Curse of Xixia

Reality merges with illusion in this novel of northwestern China. Winner of the 2024 New York City Big Book Award in the World Literature category Finalist for the 2023 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award in the Multicultural Fiction category Curse of Xixia is a magical realism novel that takes readers on a journey through a rarely-known legend of western China, exploring life and death, light and dark, and eternity and impermanence. This captivating story begins with the narrator discovering eight mysterious manuscripts in an ancient grotto, which tell an enchanting tale of a Tangut monk who breaks his vows and develops an unconventional love story with a girl, nevertheless, both of them actualize eternity in the end. Through artful blending of folklore, customs, history and present-day, this compelling novel creates a giant metaphor of dreamlike reality. Its bold and innovative narration showcases writer Xue Mo’s extraordinary imagination and powerful storytelling skills.