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Siang Lu
Siang Lu is the author of the novel Ghost Cities. He writes fiction that explores contemporary life and urban settings.
Ghost Cities
Synopsis
Ghost Cities is a 2024 novel by Australian author Siang Lu that won the 2025 Miles Franklin Literary Award. It unfolds in two alternating narrative streams: a contemporary tale beginning in Sydney and moving to the fictional ghost city of Port Man Tou, and a mythic fable set in China's Imperial City centuries ago.
The modern thread follows Xiang Lu, a fired consular translator exposed for not speaking Chinese, who is drawn into a bizarre film production. The ancient thread follows a mythical emperor conscripting a thousand doubles to evade a prophesied death. Both are bound together by an unfinished, censored book called 'Death of a Pagoda.'
Bawdy, playful and formally inventive, Ghost Cities is a comedy of tyranny, authenticity and cultural identity, often cited as one of the funniest Miles Franklin winners.
Genres
Characters
Xiang LuProtagonist
A Sydney consular translator fired and branded #BadChinese for not speaking Chinese, who moves to Port Man Tou.
Baby BaoSupporting
An eccentric film director who recruits Xiang.
