Tried reading this one and it just was not meant for me. This does not mean that it is not a good book, I just was not in the right place to be reading it and have decided to not try picking it up anytime in the near future.

I read a few pages and I know I shouldn't be judging the book after just reading a few pages, but the writing is too small and the beginning was uninteresting for me. So, I decided to DNF it.

This took me a long time to read and as beautiful as it was, it did not really work for me. The writing was lovely, the descriptions of nature, the scenes of life, and the issues faced by that community were enchanting, but for me, there needs to be a story and there was really no story here for me. So I feel bad for giving it not a higher rating because I can tell that this is a wonderful book, it's just not a wonderful book for me.

I am conflicted about how to express my experience with this book. It is a fascinating narrative (of the author's life), but it took me a long, long time to get to grips with the timing of the tale. There is a back and forth which goes on for quite a while till I was properly confused. The author spent a lot of time with her mother, some in the city and other parts travelling elsewhere. These are not chronologically placed, but even for artistic merit, I would have hoped for an alternating between city and current, but we only end up in a linear story by the time we reach the end.
This is all just how the content was placed. The individual chapters were unique and very colourful, and the translation seemed pretty well done. We have a family (or parts of it at a time) leading a life that seems unimaginable while reading it in a cozy room with things available on-demand or with a flick of a switch. She talks of her mother's fortitude, focus and stubbornness. At no time, even when she is most frustrated, do you ever question the fact that she likes her mother.
The life of a farmer in a remote location of the globe, with questionable facilities and changing company every season, forms the book's bulk. It provides a window into this completely different culture and all the weight that it holds. I just wish it had been easier to follow!
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley, the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this book.

In this book, we read about Li Juan, her mother and her grandmother (and two dogs, Chouchou and Saihu). The basic set up of the book is that mother has bought a yurt so that she can quickly move from place to place to plant (and, hopefully, harvest) the sunflowers of the title, and Li Juan, after the death of her grandmother, gives up her job in town to move back in with her family and support this farming work.

But this is not really a novel. For a start, most (if not all) of it is factual and it could be considered more a memoir or an autobiography covering a specific period of Li’s life. Also, it has no real plot, apart from the fact that it follows Li Juan’s experiences: it has more of a feel of a documentary as we are presented with a large number of relatively short chapters that show us episodes in Li’s life (there are photographs included in the book, as well, that show us some of the “action” unfolding). It is interesting to note that NetGalley (where I acquired my copy, with thanks to the publisher) has it filed under both “Biographies & Memoirs” and “Women’s Fiction”. I guess you would classify it as “creative non-fiction”: the book reads like fiction and, for readers reading it in this English translation, most of whom will have little or no knowledge of life in Xinjiang, it might as well be fiction. Li’s writing style makes it feel like a work of fiction even though she supports it with actual photographs of the characters involved.

There are, I think, three key elements to what we read. There’s the family history/relationships where we read about Li Juan, her mother and her grandmother. Through the course of the book, we get to know these women quite well, perhaps especially mother who is quite a character. Then there’s the insights into life in Xinjiang. It is undeniable that this family lives close to if not in poverty, and we watch as they struggle to make ends meet. And there’s the writing about nature which takes the form of both observations of the natural world and numerous chapters which are actually more philosophical, musing on man’s relationship with nature. There’s a shift in balance through the course of the book with the first half being more focused on the family and the second half containing more of the thinking on nature.

In addition to what is in this book, there’s also the matter of what is NOT in the book. Li gives the reader room to exercise their imagination and does not feel the need to fill in all the gaps. A lot of the backstory (what Li’s job was before she gave it up, why her mother decided to farm sunflowers, where all the rest of her family is) is left open for the reader to imagine (or not, depending on how your brain works).

This is a very atmospheric evocation of a very difficult life. To begin with, the family live in a hole in the ground that has been used by different families through the years, each putting their own roof on top. It is only when they discover that this is liable to flooding that mother decides to buy a yurt as something that is more substantial but also mobile, giving them the flexibility to move to where the work is. It is never certain that there will be enough cash available to put the next meal on the table and it is a very hand-to-mouth existence. But this does mean that Li’s life is lived in close contact with nature, so the meditations on nature fit in very, err, naturally.

This isn’t a book to read if you want a fast moving plot. It’s more about getting an insight into a way of life along with some thoughts that that way of life inspire about man’s relationship with our planet. And all this running in parallel with the relationships between three generations of women in a family.

