Lust, Caution

The Story, the Screenplay, and the Making of the Film

By: Eileen Chang

Narrated by: uncredited

In the midst of the Japanese occupation of China and Hong Kong, two lives become intertwined: Wong Chia Chi, a young student active in the resistance, and Mr. Yee, a powerful political figure who works for the Japanese occupational government. As these two move deftly between Shanghai's tea parties and secret interrogations, they become embroiled in the complicated politics of wartime - and in a mutual attraction that may be more than what they expected.

Written in lush, lavish prose, and with the tension of a political thriller, Lust, Caution brings 1940s Shanghai artfully to life even as it limns the erotic pulse of a doomed love affair.

©2007 Eileen Chang (P)2007 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A dazzling and distinctive fiction writer." ( New York Times Book Review)
"A master of the short story....Chang's world is a stark and mysterious place where people strive to find their way in love but often fail under the pressures of family, tradition, and reputation." ( The New Yorker)
"Chang's sensual writing has elements of both China and the United States; the smoky, formal world of respect for tradition and the irresistible, harshly lighted future."( Los Angeles Times)

Wonderful and Exciting

Beautiful story from a wonderful author. Ang Lee’s film is the reason I read this and I’m so pleased I did. The film does it justice (as it mainly expands upon the short story) but it also is its own beast. A lovely and tragic story. A+

The Movie Was More Interesting Than The Book

While this book was an interesting read, it left too much unsaid, unexplored and unexplained. This was one of those rare occasions where I found the movie to be much richer and more thought provoking than the book (which really surprised me).

movie was better

the narrator ruined the experience completely. watch the beautiful film version instead. Ang Lee rocks!

Great story and excellent narrator

The story is short but brilliantly written, it got me from the start, the narrator gives life to characters. A pure delight.

forgotton time intrigue, war & espionage

So much mystery and intrigue took place between tht the chinese emperores the deals made to gain control of the population, the ease Pu Yi was manipulated by false hope by the japanese emporer and military how his population was controled by opium addiction . The unity of the student population, the passion in their souls & hearts to see change brought about though their proteststs and and violent efforts. It was like a sensual tango danse with love extasay, fantasy, batrayal, I definitely wanted to hear more about this priod of time, at It was so a tense and intesive period of timer you never knrew who you coud trust

Boring

I had rather high expectations before listening to this book, however, I was utterly disappointed. The story line is not well developped and I had trouble keeping interest in the story. So much so that I listened to it twice to see if I had missed some interesting plot lines. No so. Half way through the second listening I gave up and lost interest. Also the story is very short, less than two hours, so not long enough to discuss the intricacies of the Japanese invasion of China and the occupation of Hong Kong in any meaningful way. I do not recommend this book.