In a Chinatown housing project lives twelve-year-old Benny, his ailing grandmother, and his strange neighbor Constantine, a man who believes he's a reincarnated medieval samurai. When his grandmother is hospitalized, Benny manages to survive on his own until a social worker comes snooping. With no other family, he is reluctantly taken in by Constantine and soon, an unlikely bond forms between the two.

At least, that's what Yu, the narrator of the story, wants to write.

The creator of a bestselling comic book, Yu is struggling with continuing the poignant tale of Benny and Constantine and can't help but interject from the present day, slowly revealing a darker backstory. Can Yu confront the demons he's spent his adult life avoiding or risk his own life...and Benny's? (From Atria Books)

The Double Life of Benson Yu is on the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist.

Kevin Chong is a Vancouver-based writer and associate professor at the University of British Columbia. His other books include the nonfiction book Northern Dancer and fiction titles like The Plague and Beauty Plus Pity.