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steveatwaywords's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
But I'm afraid that neither of these historical premises (foot-binding and other suffering by Chinese and Japanese women for the sake of beauty nor the language of nu shu) are nearly sufficient to sustain a good novel. I found myself frustrated at two levels:
First, the characters and their own growth itself: we might hope to see the development of their ideas, of their relationship, of their understanding of their own condition, etc. But these fundamentals to storytelling take a far backseat to outside events (many beyond their experience or understanding) which impact their fortunes. What political drama which exists within the female community itself is also resolved through time and death, not through the actions or understandings of our protagonists. In other words, our characters are long-suffering from start to finish. And yes, this might be "historically accurate," but this is not a history; it's a novel. The final conflict/complication around the secret language (the sustained conceit for the story) arises from such a simply elementary misunderstanding as to be unreasonably ignorant even from this white male reader's immediate response. Is <i>this</i> really what we have been building towards?
My second concern is a bit different, and I admit that I believe reading writers like James Clavell (Shogun) and Arthur Golden (Memoirs of a Geisha) is problematic. I kept asking myself not just why I was reading this (it came recommended), but why it was written. It's a bit like writing about an idealistic sheriff in the mythological American Old West and saying, "I wrote a story of the United States!" Truly, are there no other stories to write of China than of this world of silks and tea? If we want to stay with historical fiction of China, are there no other eras of classes from which to draw across its thousands of years of history? Reading this felt oddly voyeuristic, so focused through this single misaligned peephole into a vast and complex culture.
It's true that I have also been recently reading contemporary writers from China, and so perhaps the comparison isn't entirely fair. But there it is, a comparison. There are far better choices into literary China, and I don't see what this book in that light has to offer.
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Moderate: Grief, Classism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Child death, Confinement, Suicide, Pregnancy, War, Rape, Misogyny, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Miscarriage, and Medical trauma
redlerred'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? It's complicated
4.0
Minor: Pregnancy, Child death, Suicide, Death, Grief, Miscarriage, and Domestic abuse
allydee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Suicide, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Drug use
myworldtoread's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Miscarriage
Minor: Suicide
bookworm356's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, War, Grief, Eating disorder, Child death, Classism, Miscarriage, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Infertility, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Suicide
crystaldragonst's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Warning: there is a pretty graphic description of footbinding early on in the book. I knew about footbinding but the book describes the process in detail and I honestly felt sick reading that part. I think it’s important because that is something that happened in real life and Lily’s character is shaped by this event pretty strongly. But just be aware.
Overall, I cried at the end of the book. It was sad, reflective, beautiful. A good reminder to examine your relationships and not take everything at face value.
Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Miscarriage, and Death
Moderate: Child death and Suicide
mtnest's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Physical abuse, Child death, Grief, Addiction, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Death, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Excrement, Suicide, Infertility, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and War
shelbydm'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
5.0
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Grief, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
hanahighway's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
c410berry's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Minor: Domestic abuse, Suicide, Miscarriage, and Child death