The Piano Teacher: A Novel by Elfriede Jelinek - Award-Winning Literary Fiction for Book Clubs & Literature Lovers (Perfect for Book Discussions & Gifting)

Set in Hong Kong, this story alternates between the time of the WW II Japanese invasion and ten years later, after the war is over. I found the interchanging of time periods quite fascinating. Starting in 1952, you meet Claire, a niave young English woman, who comes to Hong Kong with her new husband and is hired by the influential Chen family as their daughter's piano teacher. You find out some of Claire's unique characteristics before the story switches to eleven years earlier. That's when you meet Will, recently arrived from England and his soon to be lover, the highly sought after Trudy, a delightful Eurasian woman, full of life and fun! As the story progresses within the rich culture of Hong Kong, the war looms, the war happens, and all kinds of events affect the characters and their relationships. I had to keep reading! I loved the book!