Barefoot Doctor: A Novel
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

Mrs. Yi and her husband live in Yun Village, where she works as a barefoot doctor: a healer who uses herbs to alleviate pain. Her days are filled with collecting herbs from Niulan Mountain, growing her own herbs, and building meaningful relationships with other villagers. A local boy, Gray, becomes her apprentice, but struggles to form his own identity and find something he is passionate about. In the neighboring village, Mia is a wife and mother looking for a greater purpose in her life who decides to seek Mrs. Yi's mentorship. As the younger villagers follow Mrs. Yi's steps, they discover the magic of nature, greater self-confidence, and the healing power that transcends their understanding of the world. Xue's (I Live in the Slums, 2020) signature experimental style captivates in this newly translated novel. A barefoot doctor herself, she has a unique and powerful way of transporting readers to new worlds where reality and magic are intertwined, and she uses her own experiences to make this novel feel more personal.

Can Xue (I Live in the Slums) offers a complex and illuminating portrait of a group of healers in China. Mrs. Yi is the longtime herbalist in Yun Village, where people "don't count the passing years." Her interest in childbirth drew her to her profession, after the death of her own son as a toddler. Her intuitive connection with both herbs and her patients inspires a younger generation of healers. She offers guidance when asked, as the aspirants struggle along their own paths. Gray, Mrs. Yi's occasional assistant and possible successor, must navigate an on-again, off-again love affair that disrupts his studies. Mia, 28, from nearby Deserted Village, deals with her fear of abandonment while trying to grow an herb garden. And for Angelica to realize her potential as an herbalist, she must decipher the secrets of Blue Village, onetime home of Dr. Lin Baoguang, the father of Chinese herbal medicine. Niulan Mountain is an ever-present resource for the healers, providing herbs, edifying mystical adventures, and encounters with reanimated spirits of those who have died. Though the disjointed narrative can be hard to follow, the author still offers profound insights about what it means to pursue and live a fulfilling life. As with Can Xue's previous work, this is both demanding and rewarding. (Sept.)

Mrs. Yi and her husband live in Yun Village, where she works as a barefoot doctor: a healer who uses herbs to alleviate pain. Her days are filled with collecting herbs from Niulan Mountain, growing her own herbs, and building meaningful relationships with other villagers. A local boy, Gray, becomes her apprentice, but struggles to form his own identity and find something he is passionate about. In the neighboring village, Mia is a wife and mother looking for a greater purpose in her life who decides to seek Mrs. Yi's mentorship. As the younger villagers follow Mrs. Yi's steps, they discover the magic of nature, greater self-confidence, and the healing power that transcends their understanding of the world. Xue's (I Live in the Slums, 2020) signature experimental style captivates in this newly translated novel. A barefoot doctor herself, she has a unique and powerful way of transporting readers to new worlds where reality and magic are intertwined, and she uses her own experiences to make this novel feel more personal. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

Can Xue (I Live in the Slums) offers a complex and illuminating portrait of a group of healers in China. Mrs. Yi is the longtime herbalist in Yun Village, where people "don't count the passing years." Her interest in childbirth drew her to her profession, after the death of her own son as a toddler. Her intuitive connection with both herbs and her patients inspires a younger generation of healers. She offers guidance when asked, as the aspirants struggle along their own paths. Gray, Mrs. Yi's occasional assistant and possible successor, must navigate an on-again, off-again love affair that disrupts his studies. Mia, 28, from nearby Deserted Village, deals with her fear of abandonment while trying to grow an herb garden. And for Angelica to realize her potential as an herbalist, she must decipher the secrets of Blue Village, onetime home of Dr. Lin Baoguang, the father of Chinese herbal medicine. Niulan Mountain is an ever-present resource for the healers, providing herbs, edifying mystical adventures, and encounters with reanimated spirits of those who have died. Though the disjointed narrative can be hard to follow, the author still offers profound insights about what it means to pursue and live a fulfilling life. As with Can Xue's previous work, this is both demanding and rewarding. (Sept.)