Chronicle of a Blood Merchant: A Novel
“Chronicle of a Blood Merchanttakes us straight to the heartland of China–the towns, streets, courtyards, kitchens, and bedrooms where ordinary Chinese live. They may not be great warriors or politicians, but their courageous efforts in living a life with hope and dignity make them true heroes. This book is a gem.” –Wang Ping, author ofAching for Beauty“A major contemporary novelist, Yu Hua writes with a cold eye but a warm heart, and in a distinctive style that reveals his deep understanding of his subject–the everyday people caught in a sinister web of history and traditions. Filled with telling details and authentic characters, his novels are ingeniously structured and exude a mythical aura. Though unmistakably Chinese, they are universally resonant.” –Ha Jin, author ofWaiting“Chronicle of a Blood Merchantis a mesmerizing book, one that captures the chaos and fragility of life during modern China’s most turbulent years. Yu Hua’s characters bring to life the history, culture, traditions, and superstitions of Mao’s China within a story that is well-plotted, poignant, and dramatic. This examination of a Chinese family’s will to survive will leave readers filled with inspiration.” –Terrence Cheng, author ofSons of Heaven“More than any other Chinese writer of his generation, Yu Hua has a profound understanding of Chinese society and the psychology of Chinese people. InChronicle of a Blood Merchant,he uses his uniquely contemporary and deceptively dispassionate tone, his expansive heart, and succinct, humanistic brushstrokes to convey a wrenching and blackly humorous tale. Long after I closed the book, the character Xu Sanguan has remained stubbornly impressed upon my heart.” –Dai Sijie, author ofBalzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress“Yu Hua captures the simplicities and complexities of Chinese family life over many tumultuous decades. With great love coated in black humor, Yu Hua shows the great goodness and kindness that a father can draw upon even in the face of multiple hardships and the sometimes terrible depths to which he will go to save his family.”—Lisa See, author of On Gold Mountain