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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
This was a great debut novel from Jenny Tinghui Zhang, who takes the reader to the time when the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in the late 1800s and draws attention to a Chinese girl’s arduous journey from being kidnapped in China then smuggled into the United States (first landing in San Francisco then ending up in Idaho). A lot of careful research clearly went into this novel, and I found that it was as informative as it was imaginative; I thought that Zhang found a great balance between providing historical facts while also taking creative liberties to tell a compelling story (particularly in her handling of incorporating Chinese folklore). Furthermore, this novel was by no means an easy read, and the protagonist, Daiyu, suffers quite a bit. I’d highly recommend checking the content warnings for this novel before picking it up, especially considering that Zhang doesn’t shy away from sharing the grim realities of Chinese people during this time period (especially towards the end).
I enjoyed the author’s writing style, which was lyrical but also not to the point that she was dipping into purple prose. (In some ways, the writing style read as more “grounded,” for lack of a better word, than C Pam Zhang’s How Much of These Hills Is Gold, which had a similar setting and was apparently an influence for Jenny Tinghui Zhang.) I did feel that the limited narrative (told from Daiyu’s perspective) made some parts of the novel feel repetitive (especially as Daiyu’s thoughts circle around the same topic), but at the same time, there was something authentic about her perspective as she tried to make sense of the world around her and survive as best as she can.
I don’t think this novel will be for everyone, and I would stay away if you’re not interested in anything heavy and traumatic, but I think it’s worth picking up if you want a close-up of a subject that isn’t as talked about when United States history is brought up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Trafficking, Murder
Moderate: Rape, Violence
Minor: Excrement, Vomit
challenging
emotional
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Interesting story based on actual historical events. It´s about a girl in nineteenth-century China, who has a very unfortunate life, gets kidnapped and smuggled to the US. There her life isn't any brighter so don't expect a sugary love story. It´s rather bitter and unpleasant as life was back in those days.
The girl does seem to be more mature than a real person her age could really be, but maybe back then that's how it was? If you didn't learn fast you wouldn't survive. And yet she restrains her emotions too well, she adapts too quickly and too easily to new situations and is way too resourceful for a real person, for a child, I might add. It just doesn't seem to be realistic.
The story is told in first person by Daiyu herself. So we know her exact thoughts and feelings. And that was, in my opinion anyway, the weakest part of the book. At times it was simply boring, but mostly I´d say there is too much text that is completely unnecessary. Where was the editor? There should be a large part of text crossed out.
What I really, really like about this book is the author's note at the very end, when she explains how she came around to the actual events and how she started researching the history of Chinese communities in XIX century in US, which is almost totally missed out from schoolbooks.
The girl does seem to be more mature than a real person her age could really be, but maybe back then that's how it was? If you didn't learn fast you wouldn't survive. And yet she restrains her emotions too well, she adapts too quickly and too easily to new situations and is way too resourceful for a real person, for a child, I might add. It just doesn't seem to be realistic.
The story is told in first person by Daiyu herself. So we know her exact thoughts and feelings. And that was, in my opinion anyway, the weakest part of the book. At times it was simply boring, but mostly I´d say there is too much text that is completely unnecessary. Where was the editor? There should be a large part of text crossed out.
What I really, really like about this book is the author's note at the very end, when she explains how she came around to the actual events and how she started researching the history of Chinese communities in XIX century in US, which is almost totally missed out from schoolbooks.
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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:
Yes
i really liked this book! there were some gorgeous passages, and i loved the references to Chinese characters. reminds me of why i love learning the language
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
I always love when a book teaches me about history through the lense of fictional characters, spanning the course of their lives. but more than that I love when authors can write them in a way that feels like they are writing from memory, like it's actually their experience.
I literally have nothing but good things to say about this book. It is so so powerful and the fact that the author wrote it during the pandemic when all the Asian hate crime was rampant makes this even more powerful to me. she really showed us how so little has changed in america.
the writing is phenomenal. so full of depth and meaning. not a single paragraph wasted. and the incorporation of calligraphy and chinese words to tell the story? I can't praise it enough. absolutely obsessed.
when Lin Daiyu said at the end "you will never forget me." yes!!! I think she'll live inside me forever (iykyk 👀). I really need everyone to read it, but please check tws first!
I literally have nothing but good things to say about this book. It is so so powerful and the fact that the author wrote it during the pandemic when all the Asian hate crime was rampant makes this even more powerful to me. she really showed us how so little has changed in america.
the writing is phenomenal. so full of depth and meaning. not a single paragraph wasted. and the incorporation of calligraphy and chinese words to tell the story? I can't praise it enough. absolutely obsessed.
when Lin Daiyu said at the end "you will never forget me." yes!!! I think she'll live inside me forever (iykyk 👀). I really need everyone to read it, but please check tws first!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping
Moderate: Body horror, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Grief, Classism
dark
emotional
sad
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:
Yes
Good but so bleak. The story repeatedly flirts with cliche (Samuel being surprisingly innocent, Nelson's lawyer quest) and then averts it to devastating effect.
After reading the origin, it makes sense that the whole book is leading up to Idaho, and I feel like some of the earlier segments could have been briefer. Really solid overall.
After reading the origin, it makes sense that the whole book is leading up to Idaho, and I feel like some of the earlier segments could have been briefer. Really solid overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Rape, Trafficking, Murder
Moderate: Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder
“In calligraphy, as in life, we do not retouch strokes, Master Wang often said. We must accept that what is done is done.”
I was not expecting to be such a heavy read but it was and it had me teary. I was not aware of the origin story of this book so that made things even more depressing. Daiyu is such resilient young girl that has to battle against so much of the issues that she experiences. Zhang beautifully writes in a way that you feel you are living with her, hoping that her next encounter with a person is a good one.
The writing was atmospheric and melodious to some extent especially with the way calligraphy plays such a huge role in it. As well as that, I have never heard about the persecutions that Chinese people has experienced in the 1880s in America. Subhanallah, there is just so much that we do not know and thankfully through works of literature like this, we can educate ourselves. Please read trigger warnings before reading as it deals with emotive topics.
I was not expecting to be such a heavy read but it was and it had me teary. I was not aware of the origin story of this book so that made things even more depressing. Daiyu is such resilient young girl that has to battle against so much of the issues that she experiences. Zhang beautifully writes in a way that you feel you are living with her, hoping that her next encounter with a person is a good one.
The writing was atmospheric and melodious to some extent especially with the way calligraphy plays such a huge role in it. As well as that, I have never heard about the persecutions that Chinese people has experienced in the 1880s in America. Subhanallah, there is just so much that we do not know and thankfully through works of literature like this, we can educate ourselves. Please read trigger warnings before reading as it deals with emotive topics.