Guangqin is a lonely girl, ignored by her ageing father and older half-siblings as she entertains herself in the dilapidated courtyard of her once-illustrious, storied family home in 1950s Beijing. The highlight of her year is a summer visit to the remote village home of her mother’s childhood friend, where she enjoys balmy days and sleepless nights in the company of a yellow dog and a boy named Sunny.
In her autobiographical novel, Ye Guangqin creates a poignant vista of chirping weasels, rural feasts and crumbling shrines as she invites readers to join her on a journey of discovery to the Sun Palace.