Siang Lu Wins 2025 Miles Franklin for Ghost Cities

Siang Lu has won the 2025 Miles Franklin Literary Award, becoming the first male Asian writer to receive the $60,000 prize for his novel Ghost Cities. The book is an inventive and satirical work weaving together parallel stories set in modern and ancient China, exploring diaspora, truth, power, and cultural identity. The narrative centers on a young Chinese-Australian man who becomes viral as #BadChinese after being exposed for not speaking Mandarin, drawing from Lu's personal experiences navigating multiple cultures. Judges praised Ghost Cities as a landmark in Australian literature, commending its humour, imagination, and insight into storytelling. Lu, who works full-time in tech, noted the challenges faced in his writing career, including over 200 rejections of earlier works. He expressed deep gratitude for the recognition and hopes the novel's celebration of art and identity will resonate with readers.