First published 2019
In the remote mountains of China, reclusive painter Edward Li confronts a looming crisis. The valley he has immortalized on canvas for decades is slated for demolition, its ancient way of life threatened by rapid industrialization. As the bulldozers encroach, Edward must choose between his art and his last hope to save the land and people he loves. A lyrical meditation on the power of place, "Water Gold Soil" is a stirring portrait of an artist fighting to hold back the tide of progress.
Genres: fiction, art, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: artist-protagonist, fight-to-save, man-vs-progress
Setting: China, Remote Mountains
Period: Contemporary
Hardcover