The first half of The Secret Sounds of Kucha (Chapters 1–5) tells the story of Lin Wei, a scholar of Kucha music and dance who sets out to save her father. Using her gift for synesthesia, she maneuvers among three rival factions to lock away the “Sound Devourer.” In the end, she sacrifices herself, transforming the demon into rain. The people are saved, but she loses herself forever. The story is eerie and fantastical, with a touch of science fiction.
The second half, beginning with Chapter 6, is a modern romance about the tangled love and hate between Azina, a cave guardian, and Zhou Lin, a mural restorer. Their romance is heart-wrenching, while a jade carving binds two generations of hopeless romantics. True love cuts deep, and the story delivers plenty of thrills.
