The Ventriloquist’s Daughter
GBP 12.99
by Lin Man-Chiu
Found in Translation Anthology 2015
After the tragic death of Liur’s mother, her father, a thwarted artist working as a doctor in the family hospital, is overcome with grief. He goes to study in America, leaving six-year-old Liur in the care of her grandparents, promising to return with a special doll for her.
But instead of studying, her father travels to the Andes, where he meets a mysterious ventriloquist who takes him as a pupil.
Five years later, he returns home, bringing with him one of the ventriloquist’s dolls. But it is not a present for Liur; instead, it becomes a menacing presence in the house, causing strife within the family. After observing her father performing strange rituals with the doll, Liur must find a way to defeat her demons – real or imagined.
Translated from the Chinese by Helen Wang
ISBN: 978-1-911221-05-0
Publication date: 15 May 2017
Format: Paperback (B-format) 203mm x 133mm
Pages: 190 pp
Cover illustration by Huang Li-Pei
Available from:
Amazon UK, Amazon.com, Book Depository, Foyles, Waterstones,
CypressBooks(London)
Synopsis
After the tragic death of Liur’s mother, her father, a thwarted artist working as a doctor in the family hospital, is overcome with grief. He goes to study in America, leaving six-year-old Liur in the care of her grandparents, promising to return with a special doll for her.
But instead of studying, her father travels to the Andes, where he meets a mysterious ventriloquist who takes him as a pupil.
Five years later, he returns home, bringing with him one of the ventriloquist’s dolls. But it is not a present for Liur; instead, it becomes a menacing presence in the house, causing strife within the family. After observing her father performing strange rituals with the doll, Liur must find a way to defeat her demons – real or imagined.