The Privileged

What does having it all really mean? A heedlessly driven Taiwanese wife and mother finds out in a gripping and twisty novel about the dark games people play to succeed.

How far would you go to secure the best future for your child?

Chen Yunxian wants more from life than that of a noodle seller’s daughter. Instead, Chen Yunxian goes to college, marries her ambitious first love, Yang Dingguo, and has a bright young son, Peichen, for whom Chen Yunxian will do anything.

But as Yang Dingguo’s career falters and the family’s economic stability begins to shake, a golden opportunity arrives for Peichen. Yang Dingguo’s wealthy boss offers to pay Peichen’s tuition at the most exclusive private school in Taiwan. Chen Yunxian isn’t about to question it—only relish that through her son she has suddenly vaulted into the upper echelons of high society. It comes with fabulous new friends, invitations to the ritziest parties, and enviable, seemingly endless prospects for the future.

As everything Chen Yunxian wanted comes true, so does the alarming suspicion that she and her son are being swept up in something darker than Chen Yunxian agreed to—and that having it all can come with a frightening price.

Author Biography

Wu Xiaole was born in Taichung, Taiwan, and is a graduate of National Taiwan University College of Law. She is the author of several bestselling novels and nonfiction works, including On Children, which was adapted into a five-part series on Netflix; Have I Found You?; Deadly Login; and No Secrets Between Us. She currently resides in Taichung with her husband and two cats.

Michael Berry is a professor of contemporary Chinese cultural studies and director of the Center for Chinese Studies at UCLA. He is the author of several books on Chinese film and culture, including Speaking in Images and A History of Pain. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and has served as a film consultant and a juror for numerous film festivals, including the Golden Horse (Taiwan) and the Fresh Wave (Hong Kong). He is also the translator of numerous novels, including Han Song’s Hospital trilogy. For more information, visit www.michael-berry.com.