A Hundred Flowers

The year is 1957, and China is very much a land unfriendly to intellectuals and artists of any kind. A teacher named Sheng is sent to a prison camp for writing a letter critical of the Communist Party, leaving his wife to raise a young child who can't understand why his father has disappeared, until a tragic accident changes everything. Tsukiyama's tale of love, loss, and courage is brought to life by Simon Vance. Narrating in a soft, straightforward tone, Vance is understated but renders the characters well. With only minor shifts in tone and dialect, Vance creates well-rounded, and believable characters without even remotely attempting to tackle a Chinese accent. The result is brilliantly realized listening that will have listeners enthralled from start to finish. A St. Martin's hardcover. (Aug.)