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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: Abandonment, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Slavery, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Rape, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Classism, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, and Mental illness
ari613's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The premise of the epigenetic memory/trauma treatment was fantastical, but not just "magic" or "religion," which I thought worked really well. I found it more fun to imagine a cool scientific discovery from the future than just wand waving or magic from the heavens. (Don't get me wrong, I love fantasy, but this poked a different part of my thoughts lol).
I loved the variety of the womens' stories and lives, and the alternating chapters for different characters was extremely well done. The author also did a good job of showing little parallel details (e.g. rainstorms at the end of one character's chapter into one's at the beginning of another character's) that highlighted the connection without feeling like it was assuming the reader was dumb and needed to be told explicitly.
As I was reading, I was amazed at the depth of cultural knowledge, and was curious about the author's background, because either they had done a TON of research or they had chinese heritage/connections. It turns out the author does have some Chinese heritage, and I think that his insights and those little details really added depth and heart to the book that so many simply couldn't.
Enjoyed the resolution. It all kind of sped up at the end, but I think that was intentional to show a character's desperation, and I was overall pleased with the ending. I was left with little questions about some of the characters, but not in a bad way, and not in a way that affected plot at all. I just wanted to get their whole stories because I loved them!
I agree with other reviewers that I wish we'd gotten more of Greta's story. I feel like hers was a little rushed, and definitelythe most heartbreaking.
Side note....
Maybe I'm dumb lol.
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death, Pregnancy, Racism, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Rape
Minor: Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
laguerrelewis'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: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, Child death, Grief, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Racism, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Blood, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Self harm, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, War, Bullying, Classism, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
scorttarius'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
5.0
I’ve never read a book that was a simultaneous sci-fi historical fiction book. The book is centered around a main character Dorothy undergoing epigenetics therapy sessions and is flashed back to POVs of the women before her. Each one has seemed to go through some tragic moments with themes of love (or lack of) and loss.
A true tearjerker book with great follow-up resources about epigenetics and the historical moments used in the book.
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Deportation, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Child death, Suicide attempt, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Rape
kimisjustokay'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
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Xenophobia, War, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Medical content, Rape, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Animal death, Classism, Racial slurs, Antisemitism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness
jamiejanae_6'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
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, War, Vomit, Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexism, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Rape, Racial slurs, Racism, Physical abuse, and Lesbophobia
readingbrb's review
3.5
Graphic: Mental illness and Racism
Moderate: Pregnancy, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, and Rape
Minor: War and Death of parent
bookmaddie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I really enjoyed the historical perspectives of the women Dorothy comes from. Ford's writing brings to life a vast array of time periods, creating engaging stories, even when we may only spend a fraction of the book with a character. However, in Dorothy's sections, I found the warmth to evaporate from the writing. It left her sections feeling lackluster in some way, and made it harder for me to connect with her story. I also found it a bit hard to understand the passage of time in Dorothy's sections. I can understand how some of these writing choices may have been made to reflect each character, but I think overall, it made for an uneven, and at times confusing, reading experience.
I also found the structure a tad repetitive. Each historical perspective ends with some sort of trauma, which makes sense due to the premise, but chapter after chapter—it felt endless. I wonder if there would have been a way to structure the story a bit differently so that each chapter felt a bit less formulaic.
This was a mixed bag for me. I think the writing wasn't strong enough to pull off such a complicated, idea. However, the idea is fascinating, and I'd be curious to see what Ford publishes in the future. Maybe I'd do better with a more straightforward (and historical?) plot.
Thanks Atria Books and Netgalley for my advanced digital copy. Sorry it took me so long to read it!
Graphic: Abandonment, Terminal illness, Confinement, Mental illness, Rape, Death, and Death of parent
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: Death of parent, Mental illness, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Classism
Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Grief, Rape, and Pregnancy
apworden'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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, War, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Ableism, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Confinement, Deportation, Pregnancy, Grief, Body horror, Blood, Death, Bullying, Child death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Colonisation