Mei Lin has finally been released from prison, but life isn’t the same after all she’s been through. When she is invited to help in an orphanage for the summer, she can’t pass up the chance that God has given her even if it means returning to Shangai so soon after her captivity. During Mei Lin’s time away, it’s her fiancé who ends up in more danger than he thought possible.

The sequel to Daughter of China, Across The China Sky stands on it’s own with a gripping tale of religious persecution in China. C. Hope Flinchbaugh is a powerful storyteller and tackles this sensitive subject with grace and compassion. She doesn’t stop with persecution, though. She also handles infertility, cults and orphans. The multiple story lines work together to bring the reader to his knees for any who might suffer through any of these situations.

At times heart-warming and at others heart-wrenching, readers will get a first-hand look at the lives of Christians in China. Flinchbaugh has done her homework. The characters are richly developed and the story deeply touching.

Readers who have an interest in other cultures will find Across The China Sky refreshing. As Americans, it’s hard to keep our freedom in perspective. Every once in a while a powerful story like this one begs to be read as a reminder of the liberties we enjoy while others around the world suffer.

As I was reading, I truly felt like I was in China, suffering alongside Flinchbaugh’s characters. Every once in a while I would need to pause to wipe the tears from my eyes. The powerful story is backed up at the end of the novel by a real-life update from an interview the author did while visiting China.