The Starry Night, The Starry Sea is popular author and television cum movie producer Tong Hua’s latest 2015 romance offering.
That person, is like the starry night in my eyes. That person, is my heart’s bottomless ocean.
Love is similar to a bed of roses; where there are blossoms, there are thorns. If my lovelife was fresh blossoms, I would embrace its beauty. If my relationship was thorny, I would still embrace it fully despite its stabbing pain.
Because when I’m holding on to flowers, it’s Wu Ju Lan’s smile and tenderness enveloping me in bliss. When I’m holding on to thistles, it is his chest that is overgrown with thorns watered by his own blood.
If we have to contend with the piercing sensation of thorns while embracing, I’m still willing to use my full strength to hold onto him tight even if the thorns were to pierce my skin and stab my heart. As long as I can become closer to him, even if it’s just a little bit more!
Synopsis
This is a beautiful fairytale of the night sky and sea. Let dreams and romance play out in their entirety in the expansive ocean under the vast, starry night sky.
Shen Luo used to think that because she had no expectations of romance and was unlovably practical, she would never fall in love with a man she should not. So it was hard to believe that even though puberty had ended many years earlier, she found herself in such a dilemma. Although Wu Ju Lan was not a scumbag, liking him was not much better than liking a wastrel. He was like a dandelion dancing in the wind; no matter how beautiful he was, it did not change the ugly truth that he was a man without roots, without family, without anything to his name.
The only necessities in life are clothing, food and accommodation, fire, oil and salt. These things, be it a house or a car, be it jewelry or clothes, can be bought with money. Even if one could not afford the pricier options, there were always cheaper alternatives. However, there would never be a second Wu Ju Lan in the world; she will never find a similar man to love. Since she had the courage to face the possibility of a lifetime of singlehood, why didn’t she have the courage to pursue someone she fancied?
She was not the sort of person who was able to abandon her pride for love. Neither was she the sort who was willing to harbour an unrequited love. If she loved the wrong man, even if it pained her tremendously, she would let go of her feelings for him. But, if that person refused to leave her side, her only choice would be to stay together till death parted them!
Excerpt
I leaned against the windowsill and stuck my upper body over the ledge and looked downwards. That black silhouette was rather striking beneath the lush leaves and clusters of white flowers. He sat so still, it seemed he was sleeping.
I was just about to call out to him before I recalled that my stepmother was still in the house packing up her belongings. There was no need to cause more trouble. I handily snapped a twig off the Bleeding Heart Vine and tossed it forcefully at him.
He must have heard me because he looked at me instantly. His gaze was sharp and his expression frosty as though he was an assassin or a beast abiding its moment to unleash its full ferocity. I was startled witless. Although I had used a lot of energy, but a twig was a twig, it could not have been a tool to kill. The white and red flowers of the Bleeding Heart Vine swayed in the gentle breeze and floated in his direction. It was such a poetic scene. The piercing intensity in his eyes receded as he squinted his eyes and quietly beheld the sight of the flowers drifting to him. Just as one was about to land on his face, he carefully reached out and caught it with his fingers.
In this moment, the fragrant flowers were like snow. He held the flower between his fingers as he leaned back lazily in the wicker chair. Separated by wispy vines, he half arched his head and looked at me. He was a simple destitute man without the striking presence of before. I slowly blew out the air that was stuck in my chest earlier. I could feel my legs giving out and I had to grip the sill for support.
[Ebook One, Two] [Audiobook] [Đây khoảng sao trời, kia khoảng biển][Drama with Eng Subs Season One and Two]
I was surprised to see this new title when I was in China recently. In fact it was just published in May (2015)! I was pretty excited and couldn’t quite believe how lucky I was that my vacationing in China coincided with a new release that I wasn’t even aware of. (If you must know, I spent hours in bookstores and 500RMB on books :D)
However … it’s set in modern times … and we all know what that usually means in Tong Hua’s case …
It’s written in a first person narrative but unfortunately, the female lead is pretty uninteresting and her thoughts are often simplistic (read: boring). Also, the prose is lacking somewhat, it felt rather childish at times?
The first few chapters are promising. In fact, the set-up is similar to her other novel Lost You Forever (A MUST READ Y’ALL). However, the plot begins to drag after the first quarter and it’s frustrating that it meanders when we already have an inkling of what’s to come. The conclusion was also weak but I guess I can see why she intended it so.
On a more positive note, Tong Hua weaves in references to a popular story which I won’t mention because it would be a huge spoiler. Though the reference is a no-brainer, I thought it was pretty neat.
All in all, it’s a decent novel with beautiful illustrations (as shown in the second link) but I wouldn’t read it again.
If you can, remember to buy the original and support your favourite authors! Let’s not forget that they’re writing for a living.
Thanks yingniang! Tonghua never disappoints with her books. Her novels > her screenwriting.
I’m currently in Taipei (living in the Zhongshan District) right now. Anyone know if this book will be available at the bookstores here?
Anyone else disappointed that her next published book wasn’t 解憂曲? 🙁
This is a touching story though it’s a bit far stretched. The male lead makes me think of Xiang Lu.
Blew my mind how the writer present this story, i love the progress of how the girl figure out his perspective.