Dream of the Red Chamber is a brilliant novel, but it can be hard to read. That’s because Cao Xueqin writes his characters from the perspective of a detached observer. I want to add more of their inner feelings and try interpreting this towering masterpiece in the first person. I’m taking liberties with a classic for two reasons. First, Cao Xueqin’s Red Chamber really is “marvelous.” Second, I’ve hit a wall with my first book and am going stir-crazy, so I’m doing this to pass the time.
