Reviews

If the ending had not been so rushed, I would have given it four stars. I loved the first two parts and how the author explored both Ruth and LuLing's past and relationship with each other. I just feel like the last part could have been fleshed out more.

waterwalker's review against another edition

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emotional funny informative reflective sad 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

5.0

teeceebeecee's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated

5.0

This was my first Chinese based historical fiction novel. It was amazing. There are multiple stories that have been woven throughout and it is beautiful. I was worried there would not be a happy conclusion, but this story does end with joy and hope for a better and brighter future.

cljeff19's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

jahuszar's review against another edition

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5.0

I absolutely adore Amy Tan and how she tackles mother daughter relationships with such honesty and truth. She intertwines the Chinese culture into the story effortlessly. I love how learning about her mother's past brings Ruth to a greater understanding and appreciation of not only her mother, but her family and herself. Amy Tan also deals with the difficulty of caring for an aging parent who is losing their mental faculties. I enjoyed this book a lot.

book_concierge's review against another edition

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5.0

A very good book. Tan writes so well about the struggle between mothers and daughters to love and accept one another. She frequently deals, too, with mother's attempts to shield and protect daughter from her pains - as if hiding a dreadful past will keep the daughter safe from her own heartaches. Here, the mother's Alzheimer's adds another dimension.

linda_1410's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Tan does what she does best: examine the relationship between mothers and daughters. Ruth was born and raised in America, and is facing an aging mother who is starting to suffer from dementia. Her mother, LuLing, was born in China and immigrated to the US after WWII. Ruth chronicles her childhood growing up with a single mother, who didn't tell her much about herself but plenty about her fears. Now that her mother's memory is slipping, she finds herself needing to know who her mother had been throughout her life.

Messy relationships, generational trauma and cultural dissonance are Tan's forte, and she showcases that here easily. Ruth and LuLing might be related and might have spent decades together, but that doesn't mean they know each other or understand each other. Ruth's also having issues with her love life and has to learn to stand for what she needs instead of being the one to always compromise.

Learning more about LuLing's past was my favorite part of this. Seeing what she had to endure in China growing up, and how she made the best out of her situation and struggles gives an added depth to her characterization as seen through Ruth's eyes. I was a bit surprised how quickly the WWII part went by, considering how harsh that was for the Chinese, but in the end, it wasn't really needed to tell her story.

The narrator was decent, though she wasn't my favorite. She was a little monotone when doing Ruth's POV, but she really shined when doing LuLing's character.

meaganscott's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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