A gentle but absorbing read.

Maybe because I'm reading this book during the northern hemisphere planting season, while sorting seeds, turning beds, transplanting seedlings, I feel surrounded by the most nourishing prose in Li Juan's DISTANT SUNFLOWER FIELDS. At times meditative like journal passages, yet crafted with a poet's sensory images, each chapter in this memoir pulls my heart deeper into a place of balance with nature, family, and the passages of time. Li Juan spent several years with her mother tending a 90-acre plot of sunflowers. This book- Li Juan's first available in English--is about much more than a farmer's challenges.

Li Juan invites readers into an extremely isolated and fragile habitat, Xinjiang, a remote region of the PRC bordering current-day India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Russia and the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The territory is both desolate and rich with history, traversed by ancient Silk Road traders, a landscape where nomadic herders and farmers coexist with limited water and intense weather. And they've done so for centuries and centuries. In short chapters of gorgeous language, Li Juan traces sacred pathways of water, the known and imagined paths of her ancestors and places in between. The author ponders life's big questions and invites pandemic-thwarted travelers to explore a remarkable place while contemplating cycles of life, death, and being. Enduring powers of nature, story, and indigenous life wisdom from DISTANT SUNFLOWER FIELDS will resonate long and strong in my mind and heart. Offers sustenance to fans of BRAIDING SWEETGRASS by Native American Robin Wall Kimmerer, BLUE SKY KINGDOM by Bruce Kirkby, and LANDS OF LOST BORDERS by Kate Harris. I was also reminded more than once of Steinbeck's GRAPES OF WRATH.

I loved this book! It was heartwarming and strong. It was exactly what I needed with everything going on in the world! A happy little escape!

Distant Sunflower Fields reads not only as a biography but also as a nature documentary, and a mini history lesson.
From the steppes of the Gobi Desert, we meet Li Juan,and her strong willed mother, (and later her ageing grandmother) on their small plot of land. Surrounded by chickens, rabbits, two dogs, and hardscrabble earth, sunflower fields are planted, cared for and ultimately harvested.
This book is ultimately a story of unwavering strength and fortitude in the face of great difficulties. A story of coming to terms with family members you love and lose and honoring the lives of those who are no longer with you.
Thank you #netgalley and the publisher for the e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Truly unique and beautiful combination of a raw memoir, ethnography, nature writing and reflections on labor and natural adversities.

I read this book immediately after finishing this author's other new release in English, Winter Pasture, which was another 5-star read. While both books are a nonfiction/memoir describing a unique lifestyle in touch with nature, Distant Sunflower Fields describes Li's work at her sunflower plantation.

In Li's unique writing style, she combines ethnography with beautiful, lyrical language and highly personal accounts and memories. As in Winter Pasture, she heavily focuses on other people and her intimate relationship with them, making it a raw and emotional read. As a result, alongside vivid descriptions of nature and physical labor at the sunflower farm, we get very moving relationships with her family, animals, nature and natural adversities.

How does she combine these very different styles together? I don't know, but I absolutely admire Li's writing and will definitely reach for her future works.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2021 has been another difficult year, but I’m very lucky to have the pleasure to read and review “Distant Sunflower Fields “.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Alain Charles Asia publishing for the opportunity 😃

This story takes place in a Chinese province of Xinjiang, where Juan describes her life with her mother, grandmother, the 2 dogs and all the attempts for a successful sunflower 🌻 plantation.

I absolutely adore this book, it should be included on “ Books you should read before you die “ list.
For almost 700 pages it’s impressive how the Author keep it light and enjoyable.

5 stars ⭐️

On the verge of the Gobi desert in the northwestern Chinese province of Xinjiang Li Juan and her mother attempt to nurture a small crop of sunflowers to maturity, against all the odds. Fighting against the arid climate, water shortages and rampaging herds of deer the pair managae against all the odds to eventually have a successful harvest. I found Li Juan's account of a very different and difficult way of life fascinating. Her observations of the natural world are so vivid that I could picture her surroundings clearly in my mind's eye. There were many humorous moments scattered throughout, most often involving at least one if not both of her mother's dogs, and I found myself chuckling more often than I had expected from the description of the book. I also loved reading about the relationships between the three generations of women, daughter, mother and grandmother , and there was a lot of honesty in the way these relationships were described. so the reader got to see the frustrations as well as the deep affection. On the downside, I do wish the author had followed a more linear structure , instead of jumping around the timeline so much, it made it a little more difficult to follow.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars.
This book was beautifully written. I had previously read another of Li Juan's books that had been translated into English, "Winter Pasture", and I found that I liked this one better, and that this translation seemed much smoother and easier to read for me.
The descriptions of the nature, especially, of course, the titular sunflower fields, were very evocative. I felt as if I was really there. This book also made me do my own research on the Xinjiang autonomous region of China where Li Juan is from.
It was also easy to read, because the chapters were quite short, and I found myself flying through it during my lunch break at work everyday.
All in all, a beautiful book that was a privilege to read. I would love to read Li Juan's other works when they are translated into English to learn more about the rural regions of China.

