Linghun by Ai Jiang
The debut novella from speculative short story author Ai Jiang, Linghun is a haunting investigation into home and grief
Linghun is the debut novella from prolific speculative short story author Ai Jiang. The narrative follows Wenqi, who moves to the strange and selective neighbourhood of HOME (Homecoming of Missing Entities) with her grieving parents who yearn to reconnect with the ghost of their deceased son Tianqi. HOME invites hauntings and the desperation to communicate with the dearly departed is palpable.
Interwoven between Wenqi’s story is the perspective of Liam, a lingerer. Lingerers are the unhoused population of HOME, living on the lawns of HOME’s residents hoping someone will move out. When a coveted house does become available, events take place akin to the violent struggle juxtaposed with the sterile bureaucracy of Shirley Jackson’s short story The Lottery. The final perspective in Linghun belongs to the enigmatic Mrs, who lives alone opposite Wenqi’s family and is the subject of much of HOME’s lore.
This is a gothic ghost story like no other. Lexical gaps and misinterpretation feed into a pervasive sadness which lingers over the characters and quiet moments of disconnect and longing. Jiang’s prose is sparse and purposeful, allowing the reader to live in the silences. Linghun explores language not only as a tool for communication but as a way of telling and preserving our stories and heritage. This is integral to the idea of home, not only a place but something we carry with us, much like grief.
