If you are at all interested in reading about the post Cultural-revolutionary politics in China this is a must read book. The author is a Pen/Faulkner award winner for her first book (short stories). Like Ha Jin she writes in her non-native language. Her characters are so believable and their lives enormously sad except when touched by the kindness of a fellow citizen. This is a chance to learn more about a topic seldom explored in our fiction. Highly recommended.