Bronze and Sunflower

Cao Wenxuan's 'Bronze and Sunflower' is a deeply moving historical fiction novel set in rural China during the Cultural Revolution. It tells the story of Sunflower, a young girl orphaned after her artist father is sent to a May Seventh Cadre School, who is taken in by a kind, impoverished family. She quickly forms an inseparable bond with their only child, Bronze, a mute boy traumatized by a past fire. The narrative beautifully portrays their lives in the village of Damaidi, highlighting themes of family, friendship, resilience, and the enduring human spirit against the backdrop of significant hardship and cultural change. Parents will appreciate its lyrical prose, rich cultural insights, and the powerful exploration of love and loyalty.

Taken in by a poor family in a rural village after the death of her father, Sunflower bonds with the family's only child, Bronze, who has not spoken since being traumatized by a terrible fire.