Plastic Surgery

张苏逸Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaMay 2025

Rating 2.9
Word count
183K words
Chapters
47
ISBN
9787539668567

Tags

Social Fiction Medical AestheticsSocial ObservationWorkplace AnecdotesHuman NaturePsychological InsightPlastic Surgery JourneyDesire and PeaceSelf-RenewalStatus AnxietyUrban Women

Summary

The author has spent years working as a consultant in the medical aesthetics industry, witnessing firsthand what many clients have gone through and are still going through—much of which they would rather hide but feel compelled to disclose honestly when facing a plastic surgeon. What these clients want to conceal is not only their past but, more fundamentally, their inner world, hoping that a change in appearance might bring them inner peace. Taking this as the soul of the book, the author has created a work that tells the stories behind cosmetic surgery.

This is a full-length novel that cuts into urban life, telling the experiences and confusions of Hu Xiaoyi, a plastic surgery doctor, in his work and life. He patiently helps every female client and discovers that behind many women seeking surgery lie their own inner fears and feelings of inferiority. While offering each female client suggestions for surgical procedures, Hu Xiaoyi also sees the extraordinary life experiences of many others. He begins to try to help them out of their shadows, comes to feel the value of healing the heart over healing the face, and finds himself more relaxed in facing his dreams and life.

Editor's review

Scalpel is a novel by the young Chinese writer Zhang Suyi, published by Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House. Despite its title, the book is not about cosmetic surgery; rather, it uses "reshaping" as a metaphor to probe the spiritual deformation and remaking of individuals in contemporary society as they grapple with identity, desire, and ethical dilemmas. Through multiple narrative threads and a cool, restrained style, the novel constructs a literary world charged with tension and reflection.

In literary terms, Zhang Suyi's narrative displays the keen observational power of a new generation of writers. He deftly elevates the concrete act of "reshaping" into a philosophical inquiry into the modern human condition: in constantly catering to external standards, do we perform irreversible "surgery" on ourselves? This introspective writing lifts the work beyond simple social critique into the more complex territory of human nature.

The novel's structure is ingeniously designed, with chapters forming mirrors and echoes of one another, like successive psychological dissections. The language is cold and textured, laden with metaphor in its details, and rewards patient reading. As a work of serious literature, it offers no easy reading experience, but for readers willing to think deeply it provides lasting intellectual stimulation and emotional resonance.

Within the landscape of contemporary literature, Scalpel can be seen as a literary diagnosis of individual alienation in the age of consumerism. It offers no simple answers, but preserves the complexity and openness of the question through literary means—and that is precisely its most valuable quality.

Who it's for

A good fit for

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Reading tips

  1. Read in a calm frame of mind, pausing after each chapter to consider its metaphors and connections
  2. Pay attention to recurring images and details, which are often key to understanding the themes
  3. After reading, try recording your own understanding of the central "reshaping" metaphor and where it leads you

About the publisher

Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1984

Founded in 1984, Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House is a professional literary and art publisher. Its collection of 389 titles spans classic works, essays and miscellaneous writings, Eastern philosophy, folk literature, classical literature and design. Representative books include Lao She's Camel Xiangzi, Laozi's Dao De Jing, Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and the Shakespeare drama collection featuring Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth and Othello, with Zhu Shenghao's translations adding luster to the series. Its author resources range from classic Chinese and foreign writers such as Lao She, Laozi, Luo Guanzhong and William Shakespeare to translators and authors including Zhu Shenghao, Li Chensen and Liang Sicheng. The publisher is characterized by its balance of Chinese and foreign literary classics with traditional culture titles, combining scholarly value with popular reading. Public information is limited, and the above is based mainly on the books in the collection.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 01 难缠客
  3. 02 胡医生
  4. 03 精美整形
  5. 04 夜场金腰带
  6. 05 闺密
  7. 06 惠导
  8. 07 特殊鼻子
  9. 08 恋情
  10. 09 两处恋情
  11. 10 赴宴
  12. 11 都是高大上
  13. 12 男人心计
  14. 13 细水不长流
  15. 14 来客有心
  16. 15 无招即手段
  17. 16 来客非病
  18. 17 诱惑
  19. 18 慎重决定
  20. 19 并非同类
  21. 20 告白即告别
  22. 21 刘瑛的夜晚
  23. 22 后果很难看
  24. 23 谁的阴谋
  25. 24 味道变了没有
  26. 25 把话说清楚
  27. 26 原谅还是原谅
  28. 27 还是难缠客
  29. 28 深深的自我责备
  30. 29 大驾光临
  31. 30 刘瑛的又一个夜晚
  32. 31 侧面交锋
  33. 32 胡晓艺是哪种人
  34. 33 后路博弈
  35. 34 素颜段依依
  36. 35 大杂烩
  37. 36 唐宇正的彻底黑化
  38. 37 万万想不到
  39. 38 同病相怜
  40. 39 刘瑛的第三个夜晚
  41. 40 偶尔顿悟
  42. 41 误会啊误会
  43. 42 对峙
  44. 43 说不清的事
  45. 44 世俗里的人
  46. 45 如是观
  47. 致读者

FAQ

Is this book about the plastic surgery industry? No. Although the title is Scalpel, this is a serious literary work that uses "reshaping" as a philosophical metaphor to explore identity remaking and spiritual alienation among contemporary people under social pressure. It has nothing to do with the actual medical cosmetic surgery industry.
How difficult is this book to read? It is a literary work with a certain threshold. The novel uses multiple narrative threads and abundant metaphor, and its language is cool and understated, requiring readers to stay focused and think actively. It is not suited to light, casual reading.
What is the background of the author, Zhang Suyi? Zhang Suyi is a young Chinese writer born in 1990 and a graduate of Nanjing University. Scalpel is his representative novel. His works often explore the spiritual predicaments of modern people in a cool, restrained style and have attracted some attention in literary circles.

Related on WeRead

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About the author

张苏逸 Author

Public information about Zhang Suyi is limited, and his nationality, dates of birth and death, and full writing career cannot yet be confirmed. According to the library's holdings, two works are published under this name: Plastic Surgery and His Late Period, both commonly categorized as social fiction. It can therefore be inferred that Zhang Suyi's writing draws on social reality and focuses on human fate and psychological change within specific circumstances, rather than relying on grand narratives or genre formulas. The title Plastic Surgery suggests themes of the body, identity, and self-perception, while His Late Period appears to center on an individual's stage of life or state of mind. Though few in number, the two works show a sustained interest in social themes. Given the lack of further biographical material, the author's style and influence remain open to discussion among readers and researchers.