The Earthen Gate

Constantly bickering with her shallow friend Brow, beginning correspondence courses she will never finish, helping sage-like Grandpa Cloud Forest with his mystical healing and stealthily avoiding matrimony with her less-than-impressive fiancé Old Ran, Plum's life appears to be puttering along what seems like a tediously predictable path. But then the village home she cherishes comes under threat from big city capitalists and she finds herself thrust into a series of adventures with a mercurial rogue called Chivalry.

Jia Pingwa's The Earthen Gate was an instant bestseller in his native China and now looks set to make waves in its first-ever English translation. This raucous, and at times achingly poignant tale combines earthy humour, ancient wisdom and thrilling action to highlight the impact of creeping urbanisation on traditional country folk.