An epic tale, using the clever device of telling the tale through the voice of one of China's Kitchen Gods. The story concentrates on one family in particular and their trials and tribulations, both before and after The Cultural Revolution. Intermingled with this are tales from ancient China of myth and magic. At first I must admit I did find this slightly irritating but soon found that the old tales were essential to the story as it unfolded. The people in the tale are always sublimely unaware of being watched by the Kitchen God who does nothing to help or hinder them. He is there to observe and to try and understand how the human heart works. The marriage of Yuying and Jinyi is one of convenience, but through the years of hardship, treks, poverty and heartache they manage to stay true to each other, in spite of both being banished to the countryside in different directions for years at a stretch. This book needs reading more than once, there is no much depth to be plunged. It is beautifully written and, apart from a good story, has a wealth of information about the effect of the Cultural Revolution on an ordinary family who, at the beginning of Chairman Mao's reign, had the misfortune of being relatively wealthy. Same Meekings seems to have a deep understanding of China and the Chinese and it shines through in his writing. Great stuff.

The title comes from the Chinese belief that the light wispy clouds in a blue sky resembling a fish losing its scales show that someone somewhere is giving up something of themselves for love. Jinyi and Yuging are married and have endured the difficulties of twentieth century China to grow old together. A complex story but which is rewarding . Full of symbolism and superstition