Ping, the daughter of Chinatown's Pipa Queen, loves Weng, the voice of
the people, but family circumstances drive them apart. Ping is forced to
leave suddenly for the USA, where she creates a different life for
herself. Many years later, Ping returns to a country transformed by
prosperity. Gone are the boatmen and hawkers who once lived along the
river. In their place, rise luminous glass and steel towers proclaiming
the power of the city state. Can Ping face her former lover and reveal
the secret that has separated them for over 30 years? A beautifully
written exploration of identity, love and loss, set against the dramatic
upheaval unleashed by the rise of Singapore. SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE
MONTH