Against the Wind

A novel traced the lives of three women from different generations, social status and family backgrounds. It covered the life of poor peasants in rural China, to the migration of black and white sisterhood workforce to Nan Yang, their struggle and sacrifices in pursuing the dreams of becoming financial independent amidst hostile social environment. The breakdown of social conventions in rural China during the Liberation Movements and the Long March reflected in the changing attitudes towards sex, love and marriage.

The book described passionate love affair between a young maid Siu Siu and her boss’s son, the painful separation between lovers during the civil war in China, followed by jealousy and betrayal. The novel also covered the life of Kim Neo, a beautiful and headstrong only daughter of Baba Tan, a prominent Chinese Peranakan family in Malacca at the beginning of Malaysian Independence period. Her love affair with James Fernandez a Portuguese Eurasian with a mysterious background put a strain on the family, threatening to disrupt the strong bond between father and daughter. The story was set against the golden era of the Peranakan Chinese in Malacca, followed by the rise and fall of a subculture riding on the back of colonial powers.