such a sorrow and gorgeous story spanning across generations of families affected by the Cultural Revolution. i felt delirious when i finished the book. i felt all the grief, guilt, hope, and yearning that transpires in this story. so much on memory and preservation, music, math, and language, and the tenacity of family. it’s a slow read which will put many people off but nothing about this story needs to be rushed. 

“there is no way across the river but to feel for the stones.”