This is the second volume of Shamley's epic five volume poetic novel, wherein the Chinese move to take over Hong Kong in April 1968. From the assassination of Martin Luther King that sparked riots in the streets of Chicago, to the playful dreams and gender-fencing in Hong Kong around envisioning the Statute of Liberty in a mini-skit, "I Lift My Lamp - I Lift My Skirt," there is the realization that Chairman Mao Tse-t'ung would cut out the heart of the novel's main character, Brad Hemming, as Hemming searches for the murderer of his best friend.
Consume the pages of April Sweet April (Volume Two) in any fashion you see fit. Wolf it down like a greasy hamburger with a bottle of beer. Better still, experience it like a multi-course meal with a glass of Montrachet. Let the strength and power on its lines awaken all of your life-affirming appetites. And when you are done, be prepared to ponder the identity and significance of PONO, NONO and the Pen Fairy. Warning is fair. As you navigate the streams of April in Volume Two you will be stunned, challenged and left breathless. Your breathlessness will lead you on in anticipation of what the characters could possibly do next in April Sweet April (Volume Three) - Remember Su-ma Ch'ien, My Darling (to be released soon).
