The melancholy of untold history A novel

This deeply introspective debut from University of Missouri history professor Kang not only tugs at heartstrings but also pulls on the mind's capacity to understand grief in hopes of savoring life's brief but beautiful moments. On the surface, the novel traces the relationship between a grieving professor, well-known for correcting historical narratives, and his former student, who is now a colleague specializing in women's history. Bonded through similar experiences of loss and loneliness, their story, which blurs the line between empathy and sympathy, is told alongside that of a storyteller from another century who weaves together a mythology of four gods. This layering of stories explores the connections between fiction, history, myth, and narrative, highlighting how human imagination can, for better or worse, supplement gaps in historical archives. Kang's unique storytelling form also shines through his archiving of fictional secondary sources with footnotes and academic citations and his precise and meditative dialogue, making his novel especially suitable for readers interested in piecing together the kind of narrative puzzles that push fiction's boundaries.

This colorful debut novel from historian Kang (Invincible and Righteous Outlaw) parallels a tale of modern love with a chronicle of a Scheherazade-like storyteller from the distant past. At the outset, an unnamed history professor begins an affair with a young female colleague after his wife dies in an accident. After the colleague breaks it off with the historian, he comes to feel suicidal. Kang alternates the historian's travails with the exploits of a storyteller in an ancient Pacific Asian country, who must use his wits to amuse a bloodthirsty emperor and save his own life. The storyteller spins an epic tale of four mountain gods and goddesses who, after quarreling over a peach, part ways, vowing revenge. Finally, after three millennia and many reincarnations, sometimes as mortals, the gods reconcile. As the historian contemplates ending his own life, his young lover fortuitously calls his cell phone to apologize for how she left him, and he confesses to his deep despair. The mythic battle scenes tend to feel a bit dry, but otherwise Kang delivers an impressive reimagining of Asian folk traditions, combined with a deeply touching modern love story. Patient readers will find much to admire. Agent: Christopher Vyce, Brattle Agency. (July)