Fiction set in China/Hong Kong?

[Mummyinthedark]

Any ideas for fiction set in this part of the world to give me some "themed" reading for a trip? (Not Wild Swans!)
thanks!

i read white ghosts but gave up on it.

A very old but good story is The good earth by Pearl Buck, or memoirs of a geisha girl, or snow flowers and the secret fan. I also like The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen Gods Wife by Amy Tan

The Bone Setters Daughter also by Amy Tan.

Just thinking of a few more! Sour Sweet and The Monkey King by Timothy Mo, two books about Hong Kong Chinese families, one set in Hong Kong and the other in London.

The good women of china. Brilliant.

I fancied the Pearl Buck and was irritated to find that you can't get it as a kindle download.

Who wrote the Good Women of China Mama?

The Piano Teacher which I loved ,found very evocative of Hong Kong and I had lived there 12 yrs ago.Its a beautiful but sad love story.

Fragrant Harbour by John Lanchester
Gweilo by Martin Booth, which is Non Fiction but very evocative of the time/place

Have a search on the site, there have been some great recommendations.

'Who wrote the Good Women of China'

Xinran.

Do you like 'old China' or this century?

Have a look at this thread from a little while ago. There's quite a lot of recommendations for books set in China.

I read Shanghai Girls over the summer and thought it was beautiful.

The hungry ghosts

I loved shanghai girls - dreams of joy out now which is the sequel

the garlic ballads - set in the 80s, sad and riveting

Another vote for Fragrant Harbour, very good.
Also Old Filth by Jane Gardam and its companion volume, The Man in the Wooden Hat.

The Honourable Schoolboy by John Le Carre - a lot of it is set in HK. I second the Timothy Mo books - both are great.

There's a book called The Ginger Tree by Oswald Wynd which starts off in early 20th century China (and ends in Japan) and is amazing.

Just remembered another one - Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin. True story - set mostly in China. I found it very very moving. And an easy read too.

Just popped back, thanks for all the great ideas. I had forgotten The Honourable Schoolboy, it's great!

Wishing you all excellent luck in the Year of the Dragon,

MITD x