Li-yan, an adolescent girl who is a member of the Akha people, one of the 55 ethnic minorities of China, is a tea picker. When she has a baby out of wedlock, instead of allowing the baby to be killed according to her people’s traditions, she leaves her at an orphanage in a nearby city. This book follows both Li-yan’s and her daughter’s lives and explores the intricacies of tea farming and the issues of international and interracial adoption. Probably my favorite of Lisa See’s books so far.

Gave to isk for kenj.

Received at cohort 9/2022