57
edits
Aya Katz: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
no edit summary
JuliaHanna (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
JuliaHanna (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
''Our Lady of Kaifeng: Part One (Volume 1)'' is the second novel Aya Katz has written for an adult audience. This novel was inspired by Katz's experiences teaching at a Catholic university in Taiwan. This first part of this series takes place at the private Catholic girls' school Precious Blossoms in Kaifeng, China. Marah teaches business English to her female students, but she discusses historical figures such as Bonnie and Clyde, much to the consternation of the sisters who want her to stick to a more regimented curriculum. Overall, the first installment is apolitical in comparison to Katz's other novels, but religion, individual learning styles, and love and limerence are dissected. The idea of love and limerence harkens back to the novel ''The Few Who Count'' regarding internal motivation. One-sided love is often dismissed as being unrequited, but can be fulfilling to those who truly care for a person who may not reciprocate. Also, the idea of love and limerence can be also be applied to the concept of a deity since the faithful cannot see the God they pray to, which is a concept discussed in this novel. | ''Our Lady of Kaifeng: Part One (Volume 1)'' is the second novel Aya Katz has written for an adult audience. This novel was inspired by Katz's experiences teaching at a Catholic university in Taiwan. This first part of this series takes place at the private Catholic girls' school Precious Blossoms in Kaifeng, China. Marah teaches business English to her female students, but she discusses historical figures such as Bonnie and Clyde, much to the consternation of the sisters who want her to stick to a more regimented curriculum. Overall, the first installment is apolitical in comparison to Katz's other novels, but religion, individual learning styles, and love and limerence are dissected. The idea of love and limerence harkens back to the novel ''The Few Who Count'' regarding internal motivation. One-sided love is often dismissed as being unrequited, but can be fulfilling to those who truly care for a person who may not reciprocate. Also, the idea of love and limerence can be also be applied to the concept of a deity since the faithful cannot see the God they pray to, which is a concept discussed in this novel. | ||
In March 2016, Aya Katz published the sequel ''Our Lady of Kaifeng: Courtyard of the Happy Way (Volume 2)'' that follows the continuing adventures of Marah and the sisters and students now living in a Japanese internment camp for westerners. Commandant Izu runs the camp and wants everyone to be happy and get along, but Marah does not agree with his socialistic ideals, or those of all the utopian thinkers now foisted together into such close quarters. This novel is a metaphor for society in general | In March 2016, Aya Katz published the sequel ''Our Lady of Kaifeng: Courtyard of the Happy Way (Volume 2)'' that follows the continuing adventures of Marah, Sesame, Father Horvath, and the sisters and students now living in a Japanese internment camp for westerners. Commandant Izu runs the camp and wants everyone to be happy and get along, but Marah does not agree with his socialistic ideals, or those of all the utopian thinkers now foisted together into such close quarters. This novel is a metaphor for society in general and analyzes how true contentment can only be achieved with the freedom to pursue individual dreams, which are often curtailed by group think. | ||