Mah's memoir is about her lonely childhood during the time of the civil war in China. Although Mah's fear and shame were not caused by the political unrest, but by her step-mother, siblings and ultimately her father who rejected her. This book is a riveting Chinese family saga which shows Mah's courage in overcoming physical and emotional abuse without dispaying any feelings of bitterness. Written as an act of cartharsis, this book went on to became an international bestseller. It also provides an interesting insight into how Chinese families were affected by the civil war.