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Under Red Skies: Three Generations of Life, Loss, and Hope in China

Karoline Kan

4.06 · Rating details · 418 ratings · 67 reviews

A deeply personal and shocking look at how China is coming to terms with its conflicted past as it emerges into a modern, cutting-edge superpower.

Through the stories of three generations of women in her family, Karoline Kan, a former New York Times reporter based in Beijing, reveals how they navigated their way in a country beset by poverty and often-violent political ...more

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Hardcover, 320 pages

Published March 12th 2019 by Hachette Books

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May 22, 2019 Marks54 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a memoir of sorts from a young woman who is a Chinese "millenial" and who was born at the time of the Tienanmen Square massacre (or the June 4th event as it is referred to in China and in the book). Ms. Kan recounts her childhood move from a village to a town and her eventual move to Beijing to attend university. This is an account of the transition from Communist China to the new China under Deng's policy of opening up of markets and encouraging capitalism and economic prosperity within This is a memoir of sorts from a young woman who is a Chinese "millenial" and who was born at the time of the Tienanmen Square massacre (or the “June 4th event” as it is referred to in China and in the book). Ms. Kan recounts her childhood move from a village to a town and her eventual move to Beijing to attend university. This is an account of the transition from Communist China to the new China under Deng's policy of opening up of markets and encouraging capitalism and economic prosperity within the context of Communist Party leadership.

I have never liked generational narratives much and know firsthand the enormous variety that is encompassed within a given range of birth dates, but this sort of story is most informative and valuable for readers who lack much knowledge of any sort regarding the individuals in the story or of a different culture more generally. That is a major problem for Americans and many westerners I suspect in considering the experiences and perspectives of the tens of thousands of young university educated Chinese that one encounters frequently these days in university settings and technological and professional service work settings. A brewing trade/tariff war will only make the problems of ignorance worse. It is hard enough for many Americans to fathom the changes in American society since the 1970s and 1980s and I feel at a continuing disadvantage in trying to understand emergent China and the perspectives of young Chinese.

Ms. Kan's account is easy to follow, straightforward and fairly honest. She is a skillful writer who had some experience working as a researcher for The NY Times andother Western outlets. She raises lots of critical issues, including urbanization, evolving gender identities, dating, social media, and changes in family ties across three generations as economic and political change occurs. She addresses these issues in a direct and informative manner. The style at times comes across to me as a bit too stylized and even manufactured, as if she was trying to speak for more than herself and fit into emerging standards for acceptable phrases and linguistic conventions. She can be surer off her own voice here - she has much to offer.

It is a timely and worthwhile read and is valuable both for its information content as well as it’s sharp and compelling story. ...more

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Jan 28, 2019 Laura rated it it was amazing

This is an exceptional book that captivated me from the first page on. With powerful and moving words, the author explains in detail the actions and motives of the government and their reception by the people. Kan creates a story for deeper understanding of the Chinese culture and presents her own origins (personal and authentic family history with changes in generation and traditions) connected to the well explained history of China. She combines all this information in a wonderful narrative ...more

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Jan 25, 2019 James rated it it was amazing

A wonderfully written, enlightening and frequently poignant coming of age story set in modern China. Karoline Kans writing rips along through her childhood and adolescence, but the story never feels rushed, painting a portrait of village life in a rapidly changing country and how disjointed and rudderless rapid development can leave you feeling, even when its presenting never before seen opportunities and new freedoms.

(Disclosure: I read a review copy provided by the publisher and also worked ...more

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Jun 04, 2019 6 rated it it was amazing

I want to start the review by saying that the author is pretty much full of herself. Given her age (not even thirty) and her background, I rated this memoir five stars because of that, not in spite of it. At the ripe age of 28, I believe we were all full of ourselves. She is honest and tells a compelling story that I can't wait to read page after page. I don't ask more from a memoir.

