Mystic Frost cover

Mystic Frost

Rating 3.0
Word count
110K words
Chapters
90
ISBN
9787549638956

Tags

Summary

Xuan Shuang writes of history, of people, of scenery, of philosophy, of ideas, of emotions—yet from beginning to end it never for a moment abandons the pursuit of "truth, goodness, and beauty," never abandons the chase after sunlight and fresh flowers, never abandons an active, buoyant optimism. Like gathers with like: may such pieces, gathered together, form a vast and pure strength.

Editor's review

Xuan Shuang is a highly distinctive modern historical novel by Wu Youluo. With delicate restraint, it sketches the spiritual landscape and existential predicaments of mid-20th-century intellectuals, deconstructing grand historical narrative while showing deep concern for individual fates. The author deftly weaves personal memory into the river of history; through the rises and falls of the protagonist Xuan Shuang, the novel reveals the complex dimensions of human nature and spiritual perseverance in a particular era. Wu Youluo's style is spare and poetic—she excels at creating intense dramatic tension within seemingly ordinary daily scenes, and her use of historical sources is precise yet literary, giving the novel both historical weight and the emotional power and aesthetic value expected of literature. Reading this book is not only a fresh look at a period of history but an immersion in faith, sacrifice, and love. For readers seeking both intellectual depth and literary beauty, Xuan Shuang is a work well worth savoring again and again.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers interested in the fate of 20th-century Chinese intellectuals
  • Those who prefer serious literary works combining literary quality and intellectual depth
  • Readers who appreciate restrained, delicate, and poetic writing
  • Thinkers who hope to reinterpret history through individual narratives

Not a good fit for

  • Readers seeking light entertainment or fast-paced plots
  • Readers sensitive to or averse to stories set in particular historical periods

Reading tips

  1. Read in a quiet, undisturbed setting to immerse yourself in the atmosphere and emotion the text creates.
  2. Supplement with related historical background materials to better understand the relationship between characters and their era.
  3. Don't rush the plot; slow down and savor the author's care in detail and language.

About the publisher

Shanghai Wenhui Publishing House China · Founded in 1985

Shanghai Wenhui Publishing House focuses on foreign literature, science fiction, and quality fiction. Its catalogue of 218 titles spans literature, mystery and detective fiction, and social novels. Representative books include Middlemarch, The Grapes of Wrath, Snow Country, and The Complete Short Stories of Arthur C. Clarke, as well as Gu Long's Happy Heroes and Remarks on Lyrics in the World. In translation, translators such as Chen Jinhui, Chen Zongchen, Huang Yuesheng, and Qin Peng work alongside authors including George Eliot, John Steinbeck, Yasunari Kawabata, and Arthur C. Clarke, giving the press a profile that balances literary classics and genre fiction. Public information on its other publishing areas is limited.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 自序
  3. 子夜洛书
  4. 阅读让生命更有意义
  5. 天地无穷岳阳楼
  6. 玉瘗青山
  7. 一剑霜寒四十州
  8. 在那并不遥远的地方
  9. 贾谊——那个“洛阳少年”
  10. 洛神
  11. 大明首辅、文坛领袖李东阳
  12. 莫高窟的黄昏
  13. 北魏的佛光寺影
  14. 贝聿铭:一双妙手惊叹人间
  15. 不及卢家有莫愁
  16. 才子的颜值
  17. 采茶云雾间
  18. 曾是惊鸿照影来
  19. 朝阳普照唐王城
  20. 大河之南多俊杰
  21. 独木舟——漂荡在历史清江上
  22. 读诗更要三思
  23. 端午诗话
  24. 复杂也是一种美
  25. 贵族的素养
  26. 寒门的闪光
  27. 后海之夜
  28. 谨慎是一种高级的修养
  29. 荆榛湮没楚长城
  30. 酒与五石散——魏晋士人的精神狂欢
  31. 开在历史角落里的旖旎花朵
  32. 林空鹿饮溪
  33. 路
  34. 胡杨说
  35. 孟尝君养的是谁的士
  36. 梦入梦出痴情在
  37. 谋圣张良的病
  38. 牡丹的身世
  39. 男儿何不带吴钩
  40. 南汉国的蝴蝶牡丹地砖
  41. 平淡而山高水深
  42. 秦岭的月亮
  43. 清明时节西湖好
  44. 情深到白头
  45. 请君只看洛阳城
  46. 驱车走过太行山
  47. 全才张衡
  48. 山中孔子与人中泰山
  49. 盛唐的雄狮
  50. 赏心乐事谁家院
  51. 麝熏微度绣芙蓉
  52. 谁能过情关
  53. 霜筠雪竹钟山寺 江湖秋梦橹声中
  54. 岁月从不败美人
  55. 太湖尽得江南美
  56. 躺在博物馆里的西域绝世美男
  57. 天马奔腾在昭苏草原上
  58. 瘟疫和建安文坛
  59. 人言可畏不过是心意未坚
  60. 一餐之德必有报
  61. 一个杀手的颤抖
  62. 英姿天纵在少年
  63. 用脚步丈量一座城市
  64. 用一颗澄明的心观照世界
  65. 有一种血性叫“精卫填海”
  66. 诸葛庐与古隆中
  67. 作为诗人的曹门政客
  68. 朝花夕拾
  69. 宰相的歌声 将军的幽情
  70. 有一种不可企及的幸福叫——从前慢
  71. 一座写满诗歌的房子
  72. 一事精致 便能动人
  73. 心有猛虎 细嗅蔷薇
  74. 细数落花因坐久
  75. 西风吹渭水 落叶满长安
  76. 何意百炼钢 化为绕指柔
  77. 我所理解的北大
  78. 温故与知新
  79. 陶渊明不应承受的赞美
  80. 生如逆旅
  81. 神仙的城府
  82. 山鬼
  83. 屈原,你为什么穿上了华丽的衣裳?
  84. 秋水文章不染尘
  85. 浅谈命运
  86. 腻水染花腥
  87. 高山之巅
  88. 带着“琼瑶”来找你
  89. 北海的荷花开了
  90. 《越人歌》——先秦时代最美的诗歌

FAQ

Is the historical background of this book real?
The novel is set against a real historical period. The characters and core plot are artistic fiction, but the era's atmosphere and social environment are carefully reconstructed, reflecting literature's alternative way of writing history.
What special meaning does the title 'Xuanshuang' carry?
'Xuanshuang' is both the protagonist's name and a motif that runs through the entire book, symbolizing noble, resilient spiritual qualities that resist dissolution even in a harsh (era) environment.
What is the author's writing style like?
Wu Youluo's writing is known for its delicacy, restraint, and lyricism. She excels at psychological description and atmosphere-building, with emotional expression that is subtle yet powerful, and language that is refined and precise.

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About the author

吴又洛 Author

Wu Youluo is an author about whom little public information is available. Two works can currently be confirmed, Xuan Shuang and Mu Xue, both classified as miscellaneous prose. Judging from the imagery suggested by the titles, the writing draws largely on natural scenery and seasonal weather, with a lyrical and introspective tone characteristic of prose essays; it emphasizes the building of mood and atmosphere and shows care for concise, polished language. Because reliable records of the author's life, nationality, dates of birth and death, and English name are lacking, details such as education, writing career, and social identity cannot be confirmed, and the present introduction can only focus on the works themselves. The two works are similar in subject and fairly consistent in style, revealing a tendency to write short prose pieces about personal feelings. Overall, Wu Youluo belongs to the type of author whose works attract readers before their name does, leaving two verifiable texts in the field of miscellaneous prose, while further information about the author's writing awaits additional sources.

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