Under Fishbone Clouds by Sam Meekings

Under Fishbone Clouds by Sam Meekings is a story that blends both legend and humanity. Set in Maoist China, it charts the lives of a couple, Jinyi and Yuying, and is narrated by the Kitchen God. The Kitchen God is challenged by the Jade Emperor to understand how the human heart truly works, not the biology of it, but how it generates love and survives tragedy, and focuses on these two in a bid to complete his quest.

Although wonderfully atmospheric, this book could not really be described as a gripping page-turner. However, as the plot develops, the more attached and interested you become in Jinyi and Yuying, the sadnesses they encounter, and the way real emotion blossoms from their arranged marriage.

The tale is interspersed with snippets of Chinese folklore, stories that, despite being about mythical beings, still relate to the lives of humans. This mixture of fantasy and fact, with regards to the socialist movement disrupting the lives of the characters, makes for very compelling reading. It is fascinating to see how Chairman Mao’s rise to power may have been perceived by the Chinese citizens, with the benefit of hindsight helping the reader understand what the characters do not.

The elements of brutality that occurred during the revolution are not skimmed over, but are instead cushioned by the wonderfully flowing language, making them all the more horrific when they are mentioned.

Despite the slow moving pace of narration, many events take place in the course of the novel. For all the different occurrences- political unrest, poverty, death, class divisions, prejudice- one theme seems to stand out; Jinyi and Yuying’s relationship is always at the centre of the tale. They are a representation of every couple throughout time, and an embodiment of the statement that love conquers all, giving both the reader and the Kitchen God an insight into the human heart.

Jennifer Patterson