A Tibetan Girl Called Ata

“A heartbreaking love story that lays bare the human toll of political division.” — Chris Riches, The Daily Express

“Vivid and unforgettable.” — Jung Chang, author of Wild Swans

From Xiao Hei, acclaimed translator of Jung Chang’s multi-million-copy bestseller Wild Swans, comes a haunting story of forbidden love, cultural conflict, and the devastating human cost of political division.

Inspired by a true story.

Lhasa, 2008. A year of profound upheaval, when history and politics collide with the lives of ordinary people.

When a Han Chinese man falls deeply in love with a young Tibetan woman named Ata, their passion draws them into a world already torn apart by mistrust, tension and unrest.

Their love is immediate, profound—and dangerously out of place.

As Lhasa erupts around them, the forces dividing Han Chinese and Tibetans begin to invade their private world. Caught between love, identity and history, they find themselves on a heartbreaking journey from which there may be no escape.

Only far too late do they discover the devastating truth: sometimes love cannot save us from the world we are born into—and the price of loving in the wrong place, at the wrong time, can be everything.

“A work of profound emotional power.” — Xinran, author of The Good Women of China

“An emotionally charged novel that transforms a personal tragedy into a profound cultural reckoning.” — Richard Moriarty, senior journalist, The Sun

“This is a sad story, but sadness doesn’t have to be despair. Tears may fall, but they cannot drown out courage. It is a testament to the sacrifices made for love and a hope that never gives up.” — The London Economic

“A powerful and poignant tour de force.” — The European