Women, Seated

A riveting story of a powerful Chinese family's fall from grace
Enter the world of an elite Chinese couple: a life of luxury, wealth, and around-the-clock service, which includes their trusted nanny, Yu Ling. Slipping in and out of the shadows, meticulous in her care of their only son, she has served the family for years and knows their secrets. But little do they suspect that Yu Ling has secrets of her own.
In the pressure-cooker political environment of China, the fates of even the most powerful families can reverse overnight. When the family becomes the subject of a government investigation, their fortunes crumble, and the nanny is left to make a series of life-changing choices. How far will she go to claim her due?
Taut and enthralling, Women, Seated is a high-stakes story of power and privilege, crimes and secrets, and the elusive pursuit of personal freedom.

Zhang Yueran is the award-winning author of several novels written in Chinese, including Cocoon, which was translated around the world and won the Best Asian Novel of the Prix Transfuge in 2019. She lives in Beijing.
Jeremy Tiang is a prolific translator whose 2022 translation of Ninth Building, by Zou Jingzhi, was longlisted for the International Booker Prize. He lives in New York City.