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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
"To tell a story, he realizes, is to plant a seed and let it grow."
February Book of the Month Club Selection. 3.5 Stars Rounded to 4. This one was a pleasant surprise. I initially selected it because it met two of the annual challenge goals: A debut novel and a novel 400 pages or longer.
In high school, I spent 11th grade AP English devoted to one author drawn out of a hat. Mine was Peal S. Buck. This novel reminded me so much of her historical fiction set in China. This book spans over seven decades and kept me engaged throughout. That's no easy task. It's a bit of a slow read, but not in a bad way. I appreciated learning more about a history and culture I have very little knowledge of and really enjoy the folktales shared in the earlier chapters.
February Book of the Month Club Selection. 3.5 Stars Rounded to 4. This one was a pleasant surprise. I initially selected it because it met two of the annual challenge goals: A debut novel and a novel 400 pages or longer.
In high school, I spent 11th grade AP English devoted to one author drawn out of a hat. Mine was Peal S. Buck. This novel reminded me so much of her historical fiction set in China. This book spans over seven decades and kept me engaged throughout. That's no easy task. It's a bit of a slow read, but not in a bad way. I appreciated learning more about a history and culture I have very little knowledge of and really enjoy the folktales shared in the earlier chapters.
The only thing that disappointed me about this book was that it ended. I wanted more time with Meilin, Henry, Rachel, and Lily. Great pick for those who love historical fiction, family/generational story arcs, and stories about the power of story telling.
Thank you to Bookbrowse and the publisher for the chance to read an advance copy of this book.
Thank you to Bookbrowse and the publisher for the chance to read an advance copy of this book.
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Such a beautiful book! As someone who enjoys historical fiction this one was tragically beautiful. Spanning 70 years focusing on a familiar time period (WWII and beyond) in an unfamiliar setting (China, Taiwan, etc.) While I thought the second half was so-so, I still highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning more about the political atmosphere of the mid-to-late 20th century through a touching and well written love letter to the generation who lived through this time.
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book is well written in many ways and I appreciated a historical fiction book not set in WWII Europe. Unfortunately, I found the book didn't pull me in; I didn't feel connected with the characters and the dialogue often felt a bit clunky or not realistic. It felt a bit superficial character wise. Interested to see what else the author writes, though!