by Yan Ge

English Pen Translates Award

Set in a fictional town in West China, this is the story of the Duan-Xue family, owners of the lucrative chilli bean paste factory, and their formidable matriarch. As Gran’s eightieth birthday approaches, her middle-aged children get together to make preparations. Family secrets are revealed and long-time sibling rivalries flare up with renewed vigour. As Shengqiang struggles unsuccessfully to juggle the demands of his mistress and his wife, the biggest surprises of all come from Gran herself……

New in Chinese: The Chilli Bean Paste Clan by YAN Ge, Words Without Borders (Nicky Harman)

“Yan Ge’s writing is outstandingly imaginative… The Chilli Bean Paste Clan delves deep into the pettiness and shortcomings of family relationships, dissecting them with remarkable insight and humour…. Yan Ge is not just a talented story-teller, she is also a versatile stylist, able to put her mastery of the local dialect to excellent use.” —China Literature Media Award judging panel, 2013

“A fascinating glimpse into the life of a dysfunctional family in modern China.”—Marina Lewycka, author of A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian

Translated from the Chinese by Nicky Harman

ISBN: 978-1-911221-22-7
Publication date: 1 May 2018
Format: Paperback (Demy octavo) 216mm x 138mm
Pages: 278 pp