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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
Pinmei goes on a trek to save her grandmother from a corrupt emperor and ends up learning the secret to immortality — stories. I love that message. This book is chock full of Chinese mythology but told on a fun, mystical level for both young and old. I really enjoyed reading it and now want to dive into Lin’s other middle grade books inspired by Chinese mythology.
this was SUCH a good children’s book, and i’d definitely recommend it to any younger readers.
i absolutely LOVED how chinese mythology was incorporated, especially the intermission stories. i also think everything was arranged EXTREMELY well, and it was amazing how everything clicked in the end, how all these povs we witness suddenly make sense, how everything is linked and connected, like dominos, with one thing happening after the other.
however, i felt that there could’ve been a little more of character development, especially with our main characters, pinmei and yishan. throughout the entirety of the book, there wasn’t much change to them and they stayed relatively the same. i also felt that the end reveal of yishan being the man of the moon was a little abrupt, and there could’ve be more clues or hints that would lead to that big reveal.
overall, i did enjoy this book and i loved some of the morales that it teaches us, especially the way it’s shown through the different stories and the book itself, which makes it easier for younger children to understand.
i absolutely LOVED how chinese mythology was incorporated, especially the intermission stories. i also think everything was arranged EXTREMELY well, and it was amazing how everything clicked in the end, how all these povs we witness suddenly make sense, how everything is linked and connected, like dominos, with one thing happening after the other.
however, i felt that there could’ve been a little more of character development, especially with our main characters, pinmei and yishan. throughout the entirety of the book, there wasn’t much change to them and they stayed relatively the same. i also felt that the end reveal of yishan being the man of the moon was a little abrupt, and there could’ve be more clues or hints that would lead to that big reveal.
overall, i did enjoy this book and i loved some of the morales that it teaches us, especially the way it’s shown through the different stories and the book itself, which makes it easier for younger children to understand.
This was beautiful. I loved it's companion novel so had to read this and was not disappointed. It tells a beautiful story of family and love, and of perseverance. I loved the way it weaves folklore and stories into a bigger story. It might feel confusing at first, but by the end it all really ties together and it's great.
Oh, my goodness, I just want to hug Grace Lin's books always. "When the Sea Turned to Silver" is the last of 3 loosely connected companion novels. Technically, they're for middle grade readers but bah! I say. Anyone who loves great stories and appreciates the power of stories will love them. This could fit into a few different Pop Sugar Reading Challenge categories. Chinese stories and myths are at the heart of the book so I almost put it under "A Book Based on Mythology" or "A Book Involving a Mythological Creature." It would also work for "A Book Where the Main Character is a Different Ethnicity Than You" and I kind of like that it's a non-picture book with pictures which makes it a fun choice for "A Book With Pictures." (I don't actually read on my iPad - I read any ebooks on a Kindle Paperwhite - but the beautiful illustrations, also by Grace Lin, look much better on the full color iPad.) I think I'm going to go with "A Book With a Story Within a Story." One of the best things about this book and the others in the series is how Lin takes all the stories that the various characters tell and weaves them into a narrative which then weaves into the main narrative. I got better at spotting the connections once I knew they were probably there, but it's still wonderful and made me gasp in pleasure a few times. Highly recommended.
This was a slow builder for me but once I got into it, I was really into it. I loved the classic myths/legends/storytelling aspect paired with the classic Chinese print artwork! The stories were all magical and exciting and I loved how they all tied together in the end. This was my intro to Lin's work and it made me excited for her others, especially the ones in the same vein as When the Sea Turned to Silver. The book design with the chapter headings, font, page thickness, and full page illustrations was all around gorgeous as well!
this book relied on a lot of chinese folklore to bring the story to life, and it did a truly great job. there were so many fun and unique stories that converged as the story unfolded, and i felt like i was able to learn about some of their myths along the way.
definitely written for a younger audience than me though lol
definitely written for a younger audience than me though lol
Pinmei's grandmother is a famous storyteller. After she is kidnapped, Pinmei and her friend, Yishan, go on a rescue mission. Along the way, the two children meet vibrant people, who feels almost like characters in Pinmei and her grandmother's stories. The fables expose readers to the vibe of Chinese mythology.
While it was a rough and boring start, this book became fascinating by the end. I looked forward to the fables, as opposed to the storyline.
While it was a rough and boring start, this book became fascinating by the end. I looked forward to the fables, as opposed to the storyline.
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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
this is the kind of book I aspire to write tbh😭😭😭
CW/TWs: didn't notice this first time reading through but there was a problematic element of using disfigurement as punishment+a magical cure for said disfigurement :/
CW/TWs: didn't notice this first time reading through but there was a problematic element of using disfigurement as punishment+a magical cure for said disfigurement :/