Shen Congwen's 'Border Town'

Shen Congwen's book Border Town is hard to pin down as a foreign reader who is mostly comfortable with Western literature. The book itself seems to echo some trends in 18th century European continental literature which idealized and depicted peasants patronizingly as 'simple folks who have a good heart'. Congwen's book is similar in that it ignores all social, political, economic or military dimensions of the story told.
Still, this seems to be a conscious and deliberate decision of the author, and done so that the main focus remains strictly on a simple and straightforward story of growing up, losing the ones we love, and experiencing longing and romantic love for the first time.
The book is excellent on this psychological level. It doesn't dive deep into the personal, consciously experienced thoughts and emotions of the characters, but it does highlight some of their main worries and thoughts, and gives the reader a good sense of how they feel and think by talking about their behaviour.
Cuicui and her grandpa offer a touching and sad pair, but one that is not heartbreaking: we all have to go through similar things in our lives, as we are all more or less powerless in the face of loss, passion, growing up. Cuicui is confused about the changes in herself, her grandfathers' behaviour towards her, and her feelings. And her grandfather despairs over how to secure the future happiness of his beloved and treasured granddaughter.
The grandpa departs during a very symbolic storm followed by a flood. The elements cannot be stopped, just as the old man's life cannot be extended forever. Nature has no respect and patience for the personal troubles of the pair. At the end of the novel Cuicui stands alone in life, and her supportive and caring community tries to nudge her towards growing up. Unable to move on quickly after her grandfather's loss she stays put, and with the assistance of an old friend of her grandfather's she continues to live in the same way as before. The fact that life cannot be easily controlled seems only to strengthen her attachment to what she holds dear - the way of life and place that she loved.