Shanghai Baby

The divide between those born in the 1970s and the older generation is stark. Dark, edgy, and audacious, this novel has achieved cult status in mainland China, alarming authorities to the point of confiscating and burning thousands of copies. With explicit content reminiscent of Henry Miller and the shock of Trainspotting, it follows the life of Coco, a beautiful writer navigating a world of sex and love in Shanghai. Working in a café, she meets her first lover, a sensitive artist, leading her to defy her parents and embrace a hedonistic lifestyle filled with drugs and passion. As her boyfriend spirals into addiction, Coco finds herself drawn to a wealthy German businessman with a taste for S/M. Surrounded by a colorful cast, including a streetwise madame and a rebellious filmmaker, Coco's explorations of love and lust blur cultural boundaries, igniting her guilt and fears of discovery while awakening her sexual identity. This provocative portrayal offers a raw glimpse into the lives of today's liberated youth, revealing the unacknowledged realities of a new China and the impact of Western influence on its people.