Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
A fictionalized account of the author's experiences as a boy in Shanghai, China, during the Second World War, and in Lunghua C.A.C. (Civilian Assembly Centre), where he was interned from 1942 to 1945.
Is Empire of the Sun appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
A powerful wartime coming-of-age story depicting a British boy's experiences in a Japanese internment camp during WWII. Contains moderate violence, deprivation, and traumatic wartime situations suitable for mature teens.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include child harm, captivity, and death (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teen readers interested in WWII history will find an unflinching but deeply human survival story through the eyes of a resilient young protagonist.