Description

Book Synopsis
A novel about a street in an unnamed city whose inhabitants speculate on the life of a mysterious Madam X. It interweaves their endless suppositions into a work that is at once political parable and surreal fantasia.

Trade Review
Shortlisted for the 2016 Neustadt International Prize for Literature given by World Literature Today

“[Five Spice Street is] an absolutely hilarious, pseudo-journalistic account of a scandalous affair in a small neighborhood in China.”—James Hannaham in a NYTimes.com interview


“There’s no other writer in China like Can Xue . . . strange, surreal, and very compelling . . . [and] this novel is probably the best place to start.”—Chad Post, Publishers Weekly -- Chad Post * Publishers Weekly *

Five Spice Street

    Product form

    £27.85

    Includes FREE delivery

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Thu 6 Aug 2026.

    A Paperback / softback by Can Xue, Karen Gernant, Zeping Chen

    3 in stock

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of Five Spice Street by Can Xue

      Publisher: Yale University Press
      Publication Date: Publication Date: 24/04/2012
      ISBN13: 9780300167962, 978-0300167962
      ISBN10: 0300167962
      Also in:
      Biography Biography: adventurers and explorers ELT & Literary Studies Literary studies: fiction

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      A novel about a street in an unnamed city whose inhabitants speculate on the life of a mysterious Madam X. It interweaves their endless suppositions into a work that is at once political parable and surreal fantasia.

      Trade Review
      Shortlisted for the 2016 Neustadt International Prize for Literature given by World Literature Today

      “[Five Spice Street is] an absolutely hilarious, pseudo-journalistic account of a scandalous affair in a small neighborhood in China.”—James Hannaham in a NYTimes.com interview


      “There’s no other writer in China like Can Xue . . . strange, surreal, and very compelling . . . [and] this novel is probably the best place to start.”—Chad Post, Publishers Weekly -- Chad Post * Publishers Weekly *

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account