Tiananmen Square BY Lai Wen

The Long Road to Tiananmen Square by Lai Wen is a poignant coming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of the Tiananmen Square student protests. Set in 1970s Beijing, the story follows Lai, a thoughtful and unassuming child who grows up in a vibrant, working-class neighborhood. Her father is a reclusive figure, her mother a fervent patriot absorbed in gossip, while her grandmother is a colorful and perceptive presence who believes in Lai’s potential.

Lai’s innocence is shattered when a harmless prank leads to a harrowing encounter with the police, revealing the harsh realities of the Chinese state. Her father's trauma from the Cultural Revolution adds another layer of complexity to her understanding of their world. As Lai matures, she encounters a wise bookseller who introduces her to influential Western literature—works by Hemingway, Camus, and Orwell—that broaden her perspectives and awaken her emotional and intellectual curiosity.

Winning a scholarship to Peking University, Lai joins a group of theatrical misfits who embrace individuality in defiance of Communist Party conformity. As political tensions rise, the group becomes involved in the burgeoning student resistance movement. The novel culminates in the dramatic events of 1989, as Lai and her friends stand in solidarity with the demonstrators at Tiananmen Square, embodying the spirit of a generation willing to sacrifice for freedom.

Lai Wen’s novel, drawn from personal experience, is a mesmerizing exploration of youth, friendship, and the quest for self-discovery amid historical upheaval, capturing both the idealism and the cost of pursuing freedom.