About the Author

Jan-Philipp Sendker, born in Hamburg in 1960, was the American correspondent for Stern from 1990 to 1995, and its Asian correspondent from 1995 to 1999. He has travelled extensively in China and Burma and has an in-depth knowledge of the people and culture. In 2000 he published Cracks in the Great Wall, a non-fiction book about China. Global bestseller The Art of Hearing Heartbeats was his first novel.

Reviews

'This is the kind of stunningly perfect novel that changes lives'
*Claire Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author*

'Sendker [is] a mesmerizing storyteller'
*Kirkus*

'Incredibly beautiful and moving' 
*RT Book Reviews*

'[T]ruly an original, the author’s prose flawless and evocative'
*Historical Novels Review*

'A portrayal of how love and compassion can heal even the most terrible wounds [. . .] A book to lift your spirits'
*LoveReading.co.uk*

'[A] beautiful book, with a powerful sense of place, which leaves the reader wondering on the universal consequences of love, loss, suffering and forgiveness'
*Catherine Larner, bookseller*