When Sleeping Women Wake

In this remarkable and harrowing debut novel, three extraordinary women—a mother, her daughter, and their maid—are each forced on a journey to survival during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II.

1941. Following the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, the wealthy Tang family has settled in Hong Kong, believing it to be protected under British occupation. As the First Wife of the family, Mingzhu leads a glamorous, if at times lonely, existence—mothering the son of her husband’s concubine, overseeing her daughter Qiang’s education, and directing their household of servants, including her long-time confidante, Biyu.

But when the Japanese invade Hong Kong, the three women’s paths wildly diverge. Although Mingzhu’s affinity for languages spares her from physical labor, she finds herself coerced to either work for the enemy or face certain death. Qiang and Biyu scrape through days of factory work and meager food supplies, constantly on the run from newly unfolding dangers until an encounter with the East River Column Resistance fighters separates them. The longer these women become embroiled in the brutal occupation that engulfs the region, the more determined they are to resist—but can they support the resistance and still find their way back to each other?

At once monumental and intimate, When Sleeping Women Wake powerfully explores how ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things, and the unwavering hope that love can carry us through even the darkest of times.

'With vivid historicity and deeply relatable characters, When Sleeping Women Wake is a lushly romantic and impassioned story of women's agency and resilience' JUHEA KIM, internationally bestselling author of Beasts of a Little Land

'Compelling, beautiful, and deeply moving, When Sleeping Women Wake is a powerful tribute to the forgotten women and men who fought and resisted during a dark period of Hong Kong's history . . . Emma Pei Yin is a talent to watch!' WEINA DAI RANDEL, award-winning author of The Master Jeweler

'A breathtaking, important story of family, love and endurance told with unflinching clarity and beauty, this is historical fiction at its finest. I urge you to read this book.' WIZ WHARTON, author of Ghost Girl, Banana

'A spellbinding tale of transformation, resilience, and the quiet power of awakening . . . When Sleeping Women Wake lingers in the mind long after the final page' AYESHA INOON, award-winning author of Untethered

'Heart-rending, transportive, action-packed . . . Brimming with intrigue and fascinating history, this sweeping story of resistance and resilience brings to life beautifully-drawn characters and paints a gripping portrait of the strength of women's bonds' ASHTON LATTIMORE, author of All We Were Promised

'A fast-paced, gripping tale' JENNIFER RYAN, bestselling author of The Underground Library

'All the things I love in a book: strong women, untold history and a rollicking story.' VICTORIA PURMAN, author of The Women's Pages

'A skilfully written epic that sheds light on a little-known corner of history . . . Emma Pei Yin breathes exquisite life into this tale of romance, resistance and self-discovery' LAUREN CHATER, author of The Lace Weaver View Less