As the end of the world arrives in downtown Shanghai, one man&;s only wish is to return a library book... When a publisher agrees to let a star author use his company&;s attic to write in, little does he suspect this will become the author&;s permanent residence... As Shanghai succumbs to a seemingly apocalyptic deluge, a man takes refuge in his bathtub, only to find himself, moments later, floating through the city&;s streets... The characters in this literary exploration of one of the world&;s biggest cities are all on a mission. Whether it is responding to events around them, or following some impulse of their own, they are defined by their determination&;a refusal to lose themselves in a city that might otherwise leave them anonymous, disconnected, and alone. From the neglected mother whose side-hustle in collecting sellable waste becomes an obsession, to the schoolboy determined to end a long-standing feud between his family and another, these characters show a defiance that reminds us why Shanghai&;despite its hurtling economic growth&;remains an epicentre for individual creativity.
