There’s
a scene in Boxers where Bao sees a
girl whose face resembles one of the masks found in the operas he loves. Saints
is the story of that girl. Four-Girl finds herself learning about Christianity
and is visited by a spirit (see the cover of the novel) who inspires the role
she wishes to take in the church. I don’t want to say more because I was
pleasantly surprised by many of the events in this work.
Like
Boxers, Saints uses color to emphasize certain aspects of the story. There
are no colors other than shades of beige, white, and gray, and the occasional
gold to represent the spirits. Even the blood is a muted shade, unlike its
vibrancy in Boxers.
While
I like both books and like their pairing even better, I do like the story of Saints just a little bit more. Perhaps
it’s the female protagonist or the special gift she gives Bao. Four-Girl never
seems to be taken in by someone else’s wishes or doctrine, and her spiritual
guide is more of a guide. And she is alone, unlike Bao who manages for a time
to have a supportive group of brothers. Four-Girl must also deal with her
society’s gender expectations—and her own. Or maybe it’s just because as a
Catholic, I am painfully aware of my religion’s own shortcomings and its
beauty. Yang straddles both worlds as he discusses in this New York Times interview.
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