The story begins with an observation of the Big Dipper on the playground of Nanjing University in 2006 - Sun Wei, a boy with congenital heart disease, and Li Banxia, a girl from Suixi. The two dark stars have since entered each other's gravitational field. The four volumes of the book span pure love on campus, family ethics, Wenchuan volunteer education and the earthquake disaster. It uses letter paper, scarf stitches, signatures on basketball leather, and always "delivered" text messages on mobile phones as the context to salvage the glimmer of individuals who have been ignored in the torrent of the times. The brushstrokes are restrained and the details are rich. It is not sensational or elevating - it just tells you quietly: the darkest star is always shining.
Reader comments
This novel should be read slowly and carefully, thank you for reading.
This novel should be read slowly and carefully, thank you for reading.