding neglected "hungry" ghosts, Chinese zombies and reincarnation. Anna and Steel are linked by yuanfen, the binding force that connects two soulmates who have loved each other in past lives.
Though she grew up in Britain, Houng has been living in Hong Kong for more than 25 years. The narrative takes us on a fast-paced tour of the city - from the jam studios of Mong Kok, where Anna meets with her girl band, to Cheung Chau harbour and the huge Kowloon Tong mansion where Steel's family lives. Further contrast is provided during a visit to the mainland, when Anna and her mother stay in a small village in Hunan province.
Anna is a typical Hong Kong girl; she and her friends are glued to their mobiles, their love triangles are announced via Facebook, they dance to Lady Gaga in their underwear, and Canto-pop blares from their car speakers. She spends most of her time exclaiming over Steel's big red sports cars (there are a lot of "wa!"s). Steel, too, is a teen fiction cliché: he's a "slick dancer", plays the guitar and has "quivering" eyelashes. In his presence, Anna blushes furiously, and chokes on her Taiwanese tea. It's not always clear whether we're meant to be laughing with or at Anna.
The story touches on taboo themes for Hong Kong, including homosexuality and teenage drug abuse. It also explores Anna's first experiences of sex - although all the metaphors of erupting volcanoes and foamy waves crashing against rocks are less than erotic.
While few teenage romance novels aspire to literary genius, the best ones at least fall under the "guilty pleasure" category. However, Anna and Steel lack the depth of character for us to relate to them and consequently be carried away on their whirlwind romance. Houng has an impressive understanding of local customs, beliefs and youth culture but perhaps she is underestimating the intelligence of even her younger readers.


Book review: Bloodswell by Jane Houng

Bloodswell by Jane Houng

Lifestyle

Culture

Books

Despite its gory title, Jane Houng's debut novel Bloodswell is a story of first love, seen through the eyes of a Hong Kong schoolgirl, Anna Wang.


Book review: Bloodswell by Jane Houng

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Despite its gory title, Jane Houng's debut novel Bloodswell is a story of first love, seen through the eyes of a Hong Kong schoolgirl, Anna Wang.

Despite its gory title, Jane Houng's debut novel Bloodswell is a story of first love, seen through the eyes of a Hong Kong schoolgirl, Anna Wang.