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smalltownbookmom's review
4.0
The hype is real with this epic historical fiction Chinese family drama that spans decades and continents. The story begins with one couple who come of age during the Cultural Revolution in China and whose hopes and dreams for the future get derailed when their first child is born deformed. Looking for a fresh start, they move to America, leaving their daughter Junie behind with her grandparents.
Ten years later when they write to send for their daughter she resists, wanting to stay with her grandparents and the only home she's ever known. This story is full of loss, grief, dreams deferred and the bonds of family that transcend borders.
I absolutely loved Junie's relationship with her grandfather, who accepted her as she was and found ways to make her life more accessible. If you're looking for a lyrical story set during a period you may not know a lot about, look no further. Great on audio and highly recommended!
Ten years later when they write to send for their daughter she resists, wanting to stay with her grandparents and the only home she's ever known. This story is full of loss, grief, dreams deferred and the bonds of family that transcend borders.
I absolutely loved Junie's relationship with her grandfather, who accepted her as she was and found ways to make her life more accessible. If you're looking for a lyrical story set during a period you may not know a lot about, look no further. Great on audio and highly recommended!
azadeh's review
4.0
I wanted to give 3.5 but was not possible so...
I believe the author who is a professor at University of Toronto has done an amazing job describing the atmosphere and the details of lives during the oppressive reform in China. You see everything vividly. The story is about challenges of living under oppression and when all the joys of life such as music and books are taken from you. It's also about the challenges of immigrants, life's disappointments, the small things that could distance a couple, no one knowing what to do when complicated events happen in life and hope.
The only thing was that I didn't much like the ending. It could have gone many other ways but still it's the author's decision and I respect that.
I believe the author who is a professor at University of Toronto has done an amazing job describing the atmosphere and the details of lives during the oppressive reform in China. You see everything vividly. The story is about challenges of living under oppression and when all the joys of life such as music and books are taken from you. It's also about the challenges of immigrants, life's disappointments, the small things that could distance a couple, no one knowing what to do when complicated events happen in life and hope.
The only thing was that I didn't much like the ending. It could have gone many other ways but still it's the author's decision and I respect that.
sfujii's review
4.0
This book was just – lovely. Many of the pieces didn’t come together super well for me until the very end. The pieces clicked together like putting the last piece into a puzzle. Sometimes when there are many points of view and concurrent stories in a novel the overlap or coming together is messy, clunky, or involves far too much explanation. Almost the opposite was true here. The second to last chapter had me almost in tears.
A solid and surprising read.
A solid and surprising read.
tosta's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
daschneider's review
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
4.0
kristensreadingnook's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
Swimming Back to Trout River was a beautifully written story about family, music, immigration, and overcoming adversity. It is set during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. This is a time period I am very much lacking in knowledge of, so I’m so thankful to authors who can help me out in my education.
I had not heard of this book before it was long listed for the Aspen Words Literary Prize, which is quite a shame. I hope this gets the author an even wider audience with this high honor.
Swimming Back to Trout River was a beautifully written story about family, music, immigration, and overcoming adversity. It is set during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. This is a time period I am very much lacking in knowledge of, so I’m so thankful to authors who can help me out in my education.
I had not heard of this book before it was long listed for the Aspen Words Literary Prize, which is quite a shame. I hope this gets the author an even wider audience with this high honor.
eososray's review against another edition
3.0
It was good, and I thought I was going to enjoy it more, but I didn't quite get into the parents stories. Though I loved Junie and thought Dawn's story was the most interesting.
katiez624's review
5.0
The writing in this book is intricate, poignant, and simply elegant. The ethereal feeling the author is able to convey with a few simple words strung together demonstrates a level of artistry that is seldom seen in fiction writing. It incorporates the full-bodied verboseness of prose balanced with the lyrical essence of poetry.
I thought this book would be about immigration, living through the Cultural Revolution, being raised by grandparents, and familial challenges. But it turned out to be so much more. It's about human beings who are flawed and deeply affected by past traumas. It's also about the magic of music its transformative nature.
The names in the book threw me off a bit. They are not names I would traditionally associate with this time period and place. But this did not take away from the amazing characters that Feng constructed.
I thought this book would be about immigration, living through the Cultural Revolution, being raised by grandparents, and familial challenges. But it turned out to be so much more. It's about human beings who are flawed and deeply affected by past traumas. It's also about the magic of music its transformative nature.
The names in the book threw me off a bit. They are not names I would traditionally associate with this time period and place. But this did not take away from the amazing characters that Feng constructed.
nb61's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
Boring, rambling, all over the place, poor attempt at historical fiction involving Chinese Cultural Revolution, One child police, emigration to America, isolation, birth defects, affects on marriage, disparate love stories, music.