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Northern Girls: Life Goes On (China Library) Paperback – June 1, 2016

by Keyi Sheng (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 44 ratings
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Qian Xiaohong is born in a sleepy Hunan village, where the new China rush toward development is a distant rumor. A buxom, naïve 16-year-old, she joins the mass migration to the boomtown of Shenzhen where she navigates dangerous encounters with ruthless bosses, jealous wives, sympathetic hookers and corrupt policemen. Moving through a grinding succession of dead end jobs, Xiaohong finds solace in her close ties with her fellow "northern girls," who quickly learn to rely on each other for humor and the enjoyment of life's simple pleasures. This coming-of-age novel explores the inner lives of a generation of young, rural Chinese women who embark on life-changing journeys in search of something better.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    332 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Viking
  4. Publication date
    June 1, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.6 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0670076163
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0670076161
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Sheng adopts an unusually intimate approach and writes through, and about, women's bodies." —Didi Kirsten Tatlow, columnist

"There’s something very forceful and full-bodied about the language. It’s very physical . . . She’s got a subtlety about what it means to be a woman, that others lack.” —Eric Abrahamsen, translator, publishing consultant, co-founder, paper-republic.org

"With a sense of humor reminiscent of Chinese writer Zhu Wen, and the kind of cruelty seen in author Yu Hua’s novel To Live." —Jiang Yuxia, Global Times

About the Author

Sheng Keyi is a highly regarded writer central to China's literary scene.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Viking (June 1, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 332 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0670076163
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0670076161
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.6 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 44 ratings

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
44 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Bill Burrows
5.0 out of 5 stars Shows the drama of life of migrant girls in Chinese cities
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2014
Verified Purchase
This is a novel with a story line that brings you into contact with several memorable characters and revolves around the things women migrants from rural provinces must do to make a living in large Chinese cities today. I'm not a China expert, but the story seems accurate in picturing the hypocrisy of the Communist Party and the way it is perceived by the masses it claims to be liberating. Most of all, though, the reader gets to know these young women and their men and gain insight into daily life in contemporary China.
4 people found this helpful
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Niala
4.0 out of 5 stars What life is like for a worker in Shenzhen
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2015
Verified Purchase
This book provides a candid view of what it is like to be on the lower rung of the Chinese economic miracle. In spite of the hardship and occasional tragedy, the author breathes optimism. Indispensable reading to match books on the Chinese economy!
4 people found this helpful
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Spencer Graham-Thille
3.0 out of 5 stars Kinda Disappointing, Tbh
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2022
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This book was a little disappointing. I stopped reading after about page 25.
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Em
5.0 out of 5 stars Very compelling
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2018
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A good read for anyone
One person found this helpful
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B. Mackey
1.0 out of 5 stars MIssed the Nuances if There were Any
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2014
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This reader wanted this story to move forward but it never did. Very one dimensional. Perhaps it is the dilemma of young women in China .
2 people found this helpful
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Anonymous
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth a Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2015
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My first direct translation of modern Chinese literature. I thought its narrative of life for the migrant factory workers was an eye-opener.
4 people found this helpful
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Caitlin
5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2013
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I loved the symbolism in this novel and its message not just for women in China, but for women everywhere.
7 people found this helpful
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woodman
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting...and frustrating
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2017
Verified Purchase
An interesting read. Sparse story telling with sometimes jarring similes. English is a second language to this writer and it shows. A fleeting touch of magical realism, coupled with the day to day life of working women in China. Our heroine seems to float with questionable morals through this story. Descriptions can be maddeningly vague, detailing in a few sentences what could be stretched out to give the reader an immersion in the culture and environment of the women in this story. All in all I am glad I read it, but would be wary of attempting another by this author.
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Top reviews from other countries

Mr. Daniel Parrott
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
An interesting look at life in Shenzhen for female migrant labourers in the early years of the 2000s. Certainly more nuanced and interesting than other reviewers above have given it credit for, I am still mulling it over. Maybe it is a dull realist/pessimistic view of China or maybe it is quite a sophisticated examination of an indomitable human. Worth reading anyway
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carol chan
5.0 out of 5 stars An eye opener into life in today's China
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 26, 2013
Verified Purchase
I read this book after hearing the author at the Sydney Writer's Festival. At first I was a bit worried about where it was going, but as I read on I was introduced to the life of a young woman in China today from a poor village and to a completely different way of looking at the world and what is right and wrong. It is beautifully written and Xiaohong's compassion and the struggle she has to remain true to her morals are heart warming.
2 people found this helpful
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Louise Thorpe
3.0 out of 5 stars Good insight to Chinese culture and challenges
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 15, 2014
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Loved the book until halfway through, was gripping start but lost steam towards the end
One person found this helpful
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bookworm
1.0 out of 5 stars a soft p0rn
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
I wasn't expecting a book revolving around a woman's chest and her willingness to sleep around. I threw the book in the bin after 30 minutes of boredom. 30USD wasted.
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CAM
1.0 out of 5 stars One Star
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2014
Verified Purchase
Boring light weight
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