Daughter of Blue City

The 2026 Independent Press Award: Distinguished Favorite for Cultural Heritage The 22nd Annual Best Book Awards: Finalist for Multicultural Fiction The 2025 Goethe Book Awards for Post-1750s Historical Fiction: Long-listedHow 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!