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A dark, magical realist debut family saga that moves through the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, the Cultural Revolution, and the present day to explore the effects of intergenerational trauma, the legacy of colonialism, and the inescapability of fate. Qianze has not seen her father in eleven years, since he walked out of her life the night of her fourteenth birthday and disappeared without a trace. But then she gets a call--there is a man on the porch of her childhood home, and he''s asking for her. This man isn''t the Ba Qianze remembers: he is much older, more fragile, and worst of all, haunted by a half-forgotten prophecy. While Qianze wrestles with what she owes this near-stranger, Ba begins telling stories of his past. From his bloody days as a Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution to his mother''s youth under Japanese occupation, he circles around the prophecy he came to deliver. Qianze has always longed to know more about her family history, but as Ba reveals a past far darker than she could have imagined, she finds herself plagued by strange visions--fox spirits trail her on her evening commute, a terrifying jackalope stalks her nightmares, and the looming prophecy slinks ever closer. Spanning decades and continents, A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing employs a combination of stunningly rendered folklore and atmospheric prose to examine the legacy of colonialism through the eyes of three generations. Alice Evelyn Yang''s debut novel is a story of family and forgiveness, of folklore and fate, that will leave you unsettled and undone.
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"Epic in scope, written with dauntless power and grace, A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing offers an unflinching look at the legacies that continue to haunt one family through a century of reckoning. Alice Evelyn Yang's richly threaded novel sings with artful prose and unforgettable storytelling, reminding us of the promise of redemption, even amid the dark consequences of violence. This is a book that will stir you to your core." - Thao Thai, author of Banyan Moon
"A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing deftly weaves together myth and magic, history of a family and that of a nation. It sheds light on the past that we keep secret-and in so doing, suggests a possibility of redemption." - Juhea Kim, author of Beasts of a Little Land and City of Night Birds
"The sentences in A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing vibrate with the pleasure of poetry, even while they unveil a profound story of a family confronting the darkness of their lineage -- a beautiful ode about their will to survive the, at times terrible, forces of history. Alice Evelyn Yang is a stunning new talent." - Vanessa Chan, author of international bestseller The Storm We Made
"A deftly rendered, engrossing multigenerational work of magical realism that integrates 20th-century Chinese history, complex family ties, and lingering traumas." - Library Journal, (starred review)
"A dark, glittering gem of a book. Yang plumbs the depths of the human heart with sumptuous prose, weaving an enthralling tale of family curses, inheritances, and excavated histories that will stay with readers long afterwards. A novel that haunts and enchants in equal measure." - Gina Chung, author of Sea Change and Green Frog
"A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing is a breathtaking meditation on memory and the quiet violence of history where the past refuses to stay buried. Richly layered and woven intricately with controlled lyricism, Alice Evelyn Yang conjures an unmissable and deeply felt folktale. This is a novel of rare depth and resonance." - Lucy Rose, author of The Lamb
"Hypnotic, visceral, and immersive as a lucid dream. A haunting portrait of the way suffering can ripple through a family. Yang will make you believe in repair after rupture and the power of choosing to return home." - Veena Dinavahi, author of The True Happiness Company
"Singular, incantatory, and heartfelt. In a prismatic tale that blends myth and history through continents, generations, and time, Alice Evelyn Yang's A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing tracks three generations of a family circling the enduring question of how we live with dignity despite the narratives and structures that threaten to crush us at every turn. Yang's steady, unflinching eye on the devastating waves of colonial violence is beautifully balanced with her heart for individual, human struggle, resulting in a story that lingers far beyond its last pages. A debut to savor and watch." - Jemimah Wei, author of The Original Daughter
"A mesmerizing and atmospheric debut, A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing presents an unflinching account of the most painful decades of modern Chinese history. With gorgeous prose and expert storytelling, Alice Evelyn Yang paints an astute portrait of a family cursed by generational trauma yet bound by love. This is a novel that will stay with readers for a long time." - Karissa Chen, author of Homeseeking
