WINNER OF THE 2010 MAN ASIAN LITERARY PRIZE From the petty treachery of the village to the slogans of the Cultural Revolution and the harried pace of city life, three sisters strive to change the course of their destinies in a China that does not truly belong to them. mi, the eldest, struggles to retain dignity as her ideal marriage falters. xiu relies on her talent for seduction. And, yang, the youngest, lays her hope in her own intelligence, securing the education that her sisters were denied. A breathtaking account of the challenges facing women in Communist China and of the bonds and ruptures of sisterhood. One of China's best contemporary novelists, Bi Fei has created an insightful portrait of China' -- Yin Li. 'A profound, illuminating novel' -- Nicole Mones. 'A thrilling family epic' -- Xiaolu Guo. 'A moving exploration of Chinese family and village life during the Cultural Revolution that moves seamlessly between the epic and the intimate, the heroic and the petty, illuminating not only individual lives but an entire society, within a gripping tale of familial conflict and love.' -- Judges of the Man Asian Literary Prize, 2011. 'Bi Fei's account of three sisters struggling to survive in the aftermath of China's Cultural Revolution is a complex moral tale that also illuminates the country's rise from sleeping tiger to global power' -- Independent. 'An unyielding critique of the emotional fallout of China's Cultural Revolution' -- Metro 'Genuinely moving … A stunning portrayal of women's lives in China' -- Socialist Review. 'This is a China that few Westerners know. Bi Fei makes it real and believable in this charming, surprising novel.' -- Washington Post. 'Bi's compelling and unsentimental book tackles myriad subjects, such as power and corruption, love and betrayal, civil duty and personal sacrifice, and conflict between the rural and urban worlds. It draws a meticulous picture of a transitioning village in '70s China, and in so doing, Bi has created memorable characters ... Masterful storytelling' -- San Francisco Chronicle. 'A spell-binding tale of love and hatred, defeat and victory, resignation and redemption' -- William Poy Lee