I was born and raised in Beijing, China. I am about 15 years older than the author. Whatever she described, I I want to start the review by saying that the author is pretty much full of herself. Given her age (not even thirty) and her background, I rated this memoir five stars because of that, not in spite of it. At the ripe age of 28, I believe we were all full of ourselves. She is honest and tells a compelling story that I can't wait to read page after page. I don't ask more from a memoir.

I was born and raised in Beijing, China. I am about 15 years older than the author. Whatever she described, I lived through, however, from a more privileged perspective.

I am a second child but born before the only child era.
I had a City Huko.
I grew up in suburban Beijing and never worried about money or status.
I went to one of the best universities in Beijing without torturous study (it's easier to get into better universities if you take the exam in Beijing or other major cities).

Because of this, I was an obedient child (no need to rebel), followed everything my parents and whatever authorities told me, and never questioned the reasoning of our precious government.
Looking back, there were a lot of things that I did makes me cringe now. One of them is how oblivious I was of my privilege. I couldn't understand why someone would want to break the law and have more than one child. I couldn't understand why those who were born in the rural area want to migrate to the city and create a "messy" environment. I couldn't understand why people protest this and protest that. I thought we lived in the best country in the world and we should all be thankful for the wonderful leadership.

This book helped me explain a lot of my childhood and youth year to myself and my children. I am thankful that there is someone who can tell this era so straightforward and in such an interesting way.

Now let's get to my claim that the author is full of herself. She didn't say it out loud. But throughout the book, I feel like she is trying to convey the idea that she is better than most of the Chinese people.

One example would be her reaction to Tiananmen Square. As someone who lived through it and was brainwashed day in and day out, I can assure you that no one (or I should say almost no one) can just look at some online pictures and turned against their government. We were warned about the "twisted" way western world look at us and how dangerous it is to believe their propaganda (I believe one of the reviewers here does consider this whole book western propaganda). We were told the whole event is NECESSARY for the progress. And we were brought up with the imprinted idea that sacrifice is always a must. There are one thousand compelling stories the government fed us for everyone picture the western media portrayed that day. I really don't believe by a look at some pictures, she can be persuaded that our government did something wrong. More convincing is how she ended this part of the book by describing how she didn't do anything at the end and how she is scared that whatever she does would affect her future.

Another example is her relationship with men. She talked about this boss of hers Claire with disgust (for lack of a better word). Claire only dated foreigners and look down on Chinese even though she is a Chinese herself. The author was quite offended by this. However, the only two real relationships she herself has have been both with white men. According to her description, the first guy impressed her because he held the door open for her and no Chinese men would ever do that (not true). I was quite annoyed by this part of the book at first. But the more I thought about it, the more I feel this is a very authentic view of how Chinese feel about and behave around foreigners. We were taught to hate foreigners and brought up with the belief that we should be dignified while dealing with them. But our policy, our media, and even our leaders all show admiration to foreigners and in occassions, it does make us feel like the foreigners are better than us. This confliction is imprinted in most of us.

Examples like these filled this book. I believe her age, her background, and also her eagerness to please American readers contribute to this. But as I said before, it doesn't bother me. It offers a better portrait of how Chinese view ourselves and foreigners. It's authentic. Sad, but authentic.

...more

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Dec 15, 2019 Rachel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: yuma

Really interesting and well-written memoir of a Chinese millennial. Covers so many interesting topics, I love the way that she shares her own story as well as her parents and grandparents. She is so reflective and honest of her own journey coming to age in this country and learning the strengths and weaknesses found in its traditions and policies

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Sep 25, 2019 Kamila Kunda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, china, non-fiction, asia

I have read a fair number of memoirs written by Chinese authors. My fascination with the decade of the Cultural Revolution and the times shortly afterwards used to be immense. After I felt I satisfied my interest sufficiently, it subsided for a while as I waited for the new generation of Chinese to start writing about their experiences. Karoline Kan is the first millennial, whose account of life in the times of rapid economic, political and social transformation entitled Under Red Skies I have I have read a fair number of memoirs written by Chinese authors. My fascination with the decade of the Cultural Revolution and the times shortly afterwards used to be immense. After I felt I satisfied my interest sufficiently, it subsided for a while as I waited for the new generation of Chinese to start writing about their experiences. Karoline Kan is the first millennial, whose account of life in the times of rapid economic, political and social transformation entitled “Under Red Skies” I have read.

She was born a decade after me, just a few months before the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, commonly known in China as the June Fourth Incident. She grew up in a small village, then moved with her parents to a larger town Lutai, from which, being an excellent student, she went to study at a university in Beijing. Her family was far from wealthy and far from being unique - and within this background lies the strength of her voice, even though her mother was a strong feminist; in a patriarchal society, at the peak of the one-child policy ‘regime’ she decided to have a second child, a daughter, and fought hard to make her dream come true. The obstacles she needed to overcome were horrendous and Kan superbly described her mother’s plight.

Feminist overtones reverberate throughout the whole book. Kan often mentions strong female figures she respected and admired and her observations are often influenced by the belief that women are not weaker, less capable or less dedicated than men, as many Chinese believe. She expresses her disappointment in prevalent sexism, discrimination, stigmatisation of single women or wives and mothers who want to use their potential, skills and interest in meaningful, rewarding jobs. She wishes good life not only for herself, but wants to empower women close to her - her mother, her cousins and best friends - as well as educate men to support women.

At the same time her memoir can be read as a document of the China post-Deng Xiaoping, presenting the transformation of contemporary China in a micro-scale. I have watched many films showing the reality of the last two decades, have read many articles, but haven’t yet read many books about them, especially not as personal as Kan’s memoir. I found her “Under Red Skies” utterly gripping, very moving and extremely honest (particularly when it comes to censorship in the media and education and people’s reluctance to discuss controversial topics and human rights abuses). Karoline Kan is the woman I would love to be friends with and spend many an evening on discussions over tea or Chinese delicacies. Even though we grew up in different parts of the world we have much in common. She has all the qualities I admire in a writer and in a woman.

“Under Red Skies” is bound to become an instant classic giving voice to millions of Chinese millennials struggling to find their own place in China, where opportunism, prejudice and conformism still prevail and where many still do not seem to be ready to face up the past to build a better future. ...more

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Apr 15, 2019 1953lincolngmail.Com rated it it was amazing

If you have any interest in China and it's recent history, this book is fabulous! Told by a millennial about her and her family, who have lived through the ups and downs of surviving poverty and political unrest to find a better life, I am finding this book hard to put down!
Just finished it! Loved it!

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Aug 27, 2019 Jill Robbertze rated it it was amazing

This is a really good memoir and family's story told from in insider's perspective in China. I have read several books, both fiction and non-fiction that cover the time from the Cultural Revolution through to the Tiananmen square tradgedy, but this one brings us right up until very recent times and I like that Karoline Kan tells her story in a concise way which is never repetitive or boring. An easy read for anyone who would like to learn something of the history and culture of China.

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May 25, 2019 Kuang Ting rated it it was amazing

I am a reader from Taiwan, and find this book particularly insightful. I am almost the same age as the author. Therefore, I think her descriptions are very useful for readers, especially Western readers, to understand contemporary China. China has undergone one of the most rapid transformation in human's history during the last few decades. The cultural, economic, political, and almost everything change so fast that full comprehension is sometimes not possible. Taiwan is also part of the I am a reader from Taiwan, and find this book particularly insightful. I am almost the same age as the author. Therefore, I think her descriptions are very useful for readers, especially Western readers, to understand contemporary China. China has undergone one of the most rapid transformation in human's history during the last few decades. The cultural, economic, political, and almost everything change so fast that full comprehension is sometimes not possible. Taiwan is also part of the intricate Chinese history which is still ongoing. If you know the 'interesting' relationship between China and Taiwan, you may think Taiwanese understand China more than other countries. However, it's actually not the case. Many people I know have little understanding about China as well. It's sad to see how people are manipulated by political parties here.

Let's turn the attention back to this book. As someone also from Chinese cultural community, I learn much new knowledge from the book. In the past few years, I have read books by prominent China observers such as Peter Hessler, Evan Osnos, Ian Johnson, Michael Meyer, and many more. They all give me great insights on 21st century China. Nonetheless, they are foreigners after all. It's a bit like comparisons between first or second hand experiences. A Chinese tells a Chinese story. Sounds more down-to-earth, right? That's why I highly recommend the book to everyone interested in China.

Author Karoline is a nice story-teller. She intimately weaves personal experience and national memories together. Her prose is beautiful and clear. Though I think her writing cater to Western readers to some extent, her stories are representative of common people in today's China. Forget about the corrupt officials and lavishly spoiled little emperors. The news from international mainstream media outlets only make China's image more obscure. I mean yes, Huawei, President Xi, Jack Ma... they are all integral parts of China, but understanding a country from the bottom up is more essential. At least it's my way to learn about other countries.

Say, if I learn about the USA based solely on what Trump tweeted, I would think how arrogant this nation is. On contrary, if I learn about the USA by reading 'Travels with Charley' by Steinbeck or 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac, I would say they greatly complement what the macro-descriptions lack. The US is not a monotonous country. There are great varieties from state to state. What happened in the 1960s? What is the so-called Beat Generation? Historical events ripple through generations. What happened in the past shapes the status quo. Personally, I hope China and the US could have more mutual understanding. As the two great powers, misunderstanding seems to dominate current interactions.

'Under red Skies' fills the gap. The story line lasts over three generations. It begins approximately at the time when the Communist Party took over China in 1949. Karoline's grandparents were the most tragic generation that lived through one of the most tumultuous times in modern China. They encountered events like The Cultural Revolution and The Great Famine, etc. The ordeal was so strong that it made Chinese people felt insecure all the time. Even after China's opening door to the world in 1978, this kind of mind-set persists to this day. The economic reforms paved the way for China's meteoric ascent to become an economic powerhouse. However, institutional deficiency still made common people's life not so easy. Karoline's parents' generation worked hard to give their children better lives. It's Karoline's generation that enjoys some privileges and freedoms. Finally, young people may pursue and realize their dreams. It's been a long journey, and many more challenges wait ahead for Chinese millennials. Karoline's family and personal stories are inspiring and encouraging. She is a brave person.

In summary, this book is a great read for everyone interested in China. Personally, it makes me understand my 'counterparts' better. Apart from the Chinese elements, readers could easily take it as a memoir of an aspiring young lady. Her growth stories are truly immersive. Wish her best lucks hereafter.

Rating: 5 stars.
...more

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Aug 11, 2019 Ava Pk rated it really liked it

"Under Red Skies is an engaging eyewitness account about Karoline's quest to understand the rapidly evolving, shifting sands of China."
.
Only the second autobopgraphy I've read in my life after Anne Frank's diary, I forgot how enjoyable it is to not only learn about the lives of others, but to learn about history! Kan offers a window into her upbringing as a millenial in China amid its modernisation. She tells us stories, touching on interesting topics including: the two-child policy, abortion ...more

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Jan 02, 2020 Lea rated it really liked it

Shelves: não-ficção, china, memórias

The first 2/3rds were a solid 5 stars: they were the parts about Karolines grandparents and parents and her own childhood. This is when the biggest changes take place in China, and Karoline does a wonderful job of integrating personal history and the countrys trajectory. I feel like I learned so much about China.

Where it gets a little weaker is the final part, which is about Karoline in university and then entering the job market. She was only 28 when she wrote this, so its not surprising that ...more

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Dec 31, 2019 Caroline Gemes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Such an interesting story about her life through multiple generations in China. Learned so much about their culture and realties through her life. It kept me engaged and not wanting to put it down.

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May 11, 2019 Juno Zhang rated it did not like it

Biased US narrative and propaganda
The book is fun at times, but has a clear agenda to attack the Chinese communist party, appealing to the taste of US readers. Many things Kan describes is true, for example students had to be patriotic, join the young pioneers and wear red scarfs. But Kans political commentary belies her lack of knowledge and reliance on inaccurate US/western accounts of events. The Tiananmen Square demonstration was never a peaceful protest as Kan claims, and the torturing of ...more

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Aug 07, 2019 Chris rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 Stars

This was such an interesting read, it offered a glimpse of the tension between generations and ideas in a rapidly changing China. Where traditions are changing, or being pushed out entirely by capitalism and a modernizing society. The story is centered on the writer, Karoline Kan, whos parents moved from a small village to a town nearby, which eventually gave her the opportunity to study in Beijing, drawing a parallel between the lack of opportunities her grandma had growing up during ...more

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Aug 14, 2019 Mr. Casarez rated it really liked it

I have mixed feelings about this book--on one hand, it's a pretty great overview of recent Chinese history, and a detailed look into the life of a Chinese woman born in the countryside in 1988. Comparing her situation with my own was enlightening. On the other hand, the second half of the book tends more towards a discussion of her love life, which I just didn't find as interesting. Some quibbles with her history, which tends to be pretty generalized, and I found her prose only decent. However, ...more

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Nov 27, 2018 Janday rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction, biography-memoir, advance-readers-copy, feminism-womens-studies, china-chinese, 21st-century

An insightful multigenerational memoir from a Chinese millennial and feminist. Kan reveals that despite cultural and social split between East and West, we have more in common with each other than differences. Approachable and enlightening.

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Jan 25, 2020 Rebekah Miller rated it really liked it

Born illegally as a second child in the one child policy era, Karoline Kan details the courage of her mother as she fought to save her daughters life. China had people in place who encouraged abortions or enforced the exorbitant fines on second children. Karolines mother managed to outwit every attempt to end her pregnancy and, later, to take away her ability to have more children.

Her mothers courage did not begin with this on purpose pregnancy. It began earlier, in Karolines grandmothers ...more

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Jul 04, 2019 Sandra rated it it was amazing

With UNDER RED SKIES, Karoline Kans dream comes true. She becomes a published author, sharing her familys and her countrys story of love, loss, family, and most especially of change.

Karoline starts her story with her mother pregnant with her. Karoline is her mothers second child in a society in which each couple is limited, by law, to only one. Karoline talks about traditions, customs, and values, and her familys moves to try to better their situation. She talks about her fight to go to college ...more

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Apr 24, 2019 Joseph rated it it was amazing

Shelves: china-books

I really enjoyed this book. It isn't a book that is going to teach you a lot about Chinese history or politics, but it is a really honest window into what it was like to grow up as a millenial in China. From teachers scolding students for not crying enthusiastically enough when Deng Xiaoping died, to the discovery of VPNs and learning about what happened in the late 80s, Karoline's experiences bring a human element, making it much easier to empathize with young Chinese people.

A very interesting ...more

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Jun 01, 2019 Al Maki added it

Shelves: life-story, places

A very readable and sympathetic memoir of growing up amid the modernization of China. The author was born in 1989, an illegal second child, in a farming village from which she has made her way to become an English language journalist in Beijing. It has two parts: her rural childhood which is centered on the lives of her parents and grandparents and the transformation of their lives; and her own university education and career in the capital in the last decade.
Worth reading for many reasons : ...more

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Mar 27, 2019 Matt rated it it was ok

From my profile: "2 Stars = a fine book. If non-fiction, it clearly explains what it sets out to explain. If fiction, enjoyable."

This is an interesting portrait of contemporary China. One thing I found really interesting is how much of a traditional immigrant tale is experienced by people who live their whole lives in China. The difference in culture and economic development between the cities and countryside is so extreme that, when coupled with an internal visa system to move from one to the ...more

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Aug 30, 2019 Leslie rated it it was amazing

Read this over two days, couldnt put it down. Kan writes so evocatively about her early village childhood. Whenever I took trains in China, I always wondered what life was really like in the little villages Id see out the window & I think this book has brought me closer to understanding than anything else.

