WINNER OF THE SOCIETY OF AUTHORS'' McKITTERICK PRIZE 2024
***''A refreshing perspective on mourning, as well as a moving tale of a social outcast'' - i-D Magazine***
***''Subtle and understated [...] ultimately very moving'' - The Big Issue***
***A fascinating glimpse into how [rural women''s] lives are still led'' - Dorset Magazine***
Is it ever too late to change your life?
Elegant, wry and moving, The Funeral Cryer tells the tale of one woman''s mid-life re-awakening in contemporary rural China and proves that it''s never too late to alter your fate.
The Funeral Cryer long ago accepted the mundane realities of her life: avoided by fellow villagers because of the stigma attached to her job as a professional mourner and under-appreciated by The Husband, whose fecklessness has pushed the couple close to the brink of break-up. But just when things couldn''t be bleaker, The Funeral Cryer takes a leap of faith - and in so doing things start to take a surprising turn for the better . . .
Dark, moving and wry, The Funeral Cryer is both an illuminating depiction of a ''left behind'' society - and proof that it''s never too late to change your life.
What readers have been saying about The Funeral Cryer:
''A beautiful, thought-provoking book [...] incredibly humorous'' - J. Wells, Five-star Reader Review
''A stunning debut'' - Stacey, Five-star Reader Review
''A first person narrative that shows how the life of a middle-aged woman working as a funeral cryer in China is deeply linked to the people who touch her life and the way they treat her.'' - Kate Poels, Five-star Reader Review
''A remarkable novel that explores themes of marriage, family relationships, elderly care, and gender equality [...] this book offers a unique reading experience and an opportunity for deep
