0708, 2008, 2009, 2009 read, adaptation, age gap in relationship, alien, asia, asian experience, betrayal, bildungsroman, book club, brutal reality, china, chinese contemporary literature, coming of age, conservative attitudes, contemporary, contemporary fiction, cultural differences, cultural gulf, culture clash, dictionary, doomed lovers, doomed relationships, edgy, education, english, ethnicity, fiction, first novel, friendship, growing up, hope, humour, i.should.b.reading, immigrant experience, immigrant fiction, immigration, indigenous groups, inspirational, intercultural communications, japan/china, journal, journey, kindle, kindle edition, language, learning, learning language, liberal attitudes, library, life lessons, literature, london, loss, love, makeover challenge, memories, modern china, national character, obseration, orange prize, orange prize nominee, ouch, personal voyage of discovery, poignant, quirky, raw, recommended by judith ann, reese_recommends, relationship, relationships, romance, semw, sensual, social commentary, tag it to the max, tbr, travel, traveling, wisdom, women, xiaolu guo