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Book Cover for: Daughter of Blue City: A Novel of Coming-of-Age Through Revolutionary China, Apple An

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

Apple An

Hardcover
Regular price$29.99With free membership trial$14.9950% off your first book+ Free shipping
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In this historical, coming-of-age novel, Apple An depicts the lives of regular Chinese people during the Cultural Revolution and the years after it ended when China opened up to the world.

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 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!

Book Details

  • Publisher: Voices Heard Publishing, LLC
  • Publish Date: Aug 30th, 2025
  • Pages: 258
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 8.50in - 5.50in - 0.75in - 0.99lb
  • EAN: 9781958900208
  • Categories: • Historical - 20th Century - General• Coming of Age• Asian American & Pacific Islander

About the Author

An, Apple: - Apple An is an award-winning author, professor, and cultural memoirist whose writing bridges the lived and the remembered. With a career spanning over three decades at Syracuse University, she has published more than 200 scholarly articles and three academic books, earning 16,500+ citations and 24 honors for her contributions to research, teaching, and service. Her work as a founding editor-in-chief and historian for major academic associations reflects a lifelong commitment to intellectual rigor.But it is in creative storytelling that Apple found her deeper calling. Since 2017, she has written, under her pen name, Apple An, memoirs, short stories, and historical novels that illuminate untold perspectives of Chinese people.Apple is the mother and guardian of five children who became successful adults. She lives in Baldwinsville, New York. A lifelong learner and creative soul, she enjoys tennis, ballroom dancing, gardening, travel, and the arts. Her mission is to preserve cultural memory, foster human connection, and tell stories that linger long after the last page.

Praise for this book

🏆 The 22nd Annual Best Book Awards: Finalist for Multicultural Fiction

🏆 The 2025 Goethe Book Awards for Post-1750s Historical Fiction: Long-listed

"A deeply moving coming-of-age novel." - Derrick Meade

"Impossible to put down." - TQ Pub

"What touched me most was how her mother and sister gave her quiet strength." - Sammy Moon

"I wasn't ready for the intense emotional reactions this book brought me to. Amazingly strong FMC and the storyline was beyond encapsulating. I was transferred into this character and went through this journey with her." - Harley Grace

"This is a fantastic story that pulls you in and shows you to never give up. You feel for the character so much and what she goes through. A truly touching story that I highly recommend!" - Diana Kimak

"My heart goes out for young Lianlian. This is a fascinating story of an impoverished Chinese family during the Cultural Revolution." - John K. Kelly

"This is a deeply moving and unforgettable story that captures both the heartbreak and resilience of a young girl that truly touched me. This book isn't just historical fiction; it's a reflection on hope, perseverance, and the power of the human spirit." - John Spender