Talented writer and director Xiaolu Guo was born towards the end of the tumultuous Cultural Revolution in China, a period marked by significant social and political upheaval. As a young adult, Guo made the bold decision to relocate to the United Kingdom at the age of 29, securing a prestigious scholarship to pursue a film course.
This pivotal move marked a turning point in Guo's writing career, as she chose to write in English in order to expand her readership and reach a wider audience. This decision was motivated by the limited options available for readers to access her work in its original form or in translation.
Guo's early life was marked by a sense of displacement and uncertainty. Raised by her grandparents in a poor fishing village, she didn't have the opportunity to meet her parents until the age of almost seven, when they took her away to a worker compound in Wenling. Despite these challenges, Guo persevered and worked hard to secure a spot as a film student in Beijing.
During her time in Beijing, Guo continued to hone her craft, publishing poems inspired by the American writer Frank O'Hara and short stories. She also wrote for a soap opera program, further developing her skills as a storyteller.
Guo's novels are influenced by the French nouveau roman and other experimental fiction of the 1960s, characterized by their use of distance, fragmentation, and spareness. This unique style allows readers to fill in the gaps and engage with the narrative on a deeper level, making it a distinctive and thought-provoking reading experience.
Throughout her career, Guo has been driven by a desire to push boundaries and challenge conventional storytelling techniques. Her writing is a testament to her creativity, resilience, and unwavering commitment to her craft.
