Strange Beasts of China Summary
Ge Yan

Strange Beasts of China Overview

Yan Ge's Strange Beasts of China is a story set in the modern city of Yong'an where beasts roam the streets alongside humans. The narrator drops out of the zoology department at the city's university to write stories about the beasts that live alongside her and her friends. However, the deeper she dives into the stories of the beasts, the more connected she begins to feel to the strange creatures. Ultimately, she must uncover the truth of her own origins in order to finish her story, though this leads to a fundamental shift in her understanding of the world. The novel explores scientific knowledge, government corruption, identity, writing, and love.