Scan barcode
kaelynbyers's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“That's the point, isn't it? To keep learning. To grow. To do more good than harm. To create compassion. To understand that every person you encounter is not there by coincidence. All of us play a role in another person's life. What goes around comes around.”
This is a beautiful story following the lives of 7 Chinese women throughout history.
It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Both angering and calming.
Both painful and healing.
It is a story about both grieving and joy.
About loneliness and community.
About weakness and strength.
I have never come across that is so many different things at the same time.
This is a beautifully complex story that walks through the sufferings of women in one family line while highlighting all the ways their trauma and joys are shared across generations. The struggles that make them feel the most isolated and alone are the very things that tie them together.
This book is beautiful, but it does have some difficult topics that could be triggers for readers. This book talks in great detail about depression, suicide, physical abuse, racism, SA, and loss of friends and family.
Please consider the topics covered before reading this book.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism
zosiablue's review
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
probablybadgers's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, and Abandonment
caseythereader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
emmakchapman's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and War
chrisljm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Also, just in case there is anyone else out there who will have a similar experience to me, THEY ARE NOT SPEAKING CANTONESE IN THIS BOOK, IT’S TOISANESE 😭 I was losing my mind because I know Cantonese but was unfamiliar with Toisanese, but I’ve since learned it’s because they’re used interchangeably and prior to the 1960s Toisanese was the dominant language spoken in Chinatowns.
Another thing, this part of the blurb was the reason why I decided to read this book, “A stranger is searching for her in each time period. A stranger who’s loved her through all of her genetic memories,” but it was so misleading.
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Classism
Minor: Racial slurs, Self harm, and Colonisation
ajroe22's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide
8alsopo13's review
- 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: Racial slurs
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Rape, Suicide, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Outing, and War
haleysversion's review
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and War
bookshelf_al's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, Rape, and War
Moderate: Suicide