Return 2
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Summary
Editor's review
In content, the book interweaves multiple narrative threads to portray the lives of contemporary young people. The characters are more fully realized, each bearing different marks of the times and personal choices; their 'return' and 'coming back' are not merely geographical moves but spiritual retrospection and exploration. The author offers no simple answers, but through the trajectories of her characters' fates guides readers to reflect on roots, identity and self-realization.
In literary value, Gao Xuan's touch is cool and restrained, avoiding sentimentality and preachiness. Her eye for detail and her creation of atmosphere give the novel a strong visual quality and sense of immersion. This is a book to savor slowly in quiet hours; it offers no quick thrill but a long, deep emotional resonance and intellectual echo. For readers who like to see themselves reflected in stories and to savor life's complexity, this is a work worth their time and attention.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in contemporary urban emotional and existential dilemmas
- Literary readers who appreciate delicate psychological portrayal and literary narrative
- Young people reflecting on their own 'origins' and 'destination'
- Readers who like to reflect on society and the times through characters' fates
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking fast-paced, plot-driven entertainment
- Readers impatient with realistic literary style and inner exploration
Reading tips
- Set aside uninterrupted time for reading, so as to feel the shifts in the characters' emotions in depth
- While reading, reflect on your own experience of 'hometown' and 'faraway places'
- After finishing, consider taking notes to sort out the different characters' choices and the motives behind them
About the publisher
China Friendship Publishing Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literary titles, covering classical Chinese literature, foreign literature, folk literature and cultural appreciation. According to the books in the database, its classical list includes celebrated dramas and novels such as The Peony Pavilion, The Romance of the Western Chamber and Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, as well as note-style classics like Hong Mai's Rongzhai Suibi. In foreign literature it offers translations of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Kawabata Yasunari's Snow Country and Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl, involving translators such as Zeng Siyi. It also publishes The Complete Literary Works of Lu Xun and titles associated with the "Xue'er Shuguan" editorial group, balancing the collation and popularization of classic texts. Public information on its publishing features and plans is limited; the above is summarized only from the books in the database.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第13章
- 第14章
- 第15章
- 第16章
- 第17章
- 第18章
- 第19章
- 第20章
- 第21章
- 第22章
- 第23章
- 第24章
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About the author
Gao Xuan is an author about whom limited public information is available. Three works are currently confirmed, all unfolding around the same story: Gui Qu Lai, its sequel Gui Qu Lai II, and the finale volume. According to the library's categories, these works combine elements of modern romance and social fiction and are listed as premium novels, suggesting that beyond their emotional storylines they also engage with real-life circumstances and social relationships. The series format indicates that the author tends to develop characters and plot twists over an extended narrative before bringing the story to a close. As information such as dates of birth and death, nationality, education, and writing career is not found in the available records, no further biographical details can be given; readers may come to know the author's work mainly through the titles mentioned above.
Ren Baoru is a contemporary Chinese novelist about whom little information is publicly available. Three works are known under her name, all unfolding around the same story: Gui Qu Lai, its sequel Gui Qu Lai II, and the concluding volume Gui Qu Lai: The Finale. Judging from common cataloguing, her writing leans toward modern romance and social fiction, and some platforms list her among authors of quality popular novels. The works extend the same characters and emotional threads across a multi-volume sequence, offering a narrative close to present-day urban life in which personal relationships are interwoven with social realities; they should appeal to readers who enjoy continuous long-form storytelling and lifelike detail. Because no reliable records exist for her dates of birth and death, nationality, education, or awards, no further biographical account can be given, and readers can best approach her writing through these three works.
