Breast Milk

Name: Breast Milk
ISBN: 9787532783878

爱德华·圣奥宾 / Bei Mao (Liu Zhigang)Shanghai Translation Publishing House · ChinaAug 2020

4.5

Word count: 124K words
Chapters: 21
ISBN: 9787532783878

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Summary

The Melrose family is in peril. Ruined prospects, the burdens of parenthood, adultery, and suicide beset Patrick's life. He finds his wife Mary tormented by the weight of motherhood, his mother enslaved by a New Age foundation, and his young son Robert knowing far more than he should. Yet even as the family struggles with a haunted past, the arrival of a new generation breeds fresh tenderness and the possibility of a turning point.

Editor's review

Mother's Milk is the final installment of Edward St Aubyn's acclaimed Patrick Melrose quintet, published in Chinese by Shanghai Translation Publishing House. Continuing the previous four books' incisive dissection of the British upper class's inner world, it turns its spotlight on Patrick's midlife predicament and his psychological struggles as a father. With his signature sharp prose and black humor, St Aubyn explores the trauma of the family of origin, the shadow of addiction, class hypocrisy, and, most centrally, how to avoid passing one's own pain to the next generation after becoming a parent. The image of "mother's milk" is highly symbolic, serving as both a source of nourishment and connection and a potential metaphor for control and suffocation. The book is not an easy tale of redemption but a calm, even brutal journey of self-examination. Its literary value lies in the author's almost surgical precision in stripping away human pretense, leaving readers uncomfortable yet touched by the flashes of vulnerability and truth. For readers familiar with contemporary English literature, St Aubyn's closing work is a profound and satisfying summation of the Melrose epic.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in contemporary English literature, especially works depicting the upper class and psychological distress
Literary enthusiasts who enjoy delicate psychological portraiture and sharp social satire
Readers who wish to read the final installment of the series and follow Patrick Melrose's life trajectory to its conclusion
Readers interested in exploring psychological themes such as the family of origin and the intergenerational transmission of trauma

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking light, heartwarming stories or fast-moving plots
Readers sensitive to heavy themes such as substance abuse and family conflict

Reading tips

It is recommended to begin with Never Mind, the first book of the Patrick Melrose quintet, to better understand the characters and emotional weight
While reading, pay attention to how the author uses exquisite dialogue and interior monologue to construct the absurdity of character and class
After finishing the book, combining it with articles on St Aubyn's life and reviews of his work can deepen appreciation of the autobiographical dimension and literary achievement of his writing

About the publisher

Shanghai Translation Publishing House China · Founded in 1978

Shanghai Translation Publishing House is a Chinese publisher oriented mainly toward translation and publishing. Its publications cover foreign literature, world classics and classic works, as well as social culture, folk literature and classical poetry. The database contains 2,618 titles, including Never Let Me Go, Les Misérables (2 volumes), Don Quixote (illustrated collector's edition), The Complete Comedies of Molière (4 volumes), The Complete Novels of Kafka (3 volumes), The Collected Works of Dostoevsky (9-volume set), Reason and Persons, and Oedipus Rex (Translation Classics). Its author resources include foreign writers such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Victor Hugo, Cervantes and Molière, as well as translators such as Zheng Kelu, Sun Jiameng, Li Jianwu and Zhang Kun. The publisher has brands such as "Translation Classics Selections" and "Translation Documentary," and emphasizes translated works in foreign literature and the humanities and social sciences, while also publishing bilingual dictionaries and foreign-language educational books. Public information is limited; the above is based on the book information in the database.

版权信息
2000年8月
第一章
第二章
第三章
第四章
第五章
2001年8月
第六章
第七章
第八章
第九章
2002年8月
第十章
第十一章
第十二章
2003年8月
第十三章
第十四章
第十五章
第十六章

FAQ

Can I read Mother's Milk without having read the first four books?

In theory yes, as the story is relatively self-contained. But it is strongly discouraged, because Patrick's complex personality and motivations are rooted in the childhood trauma and youthful struggles detailed in the previous four books. Skipping them would greatly diminish understanding of the characters' emotional depth and the book's thematic force.

What is the style of this book?

The style is cold, sharp, and full of witty satire and black humor. The language is concise and precise, with extremely deep psychological portraiture. It is not a plot-driven novel but a literary novel focused on the analysis of characters' inner worlds and observation of social class.

What kind of writer is Edward St Aubyn?

He is a major contemporary British writer, known for his semi-autobiographical Patrick Melrose quintet. His writing is deeply influenced by his personal experiences, including childhood abuse and addiction, and his work is highly praised by critics for its critical portrayal of the British upper class and its profound exploration of pain and redemption.

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About the author

爱德华·圣奥宾 Author

Edward St Aubyn is a Chinese-book author writing in the field of foreign literature. His representative works include Mothers Milk, the five-volume Patrick Melrose series, and other titles such as At Last and Hope, with seven works currently held in the collection. Due to limited publicly available information, details about the author's biography, nationality, dates of birth and death, and English name remain unclear. Judging from the existing works, his writing often centers on the fate of characters and the difficulties of life, with a relatively delicate narrative style that emphasizes emotional and psychological portrayal. The works are readable and noteworthy within the foreign literature category and are suitable for readers interested in contemporary narrative fiction.

Bei Mao (Liu Zhigang) Author · China · 1982

Liu Zhigang, who writes under the pen name Bei Mao, was born in Harbin, Heilongjiang, in 1982. He is a Chinese children's literature author and animation screenwriter. Under the name Bei Mao, he is best known for the popular "Mi Xiaoquan Goes to School" series, which was nominated for the fifth China Excellent Publication Award. He has also created spin-off titles such as "Mi Xiaoquan Comic Idioms" and "Mi Xiaoquan Brain Teasers," combining storytelling with language learning and mental exercises. In addition, he has contributed to several animated series broadcast on CCTV, reflecting his cross-genre experience in children's content and animation writing. His works are often categorized under foreign literature, essays and miscellaneous writings, and general biography, and are known for a light, humorous style close to children's everyday lives.