Yu hua

Story by Yu Hua in current New Yorker - victory - ok but pretty conventional and unexceptional except that it's set in china. Honestly would this story be in the New Yorker if it were set in Boston?: woman (ling) straightening up while husband away on biz finds a key tries various locks then goes to husband's office and opens his desk where she finds love notes and a photo (and #). Goes home calls various husband's friends who don't tell her Nything then calls old friend she had not seen for some time (her married life focuses on husband she is estranged from former friends) friend tells her to banish husband from bed and table. He comes home sort of confesses - to a crush that never les to sex - and she gives him cold and silent treatment hoping to bring sorrow and repentance instead after abt a month husband asks for divorce. On verge of divorce they kiss and make up. I guess part of the beauty of the story is its universality ie it occurs in china but could have been any couple anywhere - which may seem to contradict my feeling that story is published Bcz it is Chinese. - yet I think that's the Edith's point - feelings are the same the world over. I would say tho that when I read a story form another world and language culture I want to learn something about that culture. This story is scrubbed of particularities - the characters like integers even down to Theo nearly identical names. I know I've complained abt the many New yorker stories that do not seem to conclude and at least this one, Victory, draws action to a conclusion but it seems to be a summary of a life and not a life.

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