{"product_id":"9781800753488","title":"Lai Wen - Tiananmen Square","description":"\u003cp\u003eWritten by Lai Wen. Themes include Fiction, Literary.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e'An extraordinary book. Truly important' William Boyd\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e'Outstanding ... Intimate as well as epic' Sunday Times\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e'Poignant and powerful' Daily Mail\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e'Utterly gripping' The Spectator\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e'Beautiful and devastating' Irish News\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSunday Times Best Summer Reads 2024\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLonglisted for the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award 2025\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eShortlisted in the British Book Awards 2025\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Story Of Unbreakable Friendship And The Price Of Freedom\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeijing in the 1970s. Lai lives with her parents, grandmother and youngerbrother in a small flat in a working-class area. Her grandmother is a formidable figure, while her ageing beauty of a mother snipes at her father, a sunken figure haunted by the Cultural Revolution.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs she grows up, Lai comes to discern the realities of the country she lives in. But she also goes through the ebbs and flows of friendships; troubles and rewards at home and at school; and the first steps and missteps in love. A gifted student, she attends the prestigious Peking University; while there she becomes involved in the student protests that have been gathering speed. It is the late 1980s, and change is in the air . . .\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5 Star Reader Reviews\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e'Captivating, intimate and so moving, I finished it in tears'\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e'Wow! This was a stunning novel'\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e'Probably one of the most memorable, poignant, emotional books I've ever read ... This will crawl for a while under my skin. Can I give a 6th star?'\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e'A brilliant and important read'\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e'Beautifully written. I read it slowly as I wanted to savour every word'\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e'There is something so deeply touching, tender yet powerful in the writing ... This coming-of-age story is compelling, haunting, emotive and written beautifully. By the end, it left me in tears. It is a book I will long remember'\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paperback\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll books at Vastela are pre-owned. Condition varies from good to near-new. No book is sold in unacceptable condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vastela Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58529083785590,"sku":null,"price":8.9,"currency_code":"CHF","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0707\/7144\/1981\/files\/9781800753488.jpg?v=1787576538","url":"https:\/\/www.vastelabooks.com\/products\/9781800753488","provider":"Vastela Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}