This book was not immediately easy to read, but I eventually became sucked into the story and profoundly invested in the protagonist Zhang Yonglin, and his wife, Huang Xiangjiu. I am not the strongest reader of allegorical writing, and I’m sure there’s a ton of symbolism I missed, but I enjoyed this read nonetheless. I also feel like I’m always starting from a deficit when reading books about history or about politics written in the past. Growing up I was never a motivated student of history, but now it’s become more important to me to understand world history, and the major movements that of course still heavily impact the world today. I learned quite a bit while reading this book, as well as exposed a million more gaps in my understanding of China and the Cultural Revolution. I’m excited to channel that lack of knowledge into seeking more learning!