Author Description

<p>'An extraordinary book. Truly important' William Boyd</p> <p>'Outstanding ... Intimate as well as epic' Sunday Times</p> <p>'Poignant and powerful' Daily Mail</p> <p>'Utterly gripping' The Spectator</p> <p>'Beautiful and devastating' Irish News</p> <p>Sunday Times Best Summer Reads 2024</p> <p>Longlisted for the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award 2025</p> <p>Shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2025</p> <p>A STORY OF UNBREAKABLE FRIENDSHIP AND THE PRICE OF FREEDOM</p> <p>Beijing in the 1970s. Lai lives with her parents, grandmother and youngerbrother in a small flat in a working-class area. Her grandmother is a formidable figure, while her ageing beauty of a mother snipes at her father, a sunken figure haunted by the Cultural Revolution.</p> <p>As she grows up, Lai comes to discern the realities of the country she lives in. But she also goes through the ebbs and flows of friendships; troubles and rewards at home and at school; and the first steps and missteps in love. A gifted student, she attends the prestigious Peking University; while there she becomes involved in the student protests that have been gathering speed. It is the late 1980s, and change is in the air . . .</p> <p>5 STAR READER REVIEWS</p> <ul><li>'Captivating, intimate and so moving, I finished it in tears'</li> <li>'Wow! This was a stunning novel'</li> <li>'Probably one of the most memorable, poignant, emotional books I've ever read ... This will crawl for a while under my skin. Can I give a 6th star?'</li> <li>'A brilliant and important read'</li> <li>'Beautifully written. I read it slowly as I wanted to savour every word'</li> <li>'There is something so deeply touching, tender yet powerful in the writing ... This coming-of-age story is compelling, haunting, emotive and written beautifully. By the end, it left me in tears. It is a book I will long remember'</li> </ul>