DebutnovelistWenyanLubringsusthiswittyyetprofoundstoryaboutonewoman’smidlifereawakeningincontemporaryruralChina,forfansofYiyunLiandJulieOtsuka.TheFuneralCryerlongagoacceptedthemundanerealitiesofherlife:avoidedbyfellowvillagersbecauseofthestigmaattachedtoherjobandunderappreciatedbyherhusband,whosefecklessnesshaspushedthecoupleclosetothebrinkofbreakup.Butjustwhenthingscouldn’tbebleaker,shetakesaleapoffaith--andinsodoing,thingsstarttotakeasurprisingturnforthebetter.Dark,movingandwry,TheFuneralCryerisbothanilluminatingdepictionofa“leftbehind“society--andproofthatit’snevertoolatetochangeyourlife.