I was lucky enough to get approval for an early copy of this beautiful book from NetGalley and Alain Charles Asia Publishing, so thank you to them!

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“If it’s true that nature flourishes only in the depths where single rays of light reach, then humanity’s trundle across this earth is the extinguishing of that light”

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I was quite cautious when I first requested this book, I’m not big on biography’s as such, but thought I’d try something different for a change. However, I was honestly blown away by this book, it didn’t feel like a biography at all!! You feel genuinely immersed within the pages, as if you’re there yourself, you’re living this life. As if you can feel the wind howling past you, feel the earth between your toes and bask in the golden hue of the sunflowers as they bloom before you.

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I cannot express just how beautifully and eloquently written this book is. I found it soothing almost, to be able to imagine such a beautiful area of the world in your mind. I think it marks a truly profound writer to enable you to visualise every detail from words alone. It’s descriptive, but it doesn’t go past the point, it never feels like Li Juan is trying to just fill the pages with words. I didn’t find it to drag at all either, which I was worried about with it being over 600 pages long.

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The chapters are really short and light, so easy read for those who may struggle with focusing for long periods of time. It’s also a book I feel like you can easily get back into after being away for a while.

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Furthermore, I really enjoyed the rawness exhibited throughout, from her relationship with her mum, to the raw and unrelenting emotions that come with grieving some you love, how often you find yourself with regrets of what you could’ve done different, even though it’s impossible to change the past. It also has a few lessons in there, I found it quite eye opening of the way, a lot of us take farming (vegetables, flowers and even animals) for granted. Everything is so temporary but we all believe it’ll just always be there for us, we don’t really give a second thought to how much hard work has gone into the ability for these items to grow and flourish, so that we may eat them in bountiful amounts. Not only just from the farmers themselves (although they do a fantastic job) but from the earth as well and the elements, they play just as big a role, something that we don’t even take two seconds to appreciate or acknowledge.

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Overall, I think this was an exceptional biography, and I’m so glad I came across it on NetGalley and gave it a chance! It’s been such a light hearted and yet, educational read. Filling me with comfort and joy (particularly with the chapters about Li Juan’s mum sewing clothes for the animals to protect them from mosquitoes and frostbite). I would recommend this to anyone who maybe wants to try something out of their comfort zone, or just wants to read something heartwarming. As a result, I’ve given this book 4.6/5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 5)

This book is beautifully written with a fine detail in almost every aspect. Li Juan writes with a calm and honest voice, her relationship with her hard working mother always at the forefront.

The book opens up the challenging culture of the rural setting where farmers fight against all the harsh elements of nature and sometimes the harsher discouragement of local rules and authorities.

The chapters are short and pleasant and many readers will find it an endearing read. I found that personally, I would have liked it more if it had been written in a linear way with a hook at the end of each chapter and a stronger development. However, I am sure that it will appeal to many and will be ideal for book clubs and discussion groups.

I loved the images of vast sunflower fields that this book gave me. In fact, I googled and learned that some of these fields are tourist spots in China.

It was interesting and heartbreaking at times to read about the life of those working and living in or near those fields. I found some parts of the book more interesting than others. Sometimes I couldn't put down the book and, other times, I just wanted to skip whole chapters. I especially enjoyed reading about the dogs and the iron lady who is the author's mum because she is quite a character! Humorous bits are scattered throughout and I found myself chuckling often.

The timeline is all over the place though and I sometimes found myself confused and unsure which part of her life she is talking about now.

Being a translation from Chinese, I was glad to find the writing quite smooth, with perhaps some rough spots here and there (though that could be me just not understanding and not the fault of the translation). Having worked on a family book that involved translating Chinese to English, I know it is not an easy task!