Good Children of the Flower

Decades after successful Chinese writer Hong Ying escaped the slums of her childhood, she discovers that time and distance cannot protect her from the past.

When word of her mother’s imminent death reaches Hong Ying in London, she races home to Chongqing only to find she’s too late. While she tries to come to terms with her estranged mother’s passing, she must navigate her family’s delicate social structure—and their long-held silence. Soon Hong Ying starts to ask unwelcome questions, and as old secrets are exposed, she must face not only what is revealed but also her own choices in love and marriage during the many years of her absence.

In this bittersweet memoir, internationally bestselling author Hong Ying explores trauma, forgiveness, and truth—and attempts to reconcile her painful memories with the beautiful life she hopes to create.

Hong Ying was born in Chongqing, China, and began her writing career as a poet. In 1990, she relocated to London and authored over a dozen books, some of which have been adapted for television or film. She is best known in the English-speaking world for Daughter of the River, Summer of Betrayal, and K: The Art of Love. Her memoir, Daughter of the River, has been translated into thirty languages, and K: The Art of Love won the Premio Letterario Merck Award in 2005. Hong Ying currently resides in Beijing.

Gary Xu is a scholar, author, translator, and art curator. He is a professor of the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Illinois.

Shelly Bryant divides her year between Shanghai and Singapore, working as a poet, writer, and translator. She is the author of seven volumes of poetry, a pair of travel guides for the cities of Suzhou and Shanghai, and a book on classical Chinese gardens. Bryant’s poetry has appeared in journals, magazines, and websites around the world, as well as in several art exhibitions. Her translation of Sheng Keyi’s Northern Girls was long-listed for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2012.

Nick Brown is a London-based musician and translator. Through his work in both fields, Brown has explored the languages and cultures of Europe, Asia, and North America.