Genre Fiction
![Jenny Tinghui Zhang - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B097NRD5RS.jpg)
Four Treasures of the Sky: A Novel
"Engulfing, bighearted, and heartbreaking." ―Ann Patchett
A propulsive and dazzling debut novel set against the backdrop of the Chinese Exclusion Act, about a Chinese girl fighting to claim her place in the 1880s American West
Daiyu never wanted to be like the tragic heroine for whom she was named, revered for her beauty and cursed with heartbreak. But when she is kidnapped and smuggled across an ocean from China to America, Daiyu must relinquish the home and future she imagined for herself. Over the years that follow, she is forced to keep reinventing herself to survive. From a calligraphy school, to a San Francisco brothel, to a shop tucked into the Idaho mountains, we follow Daiyu on a desperate quest to outrun the tragedy that chases her. As anti-Chinese sentiment sweeps across the country in a wave of unimaginable violence, Daiyu must draw on each of the selves she has been―including the ones she most wants to leave behind―in order to finally claim her own name and story.
At once a literary tour de force and a groundbreaking work of historical fiction, Four Treasures of the Sky announces Jenny Tinghui Zhang as an indelible new voice. Steeped in untold history and Chinese folklore, this novel is a spellbinding feat.
A propulsive and dazzling debut novel set against the backdrop of the Chinese Exclusion Act, about a Chinese girl fighting to claim her place in the 1880s American West
Daiyu never wanted to be like the tragic heroine for whom she was named, revered for her beauty and cursed with heartbreak. But when she is kidnapped and smuggled across an ocean from China to America, Daiyu must relinquish the home and future she imagined for herself. Over the years that follow, she is forced to keep reinventing herself to survive. From a calligraphy school, to a San Francisco brothel, to a shop tucked into the Idaho mountains, we follow Daiyu on a desperate quest to outrun the tragedy that chases her. As anti-Chinese sentiment sweeps across the country in a wave of unimaginable violence, Daiyu must draw on each of the selves she has been―including the ones she most wants to leave behind―in order to finally claim her own name and story.
At once a literary tour de force and a groundbreaking work of historical fiction, Four Treasures of the Sky announces Jenny Tinghui Zhang as an indelible new voice. Steeped in untold history and Chinese folklore, this novel is a spellbinding feat.
Editorial Reviews
A Most Anticipated Book (New York Times Book Review, Washington Post, BookRiot, LitHub, Goodreads, The Millions, Ms. Magazine, She Reads)
"Zhang's transporting story of perseverance in the face of shocking injustice resonates across cultures, and also feels sadly relevant to today's world."
―Washington Post
"Radiant…A treasure of a debut…[Zhang's] first novel reveals storytelling skills both vast and specific, bringing shadowy history to light while also displaying a remarkable talent for sensory detail."
―BookPage (cover story)
"Zhang's debut novel imaginatively illuminates an often overlooked aspect of American history that resonates powerfully today, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and concurrent anti-Asian violence… Zhang's blend of history and magical realism will appeal to fans of Ta-Nehisi Coates' The Water Dancer as well as Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement."
―Booklist (starred review)
"Fierce and moving…Zhang delves into the history of violence and prejudice against Chinese people in the U.S. with her debut, a lyrical and sweeping Bildungsroman…The author skillfully delineates the many characters and offers fascinating details on Chinese calligraphy and literature, along with an unsparing view of white supremacy."
―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Extraordinary…Those who want to learn about a little-known incident in Chinese-American history will be enlightened by this moving debut."
―Library Journal (starred review)
"Jenny Tinghui Zhang has given us characters to love and root for, and she has pinned to the page the daily devastations that they have faced…But what Zhang has also given us is the power of reclamation, of holding the brush in your own hand and telling your own story."
―Triangle House
"Jenny Tinghui Zhang uses her considerable talents to illuminate the shocking injustices the Chinese in this country suffered in the 1800s, and in doing so, makes us stop and consider how much of that cruelty and injustice survive to this day. Four Treasures of the Sky is an engulfing, bighearted, and heartbreaking novel."
―Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House
"An astonishing novel propelled by private and public histories, rich with reflections on self-making, moral calling, great love, and profound injustice. Jenny Tinghui Zhang's writing enthralled me―it is as honed as a needle and as gorgeous as calligraphy."
―Megha Majumdar, author of A Burning
"An exhilarating rush of character, history, and storytelling. This novel of the American West illuminates the horrific realities of the Chinese Exclusion...
"Zhang's transporting story of perseverance in the face of shocking injustice resonates across cultures, and also feels sadly relevant to today's world."
―Washington Post
"Radiant…A treasure of a debut…[Zhang's] first novel reveals storytelling skills both vast and specific, bringing shadowy history to light while also displaying a remarkable talent for sensory detail."
―BookPage (cover story)
"Zhang's debut novel imaginatively illuminates an often overlooked aspect of American history that resonates powerfully today, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and concurrent anti-Asian violence… Zhang's blend of history and magical realism will appeal to fans of Ta-Nehisi Coates' The Water Dancer as well as Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement."
―Booklist (starred review)
"Fierce and moving…Zhang delves into the history of violence and prejudice against Chinese people in the U.S. with her debut, a lyrical and sweeping Bildungsroman…The author skillfully delineates the many characters and offers fascinating details on Chinese calligraphy and literature, along with an unsparing view of white supremacy."
―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Extraordinary…Those who want to learn about a little-known incident in Chinese-American history will be enlightened by this moving debut."
―Library Journal (starred review)
"Jenny Tinghui Zhang has given us characters to love and root for, and she has pinned to the page the daily devastations that they have faced…But what Zhang has also given us is the power of reclamation, of holding the brush in your own hand and telling your own story."
―Triangle House
"Jenny Tinghui Zhang uses her considerable talents to illuminate the shocking injustices the Chinese in this country suffered in the 1800s, and in doing so, makes us stop and consider how much of that cruelty and injustice survive to this day. Four Treasures of the Sky is an engulfing, bighearted, and heartbreaking novel."
―Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House
"An astonishing novel propelled by private and public histories, rich with reflections on self-making, moral calling, great love, and profound injustice. Jenny Tinghui Zhang's writing enthralled me―it is as honed as a needle and as gorgeous as calligraphy."
―Megha Majumdar, author of A Burning
"An exhilarating rush of character, history, and storytelling. This novel of the American West illuminates the horrific realities of the Chinese Exclusion...
