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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
This may be my favorite book I read this year. I cried on the subway more times reading this book than I have in my entire New York life. A complex story about identity thay was so beautifully written.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
emotional
inspiring
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
I could write a lot - a lot - about what this book had to say about perseverance in the face of immense, life-threatening difficulty; about inter-generational trauma; about the challenges of third-culture and biracial experiences; about parenthood and what we keep from our children and from ourselves. It is such a beautiful, thoughtful, heartbreaking and life-affirming book, and I'm so happy I read it.
I loved everything about this book -- the writing is smooth, lyrical, and resolute; the characters nuanced and full; and the story a rich, multi-generational journey to finding peace, safety, and home. I don't normally like historical fiction (I find memoirs more grounding and interesting), but Melissa Fu's characters feel complete with their lives rooted in the refugee and immigrant experiences of real people. The author's note is a must-read and a touching tribute to Fu's father, whose life inspired her novel. This is a meaningful and beautiful debut.
China in the early 20th Century is an interesting topic for me. This story spans the decades and is filled with the terrors of war, the hardships of displacement and migration, tempered throughout with familial love and stories. An engrossing read that is well worth the audiobook experience.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
emotional
inspiring
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
This was a very ambitious book that follows three generations of a Chinese family experiencing displacement and trauma due to politics & war. I really enjoyed the book and the heart behind the story, however I do wish it would have focused solely on Renshu instead of switching between the three perspectives of Meilin, Renshu & Lily.
There were times when the writing felt a little dull and the author falls into the habit of "telling" rather than "showing" which would make certain moments less impactful than they could have been.
There were times when the writing felt a little dull and the author falls into the habit of "telling" rather than "showing" which would make certain moments less impactful than they could have been.
3.5- I really enjoyed the second half of the novel but it wasn’t enough to make up for the very boring first half of it.