Magical Realism is a genre of writing that has been explored by a variety of writers across cultures and countries. In the novel Gone With the River Mist, Chinese author Yao Emei brings magical elements into the spare lives of four woman living in a misty and sunless town called Wuluo.

Little Yu lives with her mother, aunt and grandmother in a small house in a small town. Ma Gu, the matriarch of this clan of women, is a widow and mother of two daughters; Ah-Shan, a single mother after her affair with a married engineer and Ah-Shui, who tried to escaped by running off with a rich city man but finds herself deserted and penniless—and back in Wuluo with her mother, sister and niece. Little Yu doesn't escape unscathed, as she too has been forsaken by a man who promised to support her education and instead discarded her.

Gone With the River Mist is an evocative novel that explores the lives of these four woman as they each search for love, life, and dignity. Author Yao Emei cleverly captures the distinctive character of each woman in this tumultuous story about their difficult but impressive journey towards achieving their dreams.