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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
UGH I don't think reading tragic books with tragic endings is for me!! ESPECIALLY the violence against chinese ppl during late 1800s was so so hard to read, and then add onto it the violence that brought daiyu to the US to begin with. I give this 3 stars bc I admit the writing was very very good with the calligraphy metaphor throughout, and I really enjoyed the descriptions about chinese myths
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Picked this up on a whim, and it turned out to be the best book of 2024 for me so far. I knew a lot about the Chinese Exclusion Act going into this book, but I had not heard about the outright violence against Chinese people at that time (though I should have assumed because ‘Merica)
That aside, this was beautiful and devastating. Zhang is an artist.
That aside, this was beautiful and devastating. Zhang is an artist.
beautiful and heartbreaking historical fiction. she writes in her acknowledgements that her purpose was reminding us all that america was, and still is, capable of: the hate and violence that it can inflict on innocent people, so long as those innocents are not white. the calligraphy metaphors and lin daiyu character lost me at times - but overall, the story was gripping and impactful.
horrifying, brutally honest depiction of how life was life for Chinese immigrants during the late 1800s & Chinese Exclusion act. This one will sit with me.
An ending I saw coming despite all my efforts to change it.
An ending I saw coming despite all my efforts to change it.
I think what Zhang has done here is really important. I was lucky enough to learn about the Chinese Exclusion Act in college (still pretty late), but a lot of Americans aren't so lucky. I share Zhang's hope that this book will open people's eyes to the history of anti-Chinese sentiment both past and present. It's clear that this is a meticulously researched piece of historical fiction and one that the author felt very passionate about. I think this passion is one of the book's best attributes.
Unfortunately I found the pacing and the prose itself a little lackluster. Daiyu bounces from place to place via circumstance and I feel like there was never enough time to really sit with her circumstances except in Pierce. There's also something about the writing that feels very detached. The Lin Daiyu segments were probably the worst offenders. I think I understand what Zhang is going for with this concept but it never gels correctly for me.
Unfortunately I found the pacing and the prose itself a little lackluster. Daiyu bounces from place to place via circumstance and I feel like there was never enough time to really sit with her circumstances except in Pierce. There's also something about the writing that feels very detached. The Lin Daiyu segments were probably the worst offenders. I think I understand what Zhang is going for with this concept but it never gels correctly for me.
A story full of beautiful prose, important history, and heart-wrenching truths. I definitely recommend this, especially for those unaware of the horrific Anti-Chinese sentiment and actions in 19th century America.
3.5 … I liked this book but it was a lot more traumatic than I was prepared for, and while that’s on me for not reading the description after getting a BookTok rec, it did make it hard to read. But on the other hand I couldn’t put it down, and strongly attached to Daiyu.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Pedophilia, Rape, Death of parent
This book pieces together historical facts and moments into a heartbreaking tale. It's a tragedy that hurts so good.
I'm a strong believer in broadening our understanding of the world around us. Reading novels like this one are an incredible way to do that.
The author puts a lot of work into the research and character building based on real events. It really shines through with how connected you become with the main character. Her struggles to figure out herself while going through multiple tragedies makes this book hard to put down.
I'm a strong believer in broadening our understanding of the world around us. Reading novels like this one are an incredible way to do that.
The author puts a lot of work into the research and character building based on real events. It really shines through with how connected you become with the main character. Her struggles to figure out herself while going through multiple tragedies makes this book hard to put down.