"The dreariness so effectively presented in The Funeral Cryer belies its pastel book jacket, and concludes with an idea that’s ultimately stunning in its simplicity... Powerful, building to a climax that won't feel out of place in the ancient dramas."—The New York Times “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.”—Library Journal STARRED review "Lu’s book is a heartwarming story about death, but also life, love and finding hope."—Asian Review of Books
"Subtle and understated […] ultimately very moving."–The Big Issue "A more wry exploration of grief is Wenyan Lu's The Funeral Cryer, 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."–i-D Magazine"I adored The Funeral Cryer 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."–Stacey Thomas, author of The Revels"Wonderful. A deft, humorous exploration of female desire and a forgotten society with a protagonist to love and root for."–Irenosen Okojie, award-winning author of Butterfly Fish"This thought-provoking story will stay with me a long time [...] spectacular."–Diane Billas, author of Does Love Always Win?"[The Funeral Cryer] 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."–Chikodili Emelumadu, author of Dazzling"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."–M.J. Hallows, author of The German Nurse "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."–Yvonne Singh, journalist, editor, and judge of the SI Leeds Literary Prize in 2020"A wonderful story; so moving. A beautifully written, memorable novel."–Kadija George, editor at SABLE LitMag
"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."—Sarah Burton, author of The Strange Adventures of H
"This is 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. It’s a lovely story."—NZ Booklovers
★ 11/01/2023
DEBUT In a small rural village in northeast China, the eponymous narrator of this novel has lived with her husband of over 20 years. Their marriage has not been a happy one, and the husband is often abusive. He also does not work, so, 10 years ago, she got a job as a funeral cryer. While it is traditional to hire a cryer for a Chinese funeral, friends and neighbors consider the narrator bad luck and ostracize her. Her father's care home even forbids her to visit. The funeral cryer's only avenue for socialization comes in the form of her visits to the barber. Beaten down by her world, she has resigned herself to the sameness and joyless existence of her life. When the barber and Hotpot, a recent widow who is pregnant, interrupt this existence, she clings to them, even though she is not sure of her own feelings for them. 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. VERDICT Perfect for literary-fiction fans, especially those who enjoyed other extraordinary novels about ordinary people, such as Lydia Millet's Dinosaurs and Zorrie by Laird Hunt.—Lynnanne Pearson
