Habit of a Foreign Sky: A Novel

Habit of a Foreign Sky: A Novel

Somewhere between Hong Kong and New York, life does an abrupt shift for Gail Szeto, when her mother, her last family member, is killed in an accident. For Gail, a mixed-race, single mother who had buried her young son less than two years prior, all she has left is a hard-won career at a global investment bank. Life rapidly goes into free fall for this woman with a complicated past, who was once so sure of her direction in life, who can now see no clear future path. Shortlisted for the inaugural Man Asian Literary Prize, this novel offers a an international cast of characters in New York, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Review

"Gail is a satisfyingly contradictory creation, trying to do the right thing and frequently failing, and not in ways that the story can offer convenient excuses." --South China Morning Post: Oct 3, 2010 by Richard Lord

"Gail Szeto is a character who will become, as Becky Sharp became for Regency England, a symbol of a whole Hong Kong generation." --Asian Review of Books: Nov 13, 2010 by Nigel Collett

"This smart, eloquent, cosmopolitan novel . . . is a scintillating accomplishment." --Don Lee, author

"At the center of the novel is a riveting character . . . recognizable, daunting and beautifully drawn." --Rosellen Brown, novelist

"Xu Xi has a kaleidoscopic gaze and turns this to dazzling effect on each of the characters she explores." --Jill Dawson, novelist

• Paperback: 281 pages
• Publisher: Haven Books (October 16, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 988189672X
• ISBN-13: 978-9881896728
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.7 x 8.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces