In this historical, coming-of-age novel, Apple An depicts the lives of regular Chinese people during the Cultural Revolution and the years after it ended when China opened up to the world.

How do you survive when the world you know is at war with itself?

In the unyielding chaos of China's Cultural Revolution, young Lianlian's life is a constant battle against family violence, public shame, and brutal poverty. Raised by a resilient mother and anchored by her little sister, she learns to endure, but with a family fractured by divorce, a future seems impossible.

When the political climate finally shifts and the nation scrambles for direction, Lianlian discovers her most powerful weapon is her mind. With few options left, she fixates on a single hope: a chance at a university education. Fueled by sheer will and the quiet support of her mother, she fights for her spot at a top university, seeing it as the one true path to build a life of her own.

If you like books about Chinese culture by Amy Tan and Lisa See, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, you will like this book!