The Shard Box by Liz Niven is a collection of poems that eloquently captures the contradictions and multiple identities of modern China. Liz Niven has a keen eye for detail and a light touch that delivers an unexpected intensity; taking on ancient traditions and contemporary issues, this selection is in turn humorous and poignant and illustrates China as it is rarely seen. From the intimacy of the tea ceremony to the lives of the migrant workers in Beijing, nothing is as you would expect. The Shard Box is a testament to the poet’s emotional honesty, her willingness to explore and engage. It is a book that will linger with the reader long after it is finished