This was such an unexpected, playful, thoughtful, and informative book. It reads more like a non-fiction story rather than a novel, perhaps because it’s hard to tell at times how much is based on the author’s actual life. And perhaps also because there is so much really history here.
On the surface, this is the story of a middle-aged, somewhat successful Taiwanese author tracking down his father’s missing bicycle. It’s been years since his father disappeared along with the bicycle and when the narrator finds a lead on the bicycle, he pursues it, hoping for some closure for the family left behind.
This is only a part of the book though. There is also a history of bicycles in Taiwan, both ones made locally and imported. There is Taiwan during the war, and Taiwan before. There are small villages and mythologies that grow up around them. There are stories of relationships and particularly of those who love and seek to restore the artifacts of history. There’s also a theme of elephants running throughout.
It’s a strange novel because it’s not really plot-driven or character-driven. We move around between characters and places and times too much to feel fully attached to any of them. Which isn’t to say I didn’t care about all of them. It’s a deeply emotional novel and the author’s skill lies in making you care about so much information being presented.
If you’re someone interested in history or passionate about the restoration of the artifacts of history, I recommend this book.
Karissa Reads Books 
What an unexpected and interesting review! I’ll add this to my list.
My library now has The Husbands, too, which you also recommended.
I hope you like it! It wasn’t at all what I thought it would be but I really enjoyed it.
I absolutely know the kind of book you’re talking about. They’re not slice of life, they’re not about a character, they’re not about a plot, they’re more like an experience.
Yes, an experience! It sort of feels like peeking into someone’s private notebook, even including little sketches and asides.
I’m just in awe of how unique this book sounds! So different from anything I’ve ever really heard of before…
Yeah, it’s a hard one to classify. It’s a novel but feels like a memoir in parts and a historical textbook in others.
[…] The Stolen Bicycle – Wu Ming-Yi (Text Publishing, 2017) (translated from Mandarin by Darryl Sterk) […]