I was amazed he got away with the first part of the first book which describes aspects of the Cultural Revolution in great detail and doesn't shy away from the whole teenagers murdering their teachers aspect. He is publically pro-goverment in the way you'd better be as a public figure in China. The books, especially the first one, are good.

I don't recall any overt tones. I think it is so highly awarded because it isn't anti-CCP, though I don't remember ever feeling like it took any time away saying it was good, either.

Every Chinese person will be cautious about some topics but the book is fine.

You can tell the book is written from within China. It has some different perspectives to what you’d normally find in a “western” book, but not in a propaganda way. Worth the read

I'd say that it's substantially about the cultural revolution and imo gives it an overall negative treatment that happens to align with the present transition away from hardcore Maoism in China. Cultures are not so monolithic as to be functions of their local propaganda. Much like, say, the US is producing a lot of good science fiction despite having an unhealthy love of capitalism.

I believe it was the third book of the series where he essentially describes a unified humanity that was basically a mix of China and the USA. I'm doubtful that aligns well with the expectations of the Communist Party of China, but maybe? 😆