Home › China - 20th Century › Under Fishbone Clouds

Under Fishbone Clouds

by Sam Meekings

Love and family through a changing China

Regular price $22.49 USD
Regular price $35.15 USD Sale price $22.49 USD
Save 36%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

Awards & Recognition

  • Critical praise

    Praise from Amy Tan

    Amy Tan praises the novel as powerful, mesmerizing, and a masterful accomplishment. The bestseller description a...

AlbakiReads Editorial

Love and family through a changing China

A divine question about the human heart frames the lives of Jinyi and Yuying, from the beginnings of their love into old age. The Kitchen God observes how political upheaval and government strictures divide their family, while famine, forced labor, bereavement, homesickness, and isolation shape their shared life. This family saga places an intimate marriage within the history and cultural context of China during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Its mythological frame connects the couple’s personal story to a broader inquiry into how love endures amid loss and social change.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in family sagas set against modern Chinese history.
  • Readers who enjoy stories combining mythology with intimate relationships.
  • Readers seeking fiction about love, separation, and endurance through hardship.

Themes

Love and marriageFamily separation and lossModern Chinese historyMyth and human natureResilience amid hardship

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

"An unlikely love story set against the events of the last half-century in China . . . a poetic evocation of the country and its people." --The New York Times

When the Kitchen God is challenged by the Jade Emperor to fathom the workings of the human heart, he chooses to trace the lives of Jinyi and his wife, Yuying, from their blossoming love until their old age, in hope of finding an answer. The Kitchen God watches as government strictures split their family in two, living inside their hearts as they endure the losses of two children, homesickness, and isolation--all while keeping alive a love that survives famine, forced labor, and even death.

Under Fishbone Clouds is a universal romance, a family saga, and a journey through Chinese history, myth, and culture. Following a young couple as their love grows and is tested during Mao's Cultural Revolution, this elegant debut novel provides a rare and personal glimpse into the birth of modern China.

"A powerful and mesmerizing novel, both mythic and intimate. . . . a masterful accomplishment of imagination, insight, and lyricism." --Amy Tan, New York Times-bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews