Reviews

Daiyu, named for Lin Daiyu of a tragic story, is kidnapped from China after a series of events which leave her orphaned. She is sold to a brothel in Sam Francisco, and escapes, heading to Idaho disguised as a boy. Here, she will stay disguised and eke out a meagre existence - until she dares hope to change things, before returning to China.

This book is heartbreaking, bleak, and overwhelmingly sad, and yet despite its tragedy, there is hope. This is a beautifully written and complex debut, exploring the Chinese Exclusion Act in America, and the racial tensions of being Asian American - even when you didn’t want to be there in the first places. Daiyu is a challenging character but ultimately a wonderful narrator. This is a beautiful read, despite the tough subject matter.

livres_de_bloss's review

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3.0

A well-researched and important book but just so relentlessly hopeless which made for tough reading. I felt sick to my stomach by the time I finished the book.

Please read the trigger warnings before picking this up.

janiebee's review against another edition

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5.0

This is one of the saddest and most beautiful books I have ever read.

mary_binzley's review

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4.0

4.5 — half a star taken off because no quotation marks for NO REASON. but an amazing, beautiful story!!

bookishlymonique's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.5

Artfully written. A beautifully, tragic story with wonderful symbolism and imagery.

Four Treasures of the Sky covers a part of American history that has been significantly limited in public education and general history. Similar to Black History and Indigenous history and the history of many marginalized groups in the US. I barely learned about the Chinese Exclusion Act and this book was able to highlight how it affected the everyday Chinese people who it was inflicted upon.

The use of magical realism created tension and hope. Although the story focuses on the main character, Daiyu, the story becomes even richer as each side character is introduced. These characters help build a more realistic picture of Chinese life in America during the mid-to-late 1800s as well as illuminate multiple aspects of the MC’s culture and experience.

Favorite Quotes

“I am beginning to realize that everyone has two faces to them: the face they show to the world and the one on the inside, that keeps all its secrets. I still do not know who my faces are, or which one is which.”

“English, it seems, is a matter of timing and chaos.”

“The inkstone asks for destruction before creation—you must first destroy yourself, grind yourself into a paste, before becoming a work of art.”

“I am the constellation of all the names within me, of every name I have ever inhabited. And this is the truth I see for the first time: I have only been able to survive because of my name.”

“I never thought about it before, but every cloud I have ever seen must have been on its way to somewhere. Those who witness clouds only ever see a moment of their journey. In this way, I could call myself a cloud.”

lalaris's review against another edition

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5.0

5 stars for this book is too little, not enough. I cant even describe what I’m feeling as I read the last sentences… it hurts because it feels too real, and somehow too close to reality. But maybe because it was/is reality for so many people for so long :(

The writers words and thoughts are absolute gems, much better than a philosophy book. So many times I had to stop after a sentence and just give myself time to soak in the profoundness it was offering me. almost every day for two months I encountered with Lin Daiyu. I must say I feel for her. A lot. I will carry Dayiu in my heart for a long time.

PS: how great would it be to have a movie adaptation of this book (but with Asian cinematography characteristics and not Hollywood-ian)??! I can already see the narration and meeting both Daiyus and Nelson, Nam and Lum… I hope it happens

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