Daughter of Blue City: A Novel of Coming-of-Age Through Revolutionary China

*** 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-listed

How 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 building a life of her own.

If you enjoy the multi-award-winning Mother of Red Mountains by the same author, Apple An, and appreciate books about Chinese culture, such as those by Amy Tan and Lisa See, as well as coming-of-age stories like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, you will likely enjoy this book.