The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee is a captivating historical novel set in 1940s and 1950s Hong Kong, a city torn apart by war and its aftermath. This elegantly crafted tale weaves together love, betrayal, and resilience against the backdrop of World War II and its lingering scars. The story follows Claire Pendleton, a newly arrived Englishwoman who takes up a position as a piano teacher for the wealthy Chen family. As she becomes entangled in an affair with Will Truesdale, a mysterious and enigmatic former prisoner of war, secrets from the past begin to unfold—exposing the moral dilemmas and haunting sacrifices made during the Japanese occupation. Lyrical, poignant, and deeply moving, The Piano Teacher transports readers into a world of forbidden passion and the lasting consequences of war.