Lisbon, 1898: Antonio Maria, surgeon and notorious playboy, returns home after a long absence to learn that his beloved father has syphilis, the scourge of both rich and poor. Determined to find a cure, Antonio sets sail for Peking, to study under the renowned Dr Xu. But the Chinese master does not intend to give away his knowledge easily, insisting that Antonio spend four full seasons in the Summer Palace. While learning the Chinese secrets of the human body, Antonio falls in love with Xu’s assistant, the elusive Fumi. The threat of the Boxer rebellion hangs over Peking, and Antonio and Fumi must decide whether to flee together or remain in China, testing the limits of their love and faith in the human power to cure the dreaded pox.

‘A wonderful and compellingly visual novel, whose world is as completely realised as anything by Robert Graves, Amitav Ghosh or Barry Unsworth’—William Dalrymple

‘The Yellow Emperor’s Cure is the kind of book that sucks you in so completely that when you pause in the reading, you have to blink and wait to drop back into the perfectly banal present to notice that your breakfast, lunch or dinner is going cold at your elbow. Don’t miss it.’—DNA

‘The Yellow Emperor’s Cure skillfully weaves together its various historical strands, resulting in an unusual, intelligent novel.’¬—Indian Express

‘Basu’s tale is swift and richly evocative, especially in its rendering of the hermetic worlds.’—Time Out

‘Lyrical, insightful and impressionistically descriptive . . . In book-a-minute India teeming with litfests and yada yada, The Yellow Emperor’s Cure is a great remedy for literary despair.’—New Indian Express

‘A striking and memorable read.’—Deccan Herald‘As with The Japanese Wife, The Miniaturist and The Opium Clerk, Basu shows he’s an erudite, well travelled author who weaves a historical narrative with aplomb. He’s global, yet local, very much in the skin of his protagonist, yet generously allowing you to admire the scenery. He brings you worlds you would not otherwise reckon with.’—Mail Today

‘[A] richly painted literary novel . . . a deeply satisfying tale mixing history, cultural clashes, violence and love.’—Kirkus (Starred Review)