Review: Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea

 

There are quite a few reviews saying that this book didn’t meet their expectations in terms of action, which is a real bummer because this is by far one of the best pieces of historical fiction focusing on Chinese women that I’ve read. It’s true that if you’re looking for Treasure Island, Pirates of the Caribbean-esque action, in the vein of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, you’ll be a bit taken aback by this book. I was definitely expecting something in that vein going in, and it is the genre I typically prefer. It probably should be marketed less as a pirate book and more as historical literary fiction about womanhood and female friendship…that happens to be about history’s most successful pirate.

But once you get past all that, this is still a really, really good book. If you remember (or want to look up) my review of the extremely popular Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, there were a lot of elements of that book that didn’t do Chinese women justice, and I would consider this book to be a really excellent alternative to that one. Although it makes no effort to conceal the real dangers and struggles that women faced, it also allowed the characters to experience meaningful joy and connection in a way that Lady Tan simply didn’t.

One thing I thought it handled exceptionally well was queerness. It acknowledges two realities that existed simultaneously: that powerful men often exploited both women and boys as a way of asserting power, and that genuine, meaningful queer relationships took place in a society that is often stereotyped as exclusively heterosexual. For that alone, I think this book deserves substantial appreciation. 

Additionally, Shek Yeung was an excellent, multi-dimensional, nuanced character. She carried so many conflicts and contradictions – caring for her children and yet not wanting to be near them; hating her husband for his power over her and loving him for giving her freedom; fearing the life she’s chosen has made her a monster and knowing that she would never choose the alternative. It’s rare to see a character who carries so many contradictions and yet makes them feel completely natural and even understandable.

Shek Yeung also has a degree of agency that is often denied Chinese women in historical narratives. She makes the choice to have sex with men, and she does it to gain power, out of attraction, or both. She understands the reality of her social position very clearly, and makes choices – to be a wife, to bear children, to remarry – out of a desire to put herself in the best position that she can. 

Now, again, while this book does contain action scenes, they’re really not the point of the book. There are points where the prose drags a bit, or it’s unclear where the book is going. But I still consider it well worth reading, and I wish it was books like this that received attention and critical acclaim.