2016 works worth reading

The Paper Republic website, which promotes contemporary Chinese writing to the English-language world, has just put out its latest list. Now in its fifth year, the list offers readers a wide range of choices. "This year's list is longer than ever, and several books have won international prizes," says Nicky Harman, a UK-based prize-winning literary translator, who prepared the list. At a glance, there are names of writers of fiction, sci-fi writers, online works, poetry and children's literature, all translated and published in English in 2016.

Ruined City

By Jia Pingwa, translated by Howard Goldblatt

The book, which was banned before, is seen as one of the most influential novels of the past century.

The Seventh Day

By Yu Hua, translated by Allan Barr

The novel, which was shortlisted for the 2016 Financial Times/OppenheimerFunds Emerging Voices Awards, is about a man's experiences after his death.

A Flock of Brown Birds

By Ge Fei, translated by Poppy Toland

An experimental work which blends fiction and reality.

The Invisibility Cloak

By Ge Fei, translated by Canaan Morse

An elegy to a loser in city life.

Death's End

By Liu Cixin, translated by Ken Liu

The third book of the Three-body Trilogy, which comprises The Three-Body Problem and The Dark Forest.

Good Children of the Flower By Hong Ying, translated by Gary Xu

It explores trauma and forgiveness in an effort to reconcile painful memories.

Crystal Wedding

By Xu Xiaobin, translated by Nicky Harman

A look at the fate and life of women in contemporary China.

Pathological

By Wang Jinkang, translated by Jeremy Tiang

A story about war and science by the veteran sci-fi author.

Hummingbirds Fly Backwards

By Amy Cheung, translated by Bonnie Huie

A story about love and friendship of three girls in Hong Kong.

To the Sky Kingdom

By Tang Qi, translated by Poppy Toland

A fantasy about loyalty and revenge.

Abyss

By Ya Hsien, translated by John Balcom

The 85-year-old poet based in Taiwan brings modernity into his poetry.

By Qin Wenjun, translated by Tony Blishen

Qin looks at growing up in big cities like Shanghai.