"Cocoon is a stupendous novel, a beautiful and formidable achievement on the grandest scale. Its ruthless psychological realism is wondrously amplified by Zhang Yueran’s magical powers of description. Zhang Yueran’s scenes and images have an unworldly gleam of both hard-won insight and timeless truth. The novel is a triumph.” —IAN McEWAN, author of the international bestseller Atonement

 “In a novel by the young writer Zhang Yueran, two old friends confront the legacy of China’s tumultuous past. Ms. Zhang’s focus and finesse—plus the rhythmic subtlety of Mr. Tiang’s English prose—make this novel a luminous gateway into current Chinese fiction for readers seeking an entry-point.”—Boyd Tonkin, Wall Street Journal

 “Zhang dazzles with an intricately crafted web of secrets centered on two childhood friends in China. In lyrical prose, Zhang deeply humanizes her leads as they look to the past in an effort to understand themselves. It adds up to a remarkable and tragic story of family and community.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Cheng Gong and Li Jiaqi go way back. Both hailing from dysfunctional families, they grew up together in a Chinese provincial capital in the 1980s. Now, many years later, the childhood friends reunite and discover how much they still have in common. Both have always been determined to follow the tracks of their grandparents’ generation to the heart of a mystery that perhaps should have stayed buried. What exactly happened during that rainy night in 1967, in the abandoned water tower? Zhang Yueran’s layered and hypnotic prose reveals much about the unshakable power of friendship and the existence of hope. Hers is a unique fresh voice representing a new generation of important young writers from China, shedding a different light on the country’s recent past.

In this literary thriller, two friends, born in the 1980s, seek to understand the experiences of their parents and grandparents during one of the most turbulent periods in Chinese history and the terrible crime that connects their families. Cheng Gong and Li Jiaqi go way back. Both hailing from dysfunctional families, they grew up together in a Chinese provincial capital in the 1980s. Now, many years later, the childhood friends reunite and discover how much they still have in common. Both have always been determined to follow the tracks of their grandparents' generation to the heart of a mystery that perhaps should have stayed buried. What exactly happened during that rainy night in 1967, in the abandoned water tower? Zhang Yueran's layered and hypnotic prose reveals much about the unshakable power of friendship and the existence of hope. Hers is a unique fresh voice representing a new generation of important young writers from China, shedding a different light on the country's recent past.

"The twists and absurdities of Chinese history circle each other across time. In the most personal way, Cocoon charts a pathway through individual and collective memory, through the most hidden fissures and bonds between young people and their parents. With exquisite, precise and lyrical language, the novel sets the benchmark for younger authors seeking to write about history and individuals, proving once again that Zhang Yueran's writing surpasses and distinguishes itself from that of her contemporaries." -Yan Lianke

"Zhang Yueran is one of the most exciting new Chinese writers. Her work is original and thought-provoking, and her writing style is of a mature, well-rounded nature. The world needs an engagement with China more than ever at the moment that goes beyond the stereotypes and well-trodden genres, to develop genuine links and understanding." -FRANCES WEIGHTMAN, Director of The Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing

"This novel on the ghosts of the Cultural Revolution reveals a talented young Chinese writer in Zhang Yueran." -Transfuge

"A great and beautiful novel, from one of the promising pens of contemporary China." -Image, Demain le monde

"With finesse, and mastery of the two-voiced storytelling technique, Zhang Yueran unlocks, pries open, explores the intricate depths of broken couples, of imploded families, and of scarred generations who inherit the abuses of their ancestors." -Libération

"With mastery of the art of suspense, Zhang Yueran skilfully brings together the pieces of a scattered puzzle." -Télérama

"This book is a raging fire." -Le Nouveau Magazine Littéraire

"Without ever falling into pathos, Zhang Yueran paints an incisive portrait of a generation scarred by decisions made in the dark hours of history." -Le Courrier Suisse