{"product_id":"tiananmen-square-extraordinary-william-boyd","title":"Tiananmen Square","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'An extraordinary book. Truly important' William Boyd\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Outstanding ... Intimate as well as epic' \u003cem\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Poignant and powerful' \u003cem\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Utterly gripping' \u003cem\u003eThe Spectator\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Beautiful and devastating' \u003cem\u003eIrish News\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eSunday Times \u003c\/em\u003eBest Summer Reads 2024\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLonglisted for the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award 2025\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShortlisted in the British Book Awards 2025\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA STORY OF UNBREAKABLE FRIENDSHIP AND THE PRICE OF FREEDOM\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\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\n\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\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5 STAR READER REVIEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Captivating, intimate and so moving, I finished it in tears’\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Wow! This was a stunning novel’\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\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\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘A brilliant and important read’\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Beautifully written. I read it slowly as I wanted to savour every word’\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\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\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Swift Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49713457594712,"sku":"9781800753464","price":25.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0278\/1295\/4195\/files\/9781800753464_57b4bdec-99c8-4381-8cfd-162e0400907f.jpg?v=1776925816","url":"https:\/\/agendabookshop.com\/products\/tiananmen-square-extraordinary-william-boyd","provider":"Agenda Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}