LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2026

A dark, folkloric family saga that moves through history to the present day, exploring the legacy of colonialism and how pain echoes through generations.

Qianze has not seen her father—her Ba—in eleven years, since he walked out of her life the night of her fourteenth birthday. But then she gets a call—there is a man on the porch of her childhood home, and he’s asking for her. This man isn’t the Ba Qianze remembers: he’s aged beyond recognition, struggling with dementia and alcoholism, and worst of all, haunted by a half-forgotten prophecy.

While Qianze wrestles with what she owes this near-stranger, Ba unveils fragments of their family history, from his bloody days as a Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution to his mother’s youth in Manchuria under Japanese occupation. Soon Qianze finds herself plagued by strange visions—fox spirits trail her on her evening commute, a terrifying jackalope stalks her nightmares, and the looming prophecy slinks ever closer.

Told through the eyes of three generations, A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing is a glimmering tale about forgiveness, inheritance, and the inescapability of fate.

"This is a story about the monsters we inherit and those we create…I was spellbound from the first page." — Naomi Xu Elegant, author of Gingko Season.

“This is a book that will stir you to your core." — Thao Thai, author of Banyan Moon.

"A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing is a breathtaking meditation on memory and the quiet violence of history where the past refuses to stay buried…this is a novel of rare depth and resonance." — Lucy Rose, author of The Lamb.