Point of View

These novellas and stories are narrated by a third-person omniscient narrator. In “Aloeswood Incense: The First Brazier” and “Jasmine Tea” the narrator speaks to the reader as a storyteller sharing a verbal story. For instance, the introduction to “Aloeswood Incense” includes this statement: “Listen while I tell a Hong Kong tale, from before the war. When your incense has burned out, my story too will be over” (7). “I” refers to the storyteller or narrator while “your” refers to the reader. “Jasmine Tea” is written in a similar way. It begins: “This pot of jasmine tea that I’ve brewed for you may be somewhat bitter; this Hong Kong tale that I’m about to tell you may be, I’m afraid, just as bitter” (79). The stories are told in the past tense. The only one with any significant reference to the actual date is “Love...