For many years, the Chen family has lived in Yellow Stone, owning a chain of storefronts and acres of land that they rented to others for a third of the profits. When Mao took power, he killed most of the landlords, and the ones that survived were sentenced to hard labor. As this story begins, the Chen's father is serving in a labor camp, and the rest of the family are living on moldy yams, caring for two aging and sickly grandparents, and being treated as traitors by their community because of their Grandfather's wealth.
Younger brother Da, focuses on the events in the life of his older sister, Sisi during this time. She is not only a beloved sister and daughter, but an important student at their school, serving as class monitor, one of a trio of singers and dancers who performs at school and community functions, and she is fully expecting to be honored with a place in the Red Guard at the upcoming ceremony.
Instead, she is not only snubbed at the Red Guard ceremony, but is humiliated in front of the crowd, shoved off the stage, and ordered never to return to school again. She must bear the shame of her ancestors' wealth and privilege.
Her family knows this will not be the end of her persecution, so they arranged for her to go to another village, Bridge Town. Her younger brother goes with her and they find refuge and work at the school.
At first, they enjoy the beautiful setting and the kindness of the adults that are charged with their care, Principal Jin, Mrs. Lin, and Ya Ba. They work in the kitchen, serve meals to visitors, work in the fields, and Sisi gains a new best friend, Su Lan.
When a member of the People's Liberation Army is sent to the school as a political advisor, their safety and security are once again at risk. Commissar Lai is a young man and he immediately seeks the company of Sisi and Su Lan. The three of them spend evenings enjoying the outdoors together, laughing and playing. The girls soon become sullen, their conversations quieter, and Da notices them reading Communist literature.
At a school gathering called to condemn Principal Jin, the girls are called upon to denounce their principal in front of the entire school. Su Lan tells the audience that the principal raped her. Sisi, who has clearly been told to tell the same story, tells the truth instead, that he is a good man who has been kind to her and Da. She and Da are immediately locked up in the school office with Mrs. Lin, and brutally injured Principal Jin and Ya Ba.
The principal is in dire need of medical intervention, and Mrs. Lin gets villagers to take him away. When his escape is discovered, the others are freed, but they don't feel free. Sisi learns that Su Lan has been raped by the Commissar, and Ya Ba has arranged for her to be transported home. He agrees to deliver Sisi and Da to their home on the way.
They are welcomed home and their life as farmers quietly continues.
This book released September 3, 2019, is a quick read that gives a vivid, first-hand
look at this tumultuous time in Chinese history. Chen's descriptions are simple, yet beautiful - "The dirt road...was covered with gleaming morning dew. Each wet pearl carried the whole earth within its full liquid moon..." He has a great talent for storytelling and, in this case, I find him to be remarkably candid and far more civil than most victims of such persecution and poverty would be.
The continuing ebb and flow of tranquility versus brutality in the story gives readers a glimpse of the underlying uncertainty the Chinese people must have felt during this time.
Most booksellers list this novel as being appropriate for ages 8-12, however, I would caution that the story contains violence and talk of rape, which parents may not feel is suitable for the younger end of this age range.
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