The Four Books - Yan Lianke

A finalist for the Man Booker International Prize in 2016, the Four Books is a darkly satirical "portrayal of the struggle between authoritarian power and man’s will to prevail against the darkest odds through camaraderie, love, and faith." (Goodreads). The novel is set in a Chinese reeducation camp for individuals during the Great Leap Forward. Internees are forced to complete ever increasing work quotas, while informing on each other for a chance of freedom. Then the Great Famine arrives and the internees are left on their own to survive. Yan Lianke is a highly satirical writer, some of whose most famous works have been banned in China.