The Funeral Cryer

Originally from Shanghai China Wenyan Lu is the winner of the SI Leeds Literary Prize 2020. Wenyan holds a Master of Studies in Creative Writing as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing from the University of Cambridge. Her unpublished historical novel <i>The Martyr's Hymn</i> was also longlisted for SI Leeds Literary Prize 2018 and Bridport First Novel Prize 2019. <b>***'A refreshing perspective on mourning as well as a moving tale of a social outcast' - <i>i-D Magazine***</i></b><br><b></b><br><b>***'Subtle and understated [...] ultimately very moving' - <i>The Big Issue</i>***</b><br><b></b><br><b>***A fascinating glimpse into how [rural women's] lives are still led' - <i>Dorset Magazine</i>***</b><br><b></b><br><b>Is it ever too late to change your life?</b><br><b></b><br><b>Elegant wry and moving <i>The Funeral Cryer</i> 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</b>.<br><br>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 . . . <br><br>Dark moving and wry <i>The Funeral Cryer</i> is both an illuminating depiction of a 'left behind' society - and proof that it's never too late to change your life.<br><br><b>What readers have been saying about <i>The Funeral Cryer</i>:</b><br><br>'A<b> beautiful thought-provoking</b> book [...] <b>incredibly humorous</b>' - J. Wells Five-star Reader Review<br><br><b>'A stunning debut'</b> - Stacey Five-star Reader Review<br><br>'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<br><br>'A <b>remarkable novel</b> that explores themes of marriage family relationships elderly care and gender equality [...] this book offers <b>a unique reading experience and an opportunity for deep contemplation</b>.' - Rui Five-star Reader Review<br><br>'<b>Excellent literary fiction.</b> [...] Simultaneously the story speaks to the rural economic desperation the separation of town and country they way the young move to the cities and are often left with no other option to finance themselves than selling themselves. The huge discrepancy between the haves and have-nots is very evident.' - Cheryl M-M Five-star Reader Review <b>An Yu's<i> Braised Pork </i>meets Flaubert's <i>Madame Bovary</i> in this wry and moving tale of one woman's mid-life re-awakening in contemporary rural China</b>. A more wry exploration of grief is Wenyan Lu's <i>The Funeral Cryer</i> about a professional mourner in rural China. Oscillating between tragedy and comedy Wenyan's novel is a refreshing perspective on mourning as well as a moving tale of a social outcast. <b>a fascinating glimpse into how [rural women's] lives are still led</b>. I adored <i>The Funeral Cryer </i>about a professional mourner. The prose is elegant and restrained yet still manages to convey the protagonist's anger that simmers between the pages like a dormant volcano. Highly recommend this stunning debut. Wonderful. A deft humorous exploration of female desire and a forgotten society with a protagonist to love and root for. This thought-provoking story will stay with me a long time [...] spectacular. <b>In haunting elegiac prose Wenyan Lu paints a world and profession that few of us are aware of in contemporary rural China. How a professional mourner a manipulator of emotions wrestles with her own midlife crisis is at turns both tragic and comic and has wide resonance beyond its rural setting. </b> It is an exquisite wholesome and insightful read about a China which many of us might never otherwise have a chance to visit. A jolly good book. A wonderful story; so moving. A beautifully written memorable novel. A fascinating exploration of another culture. The eponymous character shows us about life in rural China with a unique voice that can be both wry and heartbreaking. Through her interactions with the other villagers we get a glimpse of what life is like away from the big city. ...a captivating tale [...] China-born Lu adeptly weaves the age-old themes of filial piety and loyalty into the fabric of the story highlighting the clash between tradition and modernity in her remote village setting. A fascinating insight into domestic rural life in China today. Lu's choice of heroine is perfect: the funeral cryer is shunned and scorned by the very people who require her services her resultant marginal and ambiguous social position giving her a unique window on the world around her. Her questions about her own life echo wider concerns about the persistence of traditional culture in modern China as she negotiates being a good mother a good daughter and a good wife in a bad marriage. Enlightening [...] a moving story which sheds light on what life is like in modern rural China the mixing of modern and traditional customs and the bonds of love responsibility and loyalty that underpin everyday lives. The title character's wry sad and insightful inner voice is the star here. Her meditations on grief death love and duty are full of poetry and longing. Perfect for literary-fiction fans especially those who enjoyed other extraordinary novels about ordinary people such as Lydia Millet's <i>Dinosaurs</i> and <i>Zorrie</i> by Laird Hunt. A more wry exploration of grief is Wenyan Lu's <i>The Funeral Cryer</i> about a professional mourner in rural China. Oscillating between tragedy and comedy Wenyan's novel is a refreshing perspective on mourning as well as a moving tale of a social outcast. <b>a fascinating glimpse into how [rural women's] lives are still led</b>. I adored <i>The Funeral Cryer </i>about a professional mourner. The prose is elegant and restrained yet still manages to convey the protagonist's anger that simmers between the pages like a dormant volcano. Highly recommend this stunning debut. Wonderful. A deft humorous exploration of female desire and a forgotten society with a protagonist to love and root for. This thought-provoking story will stay with me a long time [...] spectacular. <b>In haunting elegiac prose Wenyan Lu paints a world and profession that few of us are aware of in contemporary rural China. How a professional mourner a manipulator of emotions wrestles with her own midlife crisis is at turns both tragic and comic and has wide resonance beyond its rural setting. </b> It is an exquisite wholesome and insightful read about a China which many of us might never otherwise have a chance to visit. A jolly good book. A wonderful story; so moving. A beautifully written memorable novel. A fascinating exploration of another culture. The eponymous character shows us about life in rural China with a unique voice that can be both wry and heartbreaking. Through her interactions with the other villagers we get a glimpse of what life is like away from the big city. ...a captivating tale [...] China-born Lu adeptly weaves the age-old themes of filial piety and loyalty into the fabric of the story highlighting the clash between tradition and modernity in her remote village setting. A fascinating insight into domestic rural life in China today. Lu's choice of heroine is perfect: the funeral cryer is shunned and scorned by the very people who require her services her resultant marginal and ambiguous social position giving her a unique window on the world around her. Her questions about her own life echo wider concerns about the persistence of traditional culture in modern China as she negotiates being a good mother a good daughter and a good wife in a bad marriage. Enlightening [...] a moving story which sheds light on what life is like in modern rural China the mixing of modern and traditional customs and the bonds of love responsibility and loyalty that underpin everyday lives. The title character's wry sad and insightful inner voice is the star here. Her meditations on grief death love and duty are full of poetry and longing. Perfect for literary-fiction fans especially those who enjoyed other extraordinary novels about ordinary people such as Lydia Millet's <i>Dinosaurs</i> and <i>Zorrie</i> by Laird Hunt.