A New Yorker Best Book of 2022 An Economist Best Book of 2022 "Engaging, informative and – considering the ground it covers in 135 pages – astonishingly nuanced,
The Subplot primes us to dig into her list of suggested further reading."
–The Wall Street Journal "A lively, lucid survey of contemporary Chinese fiction.... Walsh delivers a wry cornucopia, inviting for general readers who don't know Mo Yan from Han Han."
–The New York Times "Illuminating...offers a superb introduction to Chinese publishing and the clever, subversive ways it's thriving."
–Ron Charles, The Washington Post "A wonderful, pacy tour of contemporary Chinese literature."
–The Economist "A portal into people's hearts and minds by exploring contemporary Chinese literature."
–GlobalAsia "Concise and fast-paced....
The Subplot will make you want to read more Chinese fiction."
–The New Statesman "An illuminating insight into the web fiction, sci-fi and subtle dissent read by one-fifth of humanity."
–Financial Times "A sharp, revealing portrait of contemporary China.... Elegantly written and fascinating."
–Adam Foulds, author of The Quickening Maze "An eye-opening glimpse into China's 'intentionally hazy' authoritarian political climate of censorship and propaganda.... A succinct, fascinating overview of literary ambivalence in China."
–Kirkus Reviews "Drawing on a rich field of research,
The Subplot not only crosses the language barrier, opening a window for the world to see contemporary Chinese literature, but it could also be an invaluable record for young Chinese people, both in China and overseas, to think about how society is affected by China's fast-pace of change."
–Xinran, author of The Good Women of China "In
The Subplot, Megan Walsh showcases the diversity and vitality of contemporary Chinese literature. With economy and wit, she shows us why it's so necessary to read literature to understand the story of China today."
–Angie Baecker, University of Hong Kong "A jaw-dropping look at what mainland Chinese are reading right now. Megan Walsh tells us why, in this time of China's economic ascension, its literature is both liberating–and soul-crushing."
–Jan Wong, author of Red China Blues "We are what we read. As China is rising, people are naturally interested in what the Chinese are reading. This overview of the literature in China offers an interesting perspective of a country that is reshaping the world."
–Lijia Zhang, author of the novel Lotus and of Socialism Is Great!: A Worker's Memoir of China
