In a single year, a ten-year-old girl loses her father twice: once when he ends his marriage and once when he takes his own life. The story moves through an extended family in China across two generations, from Mao's Cultural Revolution to the students protesting in Tiananmen Square. Marie and Ai-Ming stand at the center. In present-day Vancouver, Marie tries to piece together her fractured family history. Her search reveals how pianist Kai, composer Sparrow, and violin prodigy Zhuli had to remake their artistic and private selves during China's political campaigns, with lasting consequences.
Why You Should Read?
- Discover how two generations in China live through Mao's Cultural Revolution and Tiananmen Square protests.
- Follow Marie as she seeks answers about her fractured family in present-day Vancouver.
- Meet Kai, Sparrow, and Zhuli as they reimagine their artistic and private selves under political campaigns.
- Experience the intertwined lives of Marie and Ai-Ming as their collective story unfolds.