Rabbit in the Moon
by Deborah and Joel Shlian
List Price: $24.95
Pages: 357
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781933515144
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
As the world focuses on China, human rights and the approach of the Beijing Olympics, one thriller lays it all out.
A stunning work of fiction, Rabbit in the Moon delivers a wealth of information (and reiveting entertainment) through its vivid look at China, its culture, politics, and ancient wisdom.
Rabbit in the Moon takes place during the most tumultuous seven weeks in recent Chinese history from the rise of the Student Democracy Movement in April, to its fall with Tiananmen massacre on June 4, 1989. Against that backdrop, the novel tells the story of Lili Quan, only child of an immigrant mother who raises her daughter in San Francisco. Lili is a medical resident when we meet her, working in a Los Angeles hospital. She is lured to China to study medicine, but the Communist
government wants Lili more for her connection to her grandfather, Dr. Cheng. Cheng has been hiding a valuable secret from the government, putting himself, Lili and the entire world in dire jeopardy.
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1. There are several themes in Rabbit in the Moon. Can you name them? What is the author trying to say? What is the book's overall message?
2. Compare and contrast Lili’s cultural upbringing and worldview as an American-born Chinese versus that of Chi-Wen who was born in mainland China. How do these differences influence their reactions to the events in the novel?
3.Think about the emotional and psychological journeys of both of these main characters. How is each different at the end versus the beginning of the story?
4. If you are first-generation American-born, what difficulties, if any, did you face growing up? Could you relate to Lili’s sense of “being “different”?
5. Did you feel that using the backdrop of China in 1989 during the rise and fall of the Student Democracy Movement added or detracted from the story? How much did you know about these events prior to reading Rabbit in the Moon?
6. Were you aware of the events surrounding the Cultural Revolution prior to reading the book? How did the Cultural Revolution affect the character of Chi-Wen - especially in terms of how he reacted to the events of 1989?
7. Another theme in the novel is the issue of longevity. Ni-Fu Cheng discovers the secret of shou that will prolong life for perhaps as long as 150 years. At some point in the novel he begins to feel that the world may not be ready for his discovery. Lili argues that you can’t stop scientific progress. What do you think?
What are the possible positive and negative ramifications of such a breakthrough?
8. After you finish the novel, re-read the first page or two. Then re-read the last page. Can you discover anything interesting or thematic?
9. How did you expect the story to end? Were you satisfied with the ending? How would you re-write the ending to change the book's message?
10. What kind of mood did the book evoke in you? How did the authors achieve this?
11. Think about the writing style. Does it fit a particular genre? (Romance, mystery, thriller, historical novel, etc) Compare this book to the writing styles of other books that you have read.
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"…highly recommended to fans of deftly written and imaginative novels -- and a must for community library fiction collections.”"
— Midwest Book Reports
"...a thoughtful and thought-provoking book. It is also timely given China's re-emergence as an economic giant on which the United States is so dependent."
— Florida Weekly
"Heady and imaginative, this skillfully crafted and compelling thriller will hold you spellbound. Master storytellers, the Shlians’ superb pace, enchanting characters and cunning plot will leave you begging for their next book."
— Gary Birken, MD best selliing author of medical mysteries Error in Judgement, Final Diagnosis, Plague and Embolus
"...an engaging premise, and the unrelenting pace is sure to hook thriller fans."
— Booklist
