A gripping coming-of-age tale of a grief-stricken young girl in turn-of-the-century China that reveals the devastating consequences of the one-child policy.
Growing up in 1990s China, in a village where failure to observe the rigidly enforced one-child policy is deemed tantamount to a crime, Chen Di must fight to get the education she craves in a world in which boys are prioritized.
Following her mother's untimely death, 16-year-old Chen Di's thirst for vengeance against those she holds responsible brings about her transformation from a gutsy, marginalized child into an aikido-practising young woman who braves Shanghai.
A startling illumination of the ripple effect of the authoritarian regime's policies still being felt today, this moving debut is perfect for readers of The Beekeeper of Aleppo and A Thousand Splendid Suns.
