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_abii__'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
“How easy it was to mistake your brother for a traitor or your beloved for an enemy, to fear that you yourself were born in the wrong moment of history. ”
This is a historical novel that sets to explore how Chairman Mao’s government affected the people of China and later on why people started rioting. I wish I had more knowledge about this period in China, maybe the novel would have made more sense to me and perhaps the language would not have seemed so dull at times. The author goes into great detail in how the lives of simple people would have been during that time. The famine, the torture, the “distribution of wealth” is heavily explored in this book.
“I felt she saw into me, past every facade and flourish, and that the more she knew me, the more she loved me. I was too young, then, to know how lasting this kind of love is, how rarely it comes into one’s life, how difficult it is to accept oneself, let alone another. I carried this security—Ai-ming’s love, the love of an older sister—out of my childhood and into my adult life.”
One of the high points of the book is the relationships between the characters, the deep love they feel for each other, whether familiar, platonic or romantic. We see how these characters evolve in each other’s influence and how some people shape our lives.
“Why is it that we can’t choose our own jobs? What right does the government have to keep a private file on me? (…) What illegal thoughts. The ones who should die…But actually, why should anyone’s thoughts be illegal?”
I think this book would benefit from a reread, it feels to me that if I knew what was going to happen I would’ve enjoyed my reading experience a bit more. I love how literature and music are so interconnected in the story and although it has a bit of filler it’s an enjoyable read (especially the second part).
Graphic: Suicide and Violence
Moderate: Child death and Torture
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
leni's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Torture
Minor: Suicide attempt
violence you'd expect related to cultural revolution, incl. lynching, public shaming, prison campswhatcassiedid's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Murder, War, and Torture
Moderate: Suicide
joanie_l's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: War, Police brutality, Suicide, Torture, Grief, Hate crime, Death, and Genocide
rieviolet's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I loved the writing style, it was always beautiful and engaging, and at times wonderfully reflective and lyrical.
I was enraptured by the big cast of characters, from the older generations to the new one, it was just wonderful (if terribly heartbreaking) to see their stories slowly unfold.
If you like historical fiction and family sagas I absolutely recommend this book, it is truly a gem in the genre!
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Grief, Torture, Suicide, Murder, Child death, Confinement, Police brutality, Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore
Minor: Cancer and Rape
ameliarose5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Torture, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Death, and Child death
Minor: Cancer