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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
This is the sequel to Shanghai Girls. I'm always reluctant to read sequels. They don't always capture the spirit of the original story.
In Dreams of Joy, Lisa See has done a wonderful job. See brings 1957 China to life through this novel. I don't know much about this period of China's history, but See makes me feel like I was right there experiencing the story along with the characters.
The story is told from two perspectives. Pearl gives us the perspective of a middle aged women who has experienced hardship and happiness. She does not want to return to China but does so out of necessity. Joy gives us the perspective of a young woman who grows up in a loving environment and ends up feeling betrayed by everyone. She is full of youthful idealism which leads her to Communist China, where she somehow feels she will make a difference.
The two voices compliment each other. It would be difficult to understand the motivations of the two main characters without hearing things from both sides.
All in all an excellent story. It probably could be read by itself, though I recommend reading Shanghai Girls to fully understand the relationship between Pearl and her sister, May.
In Dreams of Joy, Lisa See has done a wonderful job. See brings 1957 China to life through this novel. I don't know much about this period of China's history, but See makes me feel like I was right there experiencing the story along with the characters.
The story is told from two perspectives. Pearl gives us the perspective of a middle aged women who has experienced hardship and happiness. She does not want to return to China but does so out of necessity. Joy gives us the perspective of a young woman who grows up in a loving environment and ends up feeling betrayed by everyone. She is full of youthful idealism which leads her to Communist China, where she somehow feels she will make a difference.
The two voices compliment each other. It would be difficult to understand the motivations of the two main characters without hearing things from both sides.
All in all an excellent story. It probably could be read by itself, though I recommend reading Shanghai Girls to fully understand the relationship between Pearl and her sister, May.
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
Enjoyed this almost as much as its predecessor, Shanghai Girls. It was difficult to connect with the character Joy. See portrays her not as an idealistic college student with romanticized thoughts of Communist China but more as stubborn, spoiled and self-centered teenager. Her naivete was more irritating than sympathetic. See's depiction of the famine produced by the Great Leap Forward was disturbing but a necessary part of the story of Joy & Pearl's lives in China during the late 1950's.
The beginning was a bit slow and it took awhile for the character of Joy to grow on me but the book picked up quickly. Even more heartbreaking, real and beautiful than the first book and a perfect ending.
It took me a minute to get into this, but then once I was in I enjoyed it.
I learned a lot of the beginnings of Communist China, and the Chairman Mao era, and from an inside point of view.
The character of Joy was at first both young and annoying and then at the end strong and a heroine to cheer for.
I was racing the finish to see if this family could beat the odds.
I learned a lot of the beginnings of Communist China, and the Chairman Mao era, and from an inside point of view.
The character of Joy was at first both young and annoying and then at the end strong and a heroine to cheer for.
I was racing the finish to see if this family could beat the odds.
A historical novel that provides a chilling portrayal of the cultural revolution. A good reminder of what propaganda can do to a nation.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Loved this book! I read Shanghai Girls right before reading this book and I liked Dreams of Joy so much more! I love reading historicL fiction and I learned a lot about life in communist China. My favorite character was Joy because she remind me of how idealistic we all are when we graduate from college. If you like reading historical fiction this is the book for you!
I loved this book. It was even better than the first book. It inspired me to do some additional reading and research about this time period in China's history. See captures the dynamics of the mother/daughter/sister/aunt relationships very well.