Bethnal Green

Amélie Skoda captures with grace and profundity the experience of immigrants and health workers - the sacrifices as well as the joys of self-determination. A searching, immersive debut - Tash Aw, Booker nominated author of The Harmony Silk Factory and Five Star Billionaire

A thought-provoking and touching tale of one woman's journey to find her place in the world as she navigates the push of opportunity versus the pull of family duty at home - Sarah Turner, Sunday Times bestselling author of Stepping Up

Penang, 1971. When Suyin Lim is offered the opportunity of a lifetime - a place as a trainee nurse in London's Bethnal Green Hospital - she jumps at the chance to leave her job as a seamstress and unite with her sister, who left for the same path a year before.

However, without warning her sister returns to Penang, a shadow of her former self and Suyin is forced to leave without any answers. Suyin soon finds herself starting a new life in London, falling in love with the vibrant city and its people and as she immerses herself in the gruelling but rewarding work of caring for her patients, she begins to understand what she really wants out of life . . .

BETHNAL GREEN explores the themes of sacrifice and heartbreak, the power of using your voice and the will to build a life of one's own against the odds. It is also a powerful love letter to dedicated NHS workers from around the world, whose work touches countless lives every day.