(no subject)

[skygiants]

I am extremely belated in actually posting about Taiwan Travelogue -- I know that I read it before June, because in June was when I was talking about it with recognito and he said 'oh I think it's an Utena riff' and I was like ?? ?!?! !!!! aj;dlkfjs;l of course it's an Utena riff. (recognito's post about it here.)

Which is of course a very unfair way to begin this post because it's many other things besides an Utena riff- primarily of course a story about colonization and power relations, as told through gender and appetite. Taiwan Travelogue is a book that presents itself as a translation from the Japanese into Taiwanese -- which I of course then read translated into English, another layering into the text -- of a Japanese writer's journal of her time in Taiwan, 1938-9. She's there to promote her book, not to promote the project of Japanese Imperial Expansion, of which she certainly does not really approve! and which she is not going to propagandize, except in the ways that she can't help but propagandize it! and she wants to experience the real Taiwan, most notably Real Taiwanese Food. Aoyama's major passion in life is eating, she is a tall young woman with a huge appetite, and the tour guide experiences that have been prepared for her are not sufficient to her desires.

Enter Ong: Aoyama's new entry point into Taiwan, a quiet young woman from a mysterious background who, unlike her other assigned translator, is willing to not only take Aoyama off the beaten path to Unapproved Culinary Experiences but also to provide additional culinary experiences at home in her lodgings. Whatever Aoyama hears about, she wants to eat. One way or another, Ong makes it happen. Ong, it turns out, is the only person Aoyama's ever met who can eat as much as Aoyama can; Aoyama feels a deep connection to her, is desperate for some sense of genuine reciprocal emotion, but no matter what she tries, moving from their employer/employee dynamic into something genuine seems impossible. From Aoyama's point of view, she's always reaching out, and Ong is always slipping away, putting up a barrier. As Ong sees it -- well, whatever she's trying to tell Aoyama, Aoyama does not understand.

The metaphor of colonialism as played out through the inherent power imbalances of a failed romance is not a new theme and plays out more or less as expected here, though it's relevant that this is a book about A Lesbian: one of the things that the text wants to explore I think is how being, in your own mind, in the position of an underdog and an outsider makes it harder for you to see the ways and situations in which you are neither of those things. But really what I found most striking about the book is not the central relationship at all, but the food. The book has a lot of dishes in it, and every dish has a context and a history: the ingredients come from somewhere, the way it's made has a certain history to it, the way it's made in one location differs from the way it's made in a different location, and Ong always takes care to explain why. The portrait of the impact that colonization by Japan has had on Taiwan is largely drawn through detailed descriptions of changing recipes. The book made me very aware of how hungry I am for material culture in my fiction! ... and also it just made me normal hungry.

Comments

[sovay]

From Aoyama's point of view, she's always reaching out, and Ong is always slipping away, putting up a barrier. As Ong sees it -- well, whatever she's trying to tell Aoyama, Aoyama does not understand.

This sounds amazing to do through the metaphor of food.

[nineveh_uk]

I have seen Taiwan Travelogue enthusiastically commented upon in various places, but I think this is the first time I've seen it mentioned it has a historical setting! I had no idea it wasn't set in the present day. I wanted to read it anyway, but this has moved it up the list.

[osprey_archer]

I do love a book with a lot of food descriptions! Will have to consider whether to add this one to my ever-burgeoning list... Still no news from the library about whether they're going to purchase the book translated by Polly Barton that you reviewed recently (truly can't remember anything else about it? It sounded fun?).

[chestnut_pod]

I am very glad you enjoyed this one too!

I've been wondering about whether the (to me) clear yuri animanga antecedents would be of note to the White Liberal Middle-Aged Lesbian Cooks of my acquaintance to whom I'm planning on giving this book as a gift. Those motifs --the meet-cute, the exaggerated singular characteristic, the jock/mean-girl romance, the falling cherry blossoms everywhere-- jumped out at me, and it's hard for me to tell if they're load-bearing, you know? If you didn't understand that intertextuality, will it still all make complete sense?

[meguri_aite]

I am delighted at the thought that I can bring the Utena Gaze to reading this book. Thank you for that! Honestly the only thing that is stopping me is that I am not ready to deal with food cravings if I don’t have a few good eating places lined up to make it bearable 😆

[skygiants]

Every meal in this book is doing work on multiple levels, for sure.

[skygiants]

Funnily enough I think you're not the first person I've seen say that, either! But yeah, it's definitely a story of a Very Specific place and time.

[skygiants]

The Place of Shells! the one about the woman whose dead friend is visiting her in Germany!

but I do think you should add this one to your ever-burgeoning list, if only as a great wine pairing with Butter.

[skygiants]

THE FALLING CHERRY BLOSSOMS EVERYWHERE. but I do think it can easily be read as Wistful Literary Fiction without registering the yurimanga antecedents at all tbh. one loses a layer but I don't know that one would be aware that one was losing a layer ....

[skygiants]

for SURE plan yourself, like, a luxurious takeout dinner and indulge in Reading and Dining

[hebethen]

I think that the references enhance the experience but aren't load-bearing (they said, weeks later).

(Fun fact: the author has also literally written the scripts for yuri comics.)

[chestnut_pod]

thank you! And amazing. I should seek those out.