Sayonara Bar

Susan Barker was born in London in 1978 to a Chinese Malaysian mother and an English father. Aged twenty-five, she completed the acclaimed novel Sayonara Bar (‘Funny, crisply written and engaging’ Times), followed by The Orientalist and the Ghost (‘Sharp and original’ Guardian). While writing her third novel The Incarnations she spent several years living in Beijing, researching modern and ancient China. She is currently based in Shenzhen, China.

"A beautifully written and far-reaching exploration of Japanese culture from first-time novelist Susan Barker" Independent on Sunday "Barker has given it the pace and excitement of a thriller - or of the manga comics to which Watanabe is addicted. Funny, crisply written and engaging, Sayonora Bar offers sharp insights into some of the less palatable realities of life in 21st century Japan'" The Times "With dry humour and crisp observation, Barker conveys the inner chaos masked by the external regimens of a society where intimacy is contrived, and loyalty is strained. Japan has not, for a long time, been made to seem so accessible, or so remote" Literary Review "New author Susan Barker has set her edgy, sly debut in a hostess lounge" Elle Megazine "A stunningly eclectic debut. Original, often perplexing, always intriguing, Sayonara Bar is a showpiece of breathtaking new talent" Daily Record