^{SWIMMING BACK TO TROUT RIVER}

 

^{BY LINDA RUI FENG}

Linda Rui Feng's lyrical novel chronicles the story of a young Chinese family in the wake of the Cultural Revolution. In 1981, five-year-old Junie, born without legs, is sent to live with her grandparents in a small village called Trout River. Her father, Momo, has left China for America to seek a better future, with her mother, Cassia, due to follow.

The novel traces the adults' attempts to seek reconciliation within themselves and with each other. Feng moves fluidly back and forth through time, vividly portraying the experience of living in China during Mao's rule as well as the pressures of being a new immigrant.

The interweaving of character and setting, past and present are told from multiple points of view—with just the right amount of historical reference so that the reader gets a glimpse into the social environment during and after China’s Cultural Revolution.

We invite you to come on a journey with us as we explore the themes of this beautifully written exploration of family, art, culture, immigration and love.

If your book club would like to borrow multiple copies of Swimming Back to Trout River, please contact Reccia at rmandelcorn@aurorapl.ca.

Copies will be available from January through August 2022.

While quantities last.

Junie is born without the lower limbs below her knees. Cassia cannot bear to look at her daughter, but Momo looks ahead to life in America where his daughter can have a future despite her disability. Was the rejection by the mother and full acceptance by the father surprising to you?
 

In the chapter titled “The Improviser’s Guide to Untranslatable Words” we are introduced to several Chinese metaphysical terms. Did this writing technique contribute to your involvement in the novel – and if so, how?
 

Images of violins appear throughout the novel and work in tandem to symbolize hope and longing. What does the violin symbolize in the context of the life narratives of Dawn, Momo and Junie?
 

Trout River is a symbol of home. When Momo is growing up, he is desperate to leave. However, as a grown man living in America, he clings to memories of Trout River in order to understand himself. How do you think the concept of 'home" plays out in the hearts of immigrants, even if they left their place of birth because of less than desirable circumstances?
 

Linda Rui Feng was quoted as saying “I don’t think it’s a novelist’s job, per se, to make history ‘fresh’ or ‘relevant,’ but if she does her job well, her characters will inevitably illuminate an aspect of the past and throw open windows.” Did you know much about the Cultural Revolution before reading this novel? Did reading about the historical context make you want to learn more?
 

Look for copies of Swimming Back to Trout River in our little lending libraries around Town this summer. Enjoy the book, but please return it so that others might read it as well.

And of course, print copies are available to borrow from Aurora Public Library and online through cloudLibrary. We hope you enjoy the book and look forward to seeing you at the events.