Set in China after the cultural revolution, this novel follows the experiences of a 14-year-old girl named Chu Ju. Because the Chinese government has ruled that parents are allowed to have only two children, and because society as a whole deems daughters far less desirable than sons, Chu Ju and her parents are hoping that her mother's pregnancy will result in a boy. When a second daughter is born, Chu Ju decides to run away, thus leaving her parents with only one daughter--and the chance to try to have another child. Now facing life on her own, Chu Ju travels through China, taking work where she can find it and experiencing life on the edge of society. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.