Most the history was familiar to me, but the first-person perspective on things like forced sterilization and how college-aged millennials feel about June 4theres so much reporting on these ...more

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Nov 11, 2019 Abhinav Yadav rated it liked it · review of another edition

Very recently it came as a revelation that I should stop reading fiction. Stop not for ever but for time being and read more and more non-fiction genre to understand the "real" world.

I got the first taste of the book through some newspaper article which talked about the book and gave excerpts as well. China has always fascinated me - be it their outstanding performance in Olympics 2008, rising economic power or restricted freedom. I wanted to know China as people, not as a nation. I picked up ...more

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Mar 20, 2019 Kristine rated it really liked it

Shelves: amazon-reviewed

Under Red Skies by Karoline Kan is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in mid-March.

Kan is inspired by tales told to her as a child in China, so she writes short stories that take place within real events that occur in China during the 1980s-2000s (One Child Policy, land reforms, restrictions on immigration within and outside of China, industrialization and economic prosperity through imports and exports, primary school and college education, cram studying, matchmaking/courtship/marriage, prowess ...more

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May 20, 2019 Chrissy rated it it was amazing

The author, born in 1989, was an illegally-born second child. Her mother had to hide and bribe authorities in order to keep Kan from being forcibly aborted. Kan's story is simultaneously autobiographical, biographical (recording the challenges and triumphs of both her mother and grandmother), and culturally educative. As depressing and 1984-esque as the author's childhood was, she and many others slowly managed to see through the constant propaganda they lived and breathed. Whether it was her ...more

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Dec 08, 2019 Leila rated it liked it

Wow. Okay so basically Karoline Kan is a wonderful writer. Im an American studying at a Beijing high school right now, and this book reminded me how little I understand the majority of Chinese peoples lives and backgrounds. After hearing about the perspectives and backgrounds of my host family and friends here, its easy to stereotype and assume most Chinese people even just in Beijing have the same experience. That is so not correct! But its also important to realize that her perspective isnt ...more

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Apr 04, 2019 vivien rated it really liked it

I'm a Chinese female reader of a similar age as the author. I started this book expecting to relate to the author's experiences, which I did for some part. But grown up in a well-educated middle-class family in Shanghai, I was not at all prepared for the narratives regarding rural china, factory workers, city immigrants, and the impact of some policies on peoples life. Through stories of her close family members and friends, this book unfolds many aspects of China that I never gave much thought ...more

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Oct 31, 2019 Molly rated it liked it

It took me a few chapters to get into this story. I will attribute to my distractions. But, this is a very interesting story of modern China and the tension between the 'old' and the 'new.' I finished this book right after reading Something Fierce, and it just reminds me how we born in America, with our privilege, (even if not wealthy, but comfortable) can never really appreciate the emotional toll for immigrants, for those trying to change the world for the better, and how arrogant we can be ...more

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Jan 20, 2020 Madeleine Work rated it it was amazing

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Karoline Kan tells a powerful story of what its like growing up in China in the period after the reform and opening up policy, right as China was experiencing rapid economic growth.

I still find it difficult to wrap my head around the generational differences in china. Someone growing up in Maos China has a completely different perspective than someone attending University in the 2010s. I appreciate Kan telling her story and offering the world more insight into what it means to be a Chinese ...more

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Jun 04, 2019 Larkin Tackett rated it really liked it

I took two years of Mandarin and several Chinese history courses in college, but never really understood much about life in modern China. This biography of three generations of Chinese women helped. Kan's reflections about forced abortions of the one child policy, bizarre military drills, meritocratic tests that determine a child's future, censorship of Tiananmen Square, and other hard-line policies created a rich and troubling narrative. The book makes me want to visit China and understand ...more

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